2018 Season

[Dustin]

Since all of the winter sports are over, I, like many fans, am already looking ahead to next year.  While I've seen several discussions on football, basketball, and hockey, I haven't seen any about the upcoming volleyball season.  A few of the major things that stand out to me: 1) Summit League - some new opponents, some old rivals.  Denver has the best thing going in Summit volleyball at the moment, so they will be our best competition right off the bat.  Not sure who else will be able to make noise.  2) Scheduling - One of the things I noticed with Summit League scheduling is that games tend to be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I deeply hope that UND's home games are NOT scheduled this way.  I really liked Thursday night and Saturday late morning/early afternoon.  Hopefully Graves will be able to exert some will in this area.  3)  We graduated the most accomplished senior class in UND volleyball history last year.  Our biggest names coming back are Alivia Fraase, Jordan Vail, Ashley Brueggeman, and Sidney Mattson.  2018 will be a completely different look than the last two years, so Pryor will have his work cut out for him if he expects another conference championship.

[darell1976]

Since we have never played Denver since joining DI that will make for a more hyped game than playing NDSU. Coach Pryor has done a great job since taking over and I think playing the Dakota 3, DU and Omaha will make for bigger crowds and another NCAA berth .

[SiouxVolley]

VB needs quite a few matches to get their chemistry and timing down.  That’s especially true after loosing a setter like Griffin and a all around player like Merseli.  Dooley is obviously a big loss too.  How well the UConn and Finnish attackers fit in will be a huge question mark. This team just needs to be constantly improving through the Summit tournament.

[SWSiouxMN]

7 hours ago, Dustin said:

Since all of the winter sports are over, I, like many fans, am already looking ahead to next year.  While I've seen several discussions on football, basketball, and hockey, I haven't seen any about the upcoming volleyball season.  A few of the major things that stand out to me: 1) Summit League - some new opponents, some old rivals.  Denver has the best thing going in Summit volleyball at the moment, so they will be our best competition right off the bat.  Not sure who else will be able to make noise.  2) Scheduling - One of the things I noticed with Summit League scheduling is that games tend to be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I deeply hope that UND's home games are NOT scheduled this way.  I really liked Thursday night and Saturday late morning/early afternoon.  Hopefully Graves will be able to exert some will in this area.  3)  We graduated the most accomplished senior class in UND volleyball history last year.  Our biggest names coming back are Alivia Fraase, Jordan Vail, Ashley Brueggeman, and Sidney Mattson.  2018 will be a completely different look than the last two years, so Pryor will have his work cut out for him if he expects another conference championship.

USD is usually pretty strong

[Dustin]

9 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

USD is usually pretty strong

USD end-of-season RPI was 146, which is actually behind NDSU (145).  Denver was 57, UND 71, and ORU 106.  After USD, there's a big jump down to Omaha at 225.  The rest are pretty much bottom feeders.  In the Big Sky, Sac St. was 80, Portland St. 114, Idaho 123, and on down the line.

[SiouxVolley]

There will be a spring match against UM Crookston on Wednesday at 5:30 at the Betty according to this:

http://www.crookstontimes.com/sports/20180322/minnesota-crookston-volleyball-announces-2018-spring-schedule

[iramurphy]

On ‎3‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 9:11 AM, Dustin said:

Since all of the winter sports are over, I, like many fans, am already looking ahead to next year.  While I've seen several discussions on football, basketball, and hockey, I haven't seen any about the upcoming volleyball season.  A few of the major things that stand out to me: 1) Summit League - some new opponents, some old rivals.  Denver has the best thing going in Summit volleyball at the moment, so they will be our best competition right off the bat.  Not sure who else will be able to make noise.  2) Scheduling - One of the things I noticed with Summit League scheduling is that games tend to be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I deeply hope that UND's home games are NOT scheduled this way.  I really liked Thursday night and Saturday late morning/early afternoon.  Hopefully Graves will be able to exert some will in this area.  3)  We graduated the most accomplished senior class in UND volleyball history last year.  Our biggest names coming back are Alivia Fraase, Jordan Vail, Ashley Brueggeman, and Sidney Mattson.  2018 will be a completely different look than the last two years, so Pryor will have his work cut out for him if he expects another conference championship.

Lydia Rutten from New York Mills is also one of the biggest names returning.  Pryor thinks she can be a starter next year.

[SWSiouxMN]

I could see this going down a lot like Pryor's 2nd year here, around 22-23 wins, top half finish in the conference, etc.  They did lose a ton, but if they can find a way to replace that production, they can push for a 3-peat.  I think they will be picked 2nd in the league next year behind DU. 

The key for me is always the setter, is Mattson ready to step in for some big shoes?

[Dustin]

4 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

There will be a spring match against UM Crookston on Wednesday at 5:30 at the Betty according to this:

http://www.crookstontimes.com/sports/20180322/minnesota-crookston-volleyball-announces-2018-spring-schedule

Anybody know if this is open to the public?

