NDSU VB Earns No. 5 Seed for Summit League Championship

ELMHURST, Ill. – The North Dakota State volleyball team has earned the No. 5 seed for the 2013 Summit League Volleyball Championship, qualifying for the league tournament for the sixth time in seven years since joining the league.

IUPUI claims the top seed after capturing its second-straight Summit League regular season title.  Joining the Jaguars in the championship field are Denver, South Dakota, Fort Wayne, North Dakota State and Western Illinois.

The 2013 Summit League Volleyball Championship is hosted by IUPUI and takes place Nov. 22-24, at The Jungle in Indianapolis.

The Jaguars finished the regular season with an 11-3 record in league play and enter the league tournament with its second consecutive No. 1 seed. League newcomer Denver clinched the No. 2 seed with a league record of 10-4.  As the top-two seeds, IUPUI and Denver earn a bye in the first-round of the tournament.

South Dakota and Fort Wayne tied for third place in the regular season standings with a 9-5 record in league play.  The Coyotes claim the No. 3 seed by virtue of a better record against North Dakota State and Western Illinois, who tied for fifth in the regular season standings.  South Dakota makes its first appearance in the league tournament since joining the league.  Fort Wayne, the defending tournament champion, appears in its sixth consecutive league championship.

North Dakota State and Western Illinois each posted a league record of 6-8 in a tie for fifth.  The Bison earn the No. 5 seed after splitting their regular season matches with Denver, while the Fighting Leathernecks were swept by the Pioneers.  North Dakota State competes in its sixth league tournament in seven years since joining the league after missing out on last year's championship.  Western Illinois advances to the league tournament for the first time since 2007.

No. 3 South Dakota faces No. 6 Western Illinois in the first quarterfinal match on Friday at 4:30 p.m. (ET).  The second quarterfinal match pits No. 4 Fort Wayne against No. 5 North Dakota State at 7 p.m. (ET).  In Saturday's semifinal matches, No. 2 Denver will face the winner of South Dakota/Western Illinois at 4:30 p.m. (ET) and No. 1 IUPUI is set to take on the winner of Fort Wayne/North Dakota State at 7 p.m. (ET). 

The tournament concludes with Sunday's championship match at 2 p.m. (ET). The winner claims The Summit League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Championship Schedule
Friday, Nov. 22 - Quarterfinals
4:30 p.m. – Match One: (3) South Dakota vs. (6) Western Illinois
7 p.m. – Match Two: (4) Fort Wayne vs. (5) North Dakota State

Saturday, Nov. 23 – Semifinals
4:30 p.m. – Match Three: (2) Denver vs. Winner Match One
7 p.m. – Match Four: (1) IUPUI vs. Winner Match Two

Sunday, Nov. 24
2 p.m. – Championship Match: Winner Match Three vs. Winner Match Four
All times Eastern

Summit League Men's Basketball Preview

ELMHURST, Ill. – North Dakota State is the favorite to win the 2013-14 Summit League men’s basketball title, according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media.

The Bison received 25-of-28 first-place votes after finishing as runner-up at the 2013 Summit League Tournament. Head coach Saul Phillips returns all five starters from last season’s squad that finished 24-10 overall and 12-4 in Summit League play.            

NDSU guard Taylor Braun, a two-time All-Summit League selection, was the preseason choice for Player of the Year. The senior averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game and scored in double-figures in 21 of 24 games played during the 2012-13 season.

After missing 10 contests with a broken foot from mid-January to late February, Braun returned from injury to record a 27-point performance in The Summit League Tournament quarterfinals and 11 assists in the College Basketball Invitational first round game. He earned first team All-Summit League honors as a sophomore in 2011-12.

NDSU placed a league-high three players on the all-league team with Braun, guard Lawrence Alexander (10.8 ppg, 3.6 apg in ‘12-13) and forward Marshall Bjorklund (11.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, second in NCAA with 66.7 FG%) all receiving first-team nods. Bjorklund is the active career NCAA leader in field goal percentage.

