Matt Houk

VERMILLION, S.D. -- The University of South Dakota volleyball team opens its 2009 season on Friday, Aug. 28 at the 18th annual InnTowner Invitational being hosted by the University of Wisconsin. The Coyotes will open their campaign against defending MAC champion Ohio University at 5 p.m. on Friday in Madison, Wis.

USD then will follow with two matches on Saturday, against Duke University (10 a.m.) and against Wisconsin (7 p.m.). All of the matches will be held at the UW Field House. USD is coming off a 23-4 season, its first under Coach Matt Houk.

ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA:
The Coyotes return three starters from the 2008 season: seniors Gina Baldwin and Jenna Hatfield and junior Kristen Kritenbrink. The team lost three starters plus its libero, Amber Kobus...Kritenbrink was second on the team with 324 kills last year and third on the team with 49 block assists...Baldwin had 960 set assists to lead the team...Hatfield played in seven matches a year ago before being injured...she had 25 kills in limited playing time...Tahnee Reed also returns after playing in 11 matches in 2008...USD, with an enrollment of 9,291, is a member of the Great West Conference and is located in Vermillion, S.D...Matt Houk is in his second season as USD’s head coach. He has a record of 23-4 at the school.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS:
Ohio University - Ohio University is coming off a 24-8 season in 2008...the Bobcats advanced to the NCAA tournament before falling to Yale in five games in the opening round...Ohio returns five starters plus the team’s libero for 2009...the team’s top player returning is 2008 MAC Player of the Year Ellen Herman, who led the team in kills (526) and points (582.5) in 2008...also returning is the team’s setter, Michalle Jantsch, who had 1,220 assists a year ago and was a second-team All-MAC selection...Megan Simons (first-team) and Jane Sytsma (second team) also return after receiving All-MAC honors a year ago...Ohio University, with an enrollment of 28,751, is located in Athens, Ohio and competes in the Mid-American Conference...Ryan Theis is entering his second season as Ohio’s head coach. He is 24-8 during his coaching career.

Duke University- Duke is coming off of a 25-9 season a year ago when it tied for the ACC regular-season title...the Blue Devils returns five starters plus its libero from that team...Rachael Moss returns after being named first-team All-ACC a year ago and earning preseason All-ACC honors...she led the team with 458 kills...also returning is setter Kellie Catanach, a preseason All-NCC pick who had 1,408 assists a year ago...Becci Burling, another preseason All-ACC selection, returns after recording 324 kills a year ago...Duke is the preseason coaches’ pick to win the ACC......Duke University, with an enrollment of 6,247, is located in Durham, N.C., and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference...Jolene Nagel is in her 11th season as Duke’s head coach. She has a record of 214-99 at the school, and an overall head coaching record of 417-239 in 22 seasons.

University of Wisconsin- Wisconsin is coming off of a 17-15 season in 2008, missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 years...the Badgers return four starters plus their libero from 2008...the team is receiving votes in the preseason polls...Wisconsin is picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten...Brittney Dolgner is the team’s top returnee; she averaged 3.39 kills per game and was named a 2007 second-team All-American...Elle Ohlander and Janelle Gabrielsen also return after being named Big Ten All-Freshman team selections in 2008...the University of Wisconsin is located in Madison, Wis., and has an enrollment of 42,041..the Badgers compete in the Big Ten Conference...Pete Waite is in his 11th year as Wisconsin’s head coach...he is 245-82 at the school and 511-184 in 21 years as a head coach.

2008 USD NOTES:
-Kristen Kritenbrink was second on the team with 324 kills in 2008
-Gina Baldwin had 960 set assists in 2008 to lead the Coyotes.
-Baldwin was third on the team with 261 digs.
-USD hit .234 as a team in 2008.

NEW FACES:
Coach Matt Houk and his staff were busy this offseason in recruiting as the Coyotes added eight new players to the roster. This group includes freshman Mallory Mork (Sac City, Iowa); Jillian Fields (Naperville, Ill.); Ashley Dorale (Mitchell, S.D.); Stephanie Kroeze (Sioux Falls, S.D.); Bailey Reshel (Hortonville, Wis.); Taylor Russell (Council Bluffs, Iowa); Kimberlee Bulaga (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and Abby Winkels (Watertown, S.D.).

BIG SHOES TO FILL:
The Coyotes lost some experienced players from 2008 who were valuable contributors, as the statistics indicate. USD lost 847 kills with the loss of hitters Heather Hult, Kathleen Hruska and Laura Slagter, and also lost 1,178 digs with the loss of Amber Kobus, Hult, Hruska, Slagter and Gabi Jarchow. Kobus left USD as the school’s all-time leader in digs.