WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University volleyball team, featured in the 'Receiving Votes' category of the 2023 AVCA DII Coaches Poll for the third week in a row, returns home for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) match tonight against Augustana University. The Warriors and Vikings will see first serve at 6 p.m. in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
Winona State owns a 2-0 NSIC mark into tonight's contest, while Augustana lost their league opener to Concordia University, St. Paul, 3-0 at home in Sioux Falls. WSU Volleyball is offering free McDonalds to student fans in attendance, while supplies last.
Winona State enters play tonight with an impressive 9-1 record and is one of six NSIC teams unbeaten in league play so far this year. Head coach
Joe Getzin and the Warriors compete in one of the most competitive NCAA Division II volleyball conferences in the country and every NSIC contest looms large in the race to postseason.
GAME & FAN INFORMATION
- Live stats and live video are available at the links above.
- The contest will occur in McCown Gymnasium, home of WNB Financial Court.
WINONA STATE STORYLINES
- Winona State is 2-0 in the NSIC and 9-1 overall.
- WSU has dropped the last two matchups between the schools dating back to Sept. 16, 2022, but had won 10 straight prior to the two-game skid.
- Rylee Vaughn, Gianna Vollrath, Sidney Paulson and Jaci Winchell all earned All-Tournament honors during the Warriors early season contests at Northern Michigan and Wisconsin Parkside, respectively.
- WSU was picked ninth in the 2023 NSIC Volleyball Coaches Poll.
- WSU narrowly missed out on an NSIC postseason bid last fall, finishing ninth with a 12-15 overall mark and 8-12 NSIC record.
- The Warriors played their first eight matches on the road, racking up a 7-1 record.
- WSU will feature seniors Rylee Vaughn, Lydia Lange, Sidney Paulson, and Taylor Pagel this season.
- Sidney Paulson was selected as 2023 WSU's Player to Watch by the NSIC.
- Two seasons ago, the Warriors qualified for the 2021 NSIC Tournament and the 2021 NCAA Division II postseason, finishing 28-5 overall and 17-3 in league play.
- Winona State features five freshmen: Sophia Armstrong, Ashlyn Steding, Quinn Robak, Kenna Kornely, and Jayda Berg. WSU also added transfer Leah Mach, a junior from Emporia State University.
- In his tenth year at Winona State, Getzin had previous stops at Embry Riddle (AZ), Portland and Ole Miss.
- Heading into 2023, Getzin is No. 1 all-time at Winona State in winning percentage (.682) and second all-time in seasons at the school (9).
- WSU returns assistant coaches Kristine Fisch, Jackie Kiecker, and Mara Quam to the Warrior sideline this fall.
Augustana STORYLINES
- The Vikings enter play today at 3-6 overall, 0-1 in NSIC action.
- Augustana has a 23-15 record vs. Winona State, dating back to Sep. 10, 1979.
- The Vikings have dropped their two most recent matches.
- Augustana played No. 1 Concordia University, St. Paul on Saturday, falling 3-0.
- In addition to the nationally ranked Warriors and Golden Bears, Augustana fell to Colorado Mesa on Sep. 2; UCM was No. 21 in the country at the time.
- The Vikings were picked to finish seventh in the 2023 NSIC Coaches Poll.
- Jennifer Jacobs has been the head coach at Augustana since 2017.
WARRIOR NOTABLES:
- Earlier this summer, Winona State earned its 17th consecutive AVCA Team Academic Award.
- WSU's 7-1 start fell just one win short of matching the 8-0 opening run of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Warrior team.
- Gianna Vollrath is currently fourth in the NSIC in hitting percentage (.379).
- Sidney Paulson is sixth in the league in kills per set (3.59).
- Jaci Winchell is seventh in the NSIC in assists per set (9.93).
- Rylee Vaughn is 12th in the NSIC in digs-per-set (4.24).
- Paulson is sixth in total points across the league with 161 on the year.
- Head coach Joe Getzin coached assistant coach Jackie Kiecker when Kiecker was a student-athlete at Ole Miss.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