Joining the Bison trio on the preseason All-Summit League first team are South Dakota State’s Jordan Dykstra (12.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Omaha’s Justin Simmons (16.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Denver’s Chris Udofia (13.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg).

League newcomer Denver, which earned a share of the 2012-13 WAC regular season title and posted a first-round NIT victory last March, earned the remaining three first-place votes to finish second in the poll with 260 points. South Dakota State, the two-time defending Summit League Tournament champion, placed third with 233 points. Last season’s regular season co-champion, Western Illinois, was fourth in the voting. Omaha, Fort Wayne, South Dakota and IUPUI rounded out the poll.

NDSU hosts Concordia Moorhead in an exhibition game on Oct. 30 and opens the regular season against Viterbo in the Bison Sports Arena on Nov. 8. Season tickets, flex packs (10 tickets for $100), and single-game tickets are available online at GoBison.com/tickets or by calling 701-231-6378.

2013-14 Summit League Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

Rk	Team (1st)	Pts.
1.	North Dakota State (25)	305
2.	Denver (3)	260
3.	South Dakota State	233
4.	Western Illinois	161
5.	Omaha	130
6.	Fort Wayne	120
7.	South Dakota	102
8.	IUPUI	81

 

Preseason Player of the Year: Taylor Braun, North Dakota State        

Preseason All-League

First Team

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Yr.
Lawrence Alexander	North Dakota State	G	6-3	Jr.
Marshall Bjorklund	North Dakota State	F	6-8	Sr.
Taylor Braun	North Dakota State	G	6-7	Sr.
Jordan Dykstra	South Dakota State	F	6-8	Sr.
Justin Simmons	Omaha	G	6-3	Sr.
Chris Udofia	Denver	F	6-6	Sr.

Second Team

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Yr.
Trevor Gruis	South Dakota	C	6-10	Sr.
Luis Jacobo	Fort Wayne	F	6-5	Sr.
Adam Link	Western Illinois	F	6-6	Sr.
Brett Olson	Denver	G	6-5	Jr.
Mitch Patton	IUPUI	C	6-9	Sr.

Summit League Preseason Poll

ELMHURST, Ill. – The North Dakota State women's basketball team was tabbed eighth in The Summit League preseason poll released Tuesday, Oct. 15 by the league office.

The Bison received 74 points in the poll.

NDSU returns nine student-athletes from last season's team, including one starter in sophomore forward Marena Whittle. She started 26-of-29 games in 2012-13, averaging 6.7 points and 7.1 rebounds.

South Dakota State was picked to win the league after claiming its record fifth-consecutive Summit League tournament title and fourth regular season title in six years. The Jackrabbits collected 27-of-30 first-place votes and 319 points in the voting conducted by the league's head coaches, SIDs and media.

IUPUI was picked to finish runner-up in the poll, collecting three first-place votes and 276 points, after finishing second in the regular season a year ago. South Dakota was third with 224 points followed by Fort Wayne in fourth with 179. League newcomer Denver, Western Illinois, Omaha and the Bison rounded out the poll.

Fort Wayne's Amanda Hyde was voted as the league's preseason Player of the Year after garnering Player of the Year and first team All-Summit League honors last season.

Accompanying Hyde on the first team are IUPUI's DeAirra Goss, 2013 Newcomer of the Year Western Illinois' Ashley Luke, last season's Tournament MVP South Dakota's Nicole Seekamp, Denver's Morgan Van Riper-Rose and South Dakota State's Megan Waytashek.

The second team is composed of reigning Defensive Player of the Year in IUPUI's Dee-Dee Bellamy, South Dakota's Polly Harrington, Omaha's Ericka House, South Dakota State's Steph Paluch and Fort Wayne's Haley Seibert.

NDSU opens the 2013-14 season Oct. 30 at home with an exhibition game against Minnesota-Crookston. Tip-off from the Bison Sports Arena is set for 5 p.m.

