After historic fall season, DWU volleyball looks to continue momentum into spring

MITCHELL, S.D. – After a fall season full of firsts for the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team, they look to make a push into the spring as they will compete in the Great Plains Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament in April as they square off against No. 10 Concordia University in the GPAC quarterfinals in Seward, Neb.

 With the NAIA hosting the national championships at the end of April and beginning of May, the GPAC pushed its postseason tournament to April.

Recap of the fall season

 With only two seniors on the roster for 2020 and being picked 10^th in the GPAC Preseason Polls, outside expectations were not high for the Tigers entering the season. But DWU focused on the controllables and kept plugging away.

 The mindset worked for head coach Lindsay Wilber's squad as they secured their first road victory at Briar Cliff University under Wilber's direction to kick off the season. The Tigers followed that up with a 3-1 victory over Morningside College on the road to keep the momentum going.

 DWU cruised to a 12-8 overall record, including an 8-8 mark in conference matches. The 8-8 record in conference matches secured a spot in the GPAC Postseason Tournament for the first time in program history. Following the season, freshman Ady Dwight (Langford, S.D.) was named the GPAC Freshman-of-the-Year and All-GPAC First Team after posting 244 kills, 3.2 kills per set and 1.1 blocks per set. The award was the first ever GPAC Freshman-of-the-Year selection in program history. Not to be outdone, when the initial NAIA Volleyball Coaches' Top-25 Poll was released in Feb., the Tigers were receiving votes, making it the first time in the Wilber era that DWU was a nationally recognized program.

 Among the conference ranks, Dwight ranks fifth in kills per set, while she is tied for sixth in total kills. Setting the ball to Dwight all season long has been Madeline Else (Holstein, Iowa). The sophomore setter was named All-GPAC Second Team and checks in at second in the GPAC with 826 assists on the season and is fourth in the conference with 10.7 assists per set. Else also ranks third in the NAIA in total assists and is eighth in assists per set.

 Leading the defensive side in her first season is transfer Hanna Reiff (Chester, S.D.). She checks in at third in the conference with 5.2 digs per set, while ranking fifth in the GPAC with 342 digs on the season.

 "This spring has been full of productivity," Wilber said. "Not having spring last year and then having a shortened fall season, it seems like this spring we are really able to get to work. We are making significant strides on the court as well in the weight room. This group has a ton of fun playing together and it shows with how they gel on the court. I expect us to pick up where we left off in the fall at our scrimmages and the opening match against Concordia."

Schedule for the spring

 The spring season begins for the DWU volleyball squad tomorrow. The Tigers host an intrasquad scrimmage at 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Christen Family Athletic Center. Tickets will only be available through a guest list pass. However, a livestream of the scrimmage can be viewed on the DWU volleyball web page.

 DWU also plays a trio of GPAC teams in exhibition matches on Saturday as they will play Northwestern College, Midland University and University of Jamestown in Orange City, Iowa. The Tigers will play in another pair of exhibition matchups against Morningside College and Briar Cliff University on Wednesday, March 24 in Sioux City, Iowa. The quarterfinals of the GPAC Postseason Tournament will take place on Saturday, April 3 as DWU battles No. 10 Concordia at 3 p.m. in Seward, Neb.