No. 4 Cardinals Head West to South Dakota for Season Opener

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The No. 4 University of Louisville volleyball team will begin regular season play this weekend in Vermillion, S.D. for a three-match tournament on Aug. 26-27.

The Cards will compete in a double-header on Friday, Aug. 26 playing Northern Kentucky at 11:00 a.m. ET before facing the host South Dakota at 8:00 p.m. ET. Louisville will finish the tournament on Saturday, Aug. 27 with a match against Missouri at 4:30 p.m. ET.

UofL returns all but two starters to the lineup. Gone are First Team All-Americans Tori Dilfer and Anna Stevenson. The Cardinals return Third Team All-American outside hitter Anna DeBeer and AVCA All-East Region players Aiko Jones, Elena Scott and Amaya Tillman as well as Claire Chaussee to the starting lineup. DeBeer led the team in kills with 343 hitting .257 on the season. Tillman recorded 149 blocks last season with 1.35 blocks per set. Scott, the libero for the Cardinals, led the team in digs with 415. New faces in the race for playing time will be USC transfer Raquel Lazaro at setter, Phekran Kong at middle and with four freshmen in the mix as well. Lazaro was an AVCA All-Pacific South Honorable Mention nominee in 2019 and the 2018 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.

Northern Kentucky vs. Louisville
This weekend marks the 19^th meeting between Louisville and Northern Kentucky. They faced off in 2021 for the first time since 1984, with the Cards winning 3-0. In her 12^th season, head coach Liz Hart led the Norse to a Horizon League Conference Championship where they fell in a tough five-setter to UIC. NKU returns two 2021 All-Horizon League First Team and All-Tournament Team honorees: Anna Brinkman and Reilly Briggs. Brinkman, the kills leader for the Norse, was also named 2021 ACVA All-Northeast Region Honorable Mention. NKU will also return senior libero Anna Burke.

South Dakota vs. Louisville
The Cardinals match against South Dakota will be the second meeting between the two programs. Facing off last year for the first time, Louisville won 3-0. Last season head coach Leanne Williamson, in her eighth year, led the Coyotes to their third Summit League Tournament Championship in four years. South Dakota fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Minnesota. The Coyotes return 2021 AVCA All-Region and Elizabeth Junke, the 2021 Summit League First Team honoree. Junke, a senior outside hitter, led the conference in kills (461) and kills per set (3.97). Also returning for South Dakota is libero Lolo Weideman and middle blocker Madison Harms. Weideman led the conference in digs with 533 while Harms was named to the 2021 Summit League First Team.

Missouri vs. Louisville
Louisville's final match of the weekend against Missouri will be the fifth meeting between the schools. Louisville is up 3-2 against the Tigers and won their meeting last season 3-0 at home. Missouri, led by fourth-year head coach Joshua Taylor, finished the 2021 season 5-26. The Tigers return 2022 USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team member Anna Dixon. Dixon, a senior outside hitter, finished the year with 380 kills, 21 aces, 47 blocks, and 173 digs. Mizzou also returns sophomore duo Trista Strasser and Kaylee Cox.

Northern Kentucky
Head Coach: Liz Hart (12^th season)
Last Season: 20-8 (15-2 in conference)

Lost 2-3 in the conference championship against UIC (16-18 in the 5^th)

Series Record: 7-12

2021 was the first time since 1984 they have played
Cards won 3-0

Returners:

#3 Anna Brinkman – Graduate Student 6-0 OH
- 2021 AVCA All-Northeast Region Honorable Mention
- Horizon League First-Team and All-Tournament Team
- 378 kills .219
- 33 Aces
- 333 digs
#4 Reilly Briggs – Senior 5-11 OH
- Horizon League First-Team and All-Tournament Team
- 331 kills .286
#13 Anna Burke – Senior Libero
- 481 digs
- 18 Aces
#10 Sequoia Hunt – Sophomore 5-10 MB
- 79 kills
- 74 blocks

South Dakota
Head Coach: Leanne Williamson (8^th Season)
Last Season: 20-10 (15-3 Conference)

Won 3-0 in conference championship against Omaha
Won conference tournament 3 out of the last 4 years
Lost to Minnesota 0-3 in first round of the NCAA

Series Record: 1-0

Cards won 3-0

Returners:

#6 Elizabeth Junke – Senior 6-0 OH
- 2021 AVCA All-Region
- Summit League First Team
- 461 kills .242
- 347 digs
- 23 aces
#14 Lolo Weideman – 5^th year 5-7 Libero
- Led the conference in digs
- 533 digs
- 34 aces
#7 Madison Harms – Senior 6-3 Middle Blocker
- Summit League First Team
- 257 kills .409
- 121 blocks
- 1.19 blocks/set

Missouri
Head Coach: Joshua Taylor (fourth season)
Last Season: 5-26 (2-16 Conference)
Series Record: 3-2

Cards won 3-0 in 2021

Returners:

#3 Anna Dixon – Senior 6-3 OH
- 2022 USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team
- 380 kills
- 21 aces
- 47 blocks
- 173 digs
#17 Trista Strasser – Sophomore 6-4 MB
- 92 kills
- 22 aces
- 63 blocks
#6 Kaylee Cox – Sophomore 6-2 OH
- 222 kills
- 18 aces
- 52 blocks

University of Louisville Athletics

No. 4 Cardinals Head West to South Dakota for Season Opener

Next Event

Related Videos