2013-14 Summit League Women's Basketball Preseason Poll 

Place	Team	Points (1st)
1.	South Dakota State	319 (27)
2.	IUPUI	276 (3)
3.	South Dakota	224
4.	Fort Wayne	179
5.	Denver	169
6.	Western Illinois	146
7.	Omaha	77
8.	North Dakota State	74

 

 

 

 First Team

Name	School	Pos.	Yr.
DeAirra Gross	IUPUI	G	Sr.
Amanda Hyde	Fort Wayne	G/F	Sr.
Ashley Luke	Western Illinois	F	So.
Nicole Seekamp	South Dakota	G	Jr.
Morgan Van Riper-Rose	Denver	G	Jr.
Megan Waytashek	South Dakota State	G/F	Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preseason Player of the Year: Amanda Hyde, Fort Wayne

NDSU's Miller named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week in Soccer

ELMHURST, Ill. – North Dakota State women's soccer freshman midfielder Lauren Miller was named The Summit League Offensive Player of the Week after netting three goals in the Bison's pair of wins last week.

In Friday's 3-2 win against the Idaho Vandals, Miller scored the go-ahead goal in the 66^th minute with her one-timer from 20 yards out. On Sunday, she scored two of the three Bison goals in the 3-1 victory against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. Her first strike occurred in the 38^th minute on a breakaway before her second goal found the back of the net in the 52^nd minute of the match.

For the week, the St. Louis Park, Minn. native tallied three goals, including a game-winner, for six points while all six of her shots were on goal.

The Bison return to the pitch Wednesday afternoon when they travel to Grand Forks to battle rival North Dakota beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Bison VB Ranked Sixth in Preseason Summit League Poll

The North Dakota State volleyball team has been picked to finish sixth in The Summit League in 2013, according to the poll of league head coaches released Thursday, Aug. 22.

 

After battling for last year’s regular season title and championship, Fort Wayne and IUPUI were picked as co-favorites to win the league.

 

Defending tournament champion Fort Wayne received three first-place votes and tied with reigning regular season champion IUPUI, who earned four first-place tallies.

 

League newcomer Denver was picked third and collected the final first-place vote. South Dakota finished fourth, and South Dakota State edged out NDSU by two points for fifth place. Rounding out the poll were Western Illinois and Omaha.

 

The regular season begins Aug. 30, with all eight league teams competing in non-league tournaments.  Summit League play starts Sept. 27, as four-of-eight teams go head-to-head.  The top six teams in the regular season standings will compete for The Summit League Volleyball Championship at The Jungle in Indianapolis, Nov. 22-24. The tournament champion will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament.

 

NDSU won four straight Summit League regular season titles from 2008-11 and has appeared in three of the last five NCAA Tournaments.

NDSU opens the 2013 season at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Invitational in Orem, Utah, with matches against Wichita State, Utah Valley and Arizona State on Aug. 30-31. The Bison make their home debut Sept. 6-7 against Louisville, Wisconsin and Northern Iowa in the Doublewood Inn Classic.

 

2013 Summit League Volleyball Preseason Poll
Place	Team	Points (1st)	2012 Record
1.	Fort Wayne	44 (3)	25-7 (12-4 SL)
	IUPUI	44 (4)	22-10 (13-3 SL)
3.	Denver	39 (1)	17-13
4.	South Dakota	29	14-14 (8-8 SL)
5.	South Dakota State	23	16-13 (8-8 SL)
6.	North Dakota State	21	13-18 (8-8 SL)
7.	Western Illinois	14	11-17 (4-12 SL)
8.	Omaha	10	6-22 (1-15 SL)

NDSU Cross Country Announces 2013 Schedule

 

 

The North Dakota State women’s and men’s cross country teams have released their schedules for the upcoming 2013 season. NDSU will host one home meet and travel to three regular season competitions before taking part in the Summit League Championships and the NCAA Midwest Regional in the month of November.

 

The Bison will host their season-opening meet at Rose Creek Golf Course on Friday, Aug. 30 before taking nearly a one-month break from competition. NDSU will return to action on Sept. 28 at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.

 

The Bison are scheduled to run at the SDSU Classic in Brookings, S.D., on Oct. 4 and the UND Ron Pynn Invitational in Grand Forks, N.D., on Oct. 19.

