SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- For the third time in Summit League history, a pair of Volleyball programs will be competing in the NCAA Tournament. This marks back-to-back seasons this feat has been achieved. The third time occurred in 2018 when South Dakota won the Summit League Championship and Denver received an at large bid.

St. Thomas, who captured its first Summit League Tournament trophy in their first year of eligibility, earned the AQ after besting South Dakota State in four-sets during the Summit League Volleyball Championship. South Dakota State received an at large bid for the second time in program history after an impressive 23-4 season.

The Tommies clipped the Jackrabbits last Tuesday in a thrilling four-set victory in Brookings that saw three players in double figure kills for the Tommies facilitated by Championship MVP Morgan Kealy. Kealy totaled 41 assists with the 41^st to fellow First Team All-Summit League honoree Megan Wetter being the final dagger for the Jackrabbits. 

St. Thomas travels to Minneapolis to face (5) Iowa State in Friday's opening round in a match set to be streamed on ESPN+ at 4:30 p.m. CT.

(7) South Dakota State will head west to California to battle Arizona. The game will be played Friday at 6:30 PM CT on ESPN+

UPCOMING
2025 NCAA Tournament| Minneapolis, Minn.
First Round | Friday, Dec. 5 | ESPN+       
(5) Iowa State vs. St. Thomas | 4:30 p.m. CT
2025 NCAA Tournament| Stanford, Calif.
First Round | Friday, Dec. 5 | ESPN+              
(7) South Dakota State vs. Arizona | 4:30 p.m. PT

2025 SUMMIT VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sunday, Nov. 23
St. Thomas 3, Omaha 0
North Dakota State 3, Denver 2
Monday, Nov. 24
St. Thomas 3, South Dakota 2
South Dakota State 3, North Dakota State 0
Tuesday, Nov. 25 
St. Thomas 3, South Dakota State 1

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Team | All-Time Tournament Record | Appearances | Furthest Run
St. Thomas | 0-0 | 1st | Unchartered Territory
• In their first season eligible, the Tommies advanced to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Summit League Volleyball Championship 
• In 2012, the Tommies won the Division III National Championship defeating Calvin 3-2.
 
South Dakota State | 0-2 | 3rd | First Round (2007, 2024)
• The Jackrabbits are making back-to-back appearances in the NCAA DI Tournament for the first time in program history.
• SDSU was swept in each of its two previous appearances by Nebraska (2007) and Miami (Fla.) (2024) and lost 3-0.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
• With St. Thomas and South Dakota State both in the NCAA Tournament, this marks the third time the Summit League has qualified multiple teams for the postseason event. Denver and South Dakota qualified in 2018 with the Pioneers receiving the at-large bid, and last season, both South Dakota and South Dakota State qualified with the Jackrabbits receiving the at-large bid. 
• With a 23-4 overall record and the No. 31 RPI in the country, the Jackrabbits secured an at-large bid for the second straight season. Prior to the back-to-back appearances, the program’s only previous trip to the tournament came after earning the automatic bid in 2007. 
• The Summit League was one of eight conferences to earn multiple bids to the tournament and one of four non-A4 conferences with two teams in the field.
• The Tommies became the fourth No. 3 seed overall and second straight to win the Summit League Volleyball Championship joining South Dakota (2020, 2024) and Purdue Fort Wayne (2009) with that distinction. 
• St. Thomas setter Morgan Kealy won the Summit League Championship Most Valuable Player award after recording 41 assists with 14 digs in the championship match.
• Joining Kealy on the all-tournament team were fellow Tommies Tezra Rudzitis, and Anya Schmidt, while the Jackrabbits were represented by Sylvie Zgonc and Madison Burr.
• Omaha’s Kali Jurgensmeier, Denver’s Jamia Johnson, North Dakota State’s Lauren Jansen, and South Dakota’s Kamryn Farris made up the remaining members of the All-Tournament Team.
• The Jackrabbits earned a regional seeding as one of the top 32 ranked teams in the field. SDSU is the No. 7 seed in the region where Texas is the No. 1 seed.
• SDSU will open tournament play against Arizona, who was the last program a Summit League member defeated in the NCAA Tournament when Oral Roberts took down the Wildcats in 1997.
• The Jackrabbits will play the Wildcats Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT in a four-team pod hosted by Stanford. The Cardinals play Utah Valley in its opening match.
• Schmidt earned Summit League Freshman of the Year honors after producing 162 kills, 36 aces, and 209.5 points during League play, leading the Tommies to a third-place finish with an 11-5 record. 
• Rudzitis turned in an outstanding performance for the Tommies in the title match. The Anoka, Minn. native had 22 kills, 23 points, and two blocks to help send her team to the NCAA Tournament.
• The Tommies will play No. 5 seed Iowa State on Friday, Dec. 5 at 4:30 p.m. CT in a four-team pod hosted by the University of Minnesota. The No. 4 seed Gophers open with Farifield. These four squads are in the region where Pitt is the No. 1 seed.

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