[SiouxFan100]

3 hours ago, SWSiouxMN said:

I could see this going down a lot like Pryor's 2nd year here, around 22-23 wins, top half finish in the conference, etc.  They did lose a ton, but if they can find a way to replace that production, they can push for a 3-peat.  I think they will be picked 2nd in the league next year behind DU. 

The key for me is always the setter, is Mattson ready to step in for some big shoes?

Without knowing nothing about nothing I am guessing we finish in the top two in the conference. Coach will reload!

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

20 hours ago, SiouxFan100 said:

Without knowing nothing about nothing I am guessing we finish in the top two in the conference. Coach will reload!

I'd say you have a pretty handle on it. Like your avatar.

[SiouxVolley]

On 4/10/2018 at 10:49 AM, Dustin said:

Anybody know if this is open to the public?

There was a tweet last week by UMC that said everyone should come to Lysaker Gymnasium for their spring game.  Imagine that holds for UND too.  

[Dustin]

21 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

There was a tweet last week by UMC that said everyone should come to Lysaker Gymnasium for their spring game.  Imagine that holds for UND too.  

I ended up working late, and couldn't go anyways.

[SiouxVolley]

Minnesota announces their schedule.  NDSU is on it but not UND.

https://www.twincities.com/2018/04/25/gophers-volleyball-to-open-season-at-target-center/

[darell1976]

5 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

Minnesota announces their schedule.  NDSU is on it but not UND.

https://www.twincities.com/2018/04/25/gophers-volleyball-to-open-season-at-target-center/

Its okay, we will meet Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament.

[Dustin]

The Gophers wouldn't want to risk playing a North Dakota school that could beat them

 

[SiouxVolley]

UND just signed two setters.  Not expecting that.  The Finnish gal was talked about, but thought she would be a hitter or blocker.

http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=211716019

[Dustin]

http://www.thesummitleague.org/sports/wvball/2018-19/schedule?teamId=084k7k5sgsnrbci6

Summit League has posted the conference schedule dates, but not times.  Extremely disappointed that UND will now have a lot of home matches on Friday and Sunday.

[the green team]

I will be curious to see what time UND puts those Sunday matches at.  I can't imagine they will want to go head to head when a Viking's game is on.  Or maybe that really doesn't matter?  Of course opponents that play here on Sunday will want to get back home to where ever at a reasonable time on Sunday, so their student athletes will be able to be in class on Mondays.   Just a little glimpse how we as fans will have to get used to a new routine in The Summit as opposed to The Big Sky.  I'm sure with basketball there will be some scheduling things to get used to  as well.

[lawkota]

16 minutes ago, the green team said:

I will be curious to see what time UND puts those Sunday matches at.  I can't imagine they will want to go head to head when a Viking's game is on.  Or maybe that really doesn't matter?  Of course opponents that play here on Sunday will want to get back home to where ever at a reasonable time on Sunday, so their student athletes will be able to be in class on Mondays.   Just a little glimpse how we as fans will have to get used to a new routine in The Summit as opposed to The Big Sky.  I'm sure with basketball there will be some scheduling things to get used to  as well.

USD has their 2018 schedule up.  They show the October 14 (Sunday) game at UND to be at 2 pm.  Early afternoon seems to be the norm for the conference.

[dmksioux]

2018 Schedule is out.  Looks to be a pretty tough non-conference slate which is good.  

http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=211717331

[jdub27]

Not a huge fan of the conference set-up. Mainly Friday/Sunday games with a Wednesday, Tuesday and a Thursday scattered in.

Last year every conference game was Thursday or Saturday except for a Friday night game against MSU before heading to UM the next day.

[Dustin]

4 hours ago, jdub27 said:

Not a huge fan of the conference set-up. Mainly Friday/Sunday games with a Wednesday, Tuesday and a Thursday scattered in.

Last year every conference game was Thursday or Saturday except for a Friday night game against MSU before heading to UM the next day.

Ne neither, and I'm thinking I won't get season tickets this year because of it.  I still plan to go to games, but not sure of committing Sunday afternoons in the fall to volleyball.  I wouldn't be surprised if attendance drops off with the irregular schedule.  And I hope in 2019-20 UND exercises more clout when it comes to home games.  

[jdub27]

7 minutes ago, Dustin said:

Ne neither, and I'm thinking I won't get season tickets this year because of it.  I still plan to go to games, but not sure of committing Sunday afternoons in the fall to volleyball.  I wouldn't be surprised if attendance drops off with the irregular schedule.  And I hope in 2019-20 UND exercises more clout when it comes to home games.  

Unfortunately I think this might become the norm as it is inline with their strange conference scheduling from previous years.. And I would expect it won't be the only other sport where people aren't happy with the new scheduling pattern, but we'll see on that one.

[SWSiouxMN]

2 hours ago, jdub27 said:

Unfortunately I think this might become the norm as it is inline with their strange conference scheduling from previous years.. And I would expect it won't be the only other sport where people aren't happy with the new scheduling pattern, but we'll see on that one.

Until they get that all elusive 10th team of course.