 

Fort Wayne will host the 2013 Summit League Cross Country Championships on Nov. 2, and the NCAA Midwest Regional will be hosted by Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, on Nov. 15.

 

The NDSU women won the 2011 and 2012 Summit League cross country titles and return their top five finishers from last year’s NCAA Midwest Regional where they placed seventh for the best team finish in school history. The Bison also return four of the league’s top eight finishers from the 2012 conference meet in Brecca Wahlund, Heidi Peterson, Maddie McClellan and Abbi Aspengren.

 

The Bison men return their entire squad from last season and are just one season removed from a runner-up finish at the 2011 Summit League Championships.

 

Date      Meet                                                                     Location                               Time

8/30       Bison Open                                                         Fargo, N.D.                           6 p.m.

9/28       Stanford Invitational                                       Palo Alto, Calif.                      11 a.m.

10/4       SDSU Classic                                                   Brookings, S.D.                      6 p.m.

10/19     UND Ron Pynn Invitational                          Grand Forks, N.D.                    TBA

11/2       Summit League Championships                    Fort Wayne, Ind.                      TBA

11/15     NCAA Midwest Regional                                  Ames, Iowa                          TBA

Summit League Announces 2013-14 Championships Schedule

ELMHURST, Ill. - The Summit League announced dates and hosts for all 19 of its sport championships in 2013-14 after approval at the league's President's Council meeting.

Headlining the schedule is The Summit League Basketball Championships, which will be held in Sioux Falls, S.D., for a record sixth consecutive year. The Sioux Falls Sports Authority will host the 2014 championships for the final year at the Sioux Falls Arena before moving into the new Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in 2015.

Five of the first six championship sites will be in the state of Indiana with Fort Wayne hosting five championships (men’s and women’s cross country, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s indoor track & field) and IUPUI hosting three championships (volleyball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving).

North Dakota State will host championships on consecutive weekends this spring in softball and outdoor track & field. It will be the third time in the last five seasons the Bison have hosted the softball championship.

Western Illinois welcomes the men’s soccer championship to Macomb for the second-straight year, while South Dakota State will host the baseball championship for the second time in school history.

In all, a total of five different Summit League institutions will host a championship event during the 2013-14 season.

2013-14 Summit League Championships Calendar

Sport	Date(s)	Site / Host	Qualifying Teams
Cross Country (M/W)	Nov. 2, 2013	Fort Wayne, Ind. / Fort Wayne	All teams
Women's Soccer	Nov. 8/10, 2013	Fort Wayne, Ind. / Fort Wayne	Top four
Men's Soccer	Nov. 15/17, 2013	Macomb, Ill./Western Illinois	Top four
Volleyball	Nov. 22-24, 2013	Indianapolis, Ind. / IUPUI	Top six
Swimming & Diving (M/W)	Feb. 19-22, 2014	Indianapolis, Ind. / IUPUI	All teams
Indoor Track & Field (M/W)	Feb. 28-March 1, 2014	Fort Wayne, Ind. / Fort Wayne	All teams
Basketball (M/W)	March 8-11, 2014	Sioux Falls, S.D. / Sioux Falls Sports Authority	Top seven
Golf (M/W)	April 21-23, 2014	Keller, Texas / Summit League	All teams
Tennis (M/W)	April 25-27, 2014	TBD	All teams
Softball	May 7-10, 2014	Fargo, N.D. / North Dakota State	Top six
Outdoor Track & Field (M/W)	May 15-17, 2014	Fargo, N.D. / North Dakota State	All teams
Baseball	May 22-24, 2014	Brookings, S.D. / South Dakota State	Top four

 

ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
In its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 120,000 at eight institutions, including three located in top 60 U.S. metro populations and two land-grant universities. Member institutions include: Denver (University of Denver), Fort Wayne (Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne), IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis), North Dakota State University, Omaha (University of Nebraska Omaha), the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University and Western Illinois University. Previously known as the Mid-Continent Conference, The Summit League rebranded in 2007 and has since produced eight NCAA Champions, 62 All-Americans and 50 Academic All-America selections.