Thursday, September 3
Boise, Idaho
7 p.m. CT
North Dakota State
at
Boise State
Photo by: Zachary Lucy
NDSU Volleyball Set for Boise State Classic
9/1/2026 12:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State (2-0) volleyball team travels to the Boise State Classic in Boise, Idaho this week. The Bison will take on Boise State (1-2) on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. CT and then face Idaho State (2-1) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT. NDSU will finish out the trip against UNLV (0-2) on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CT
MATCH COVERAGE
GoBison.com: All three matches will feature live statistics. The match against Boise State will stream on the Pac-12 YouTube channel, while the Idaho State and UNLV contests will stream on the Boise State Broncos YouTube channel. Links to live stats, live video and audio can be found at GoBison.com/coverage.
THE SERIES VS. BOISE STATE
This will mark the third all-time meeting between NDSU and Boise State dating back to 2006 with the Broncos leading the series, 2-0. In their most recent meeting in 2017, Boise State swept NDSU, 3-0, in Tempe, Arizona.
THE SERIES VS. IDAHO STATE
This will be the second all-time meeting between NDSU and Idaho State. In their only meeting in 2011, the Bison swept the Bengals, 3-0, after head coach Jennifer Lopez passed out a match-high 35 assists.
THE SERIES VS. UNLV
This will be the first all-time meeting between NDSU and UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bison started the season 2-0 for the second straight season after cruising past Tennessee Tech, 3-0, to finish up play at the Green Wave Classic. Zoe John led the way with a match-high 13 kills and a .391 hitting percentage, while Lauren Jansen recorded her second straight double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs.
ROAD BISON
NDSU will play all 10 of its non-conference matches on the road this season. It marks the longest road stretch to begin a season since 2021 when the Bison played 12 straight non-conference matches on the road, which included a 3-1 win over Cal.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Outside hitters Lauren Jansen and Zoe John were named to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Jansen has totaled a team-high 699 kills over three seasons, including a career-high 328 kills last season. John appeared in 23 matches in her first season with the Bison last year. The Queen Creek, Ariz., native reached double digits in kills in five matches and posted 146 kills.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll with 29 points. South Dakota and St. Thomas were tied for second place with 41 points and one first place vote each. South Dakota State earned the top spot with 47 points and six first place votes.
RETURNING ALL-LEAGUE BISON
NDSU returns all three of its Summit League All-League selections from last season. Lauren Jansen was tabbed to the All-League First Team for the first time in her career, while Arianna Blohm was named to the All-League Second Team. Rya Borer was also selected to the All-Freshman Team.
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns seven starters from last season: Arianna Blohm, Maddy Dombeck, Cathy Porter, Emma Tallman, Lauren Jansen, Zoe John and Rya Borer. Blohm is the most experienced player on the roster having appeared in 85 matches over three seasons.
PORTAL ADDITIONS
Sarah Pfiffner was the only transfer portal addition over the offseason. She played one season at West Virginia in 2025 and appeared in 25 matches. The Frisco, Texas native ranked second on the team with 309 total assists. Pfiffner joins Cathy Porter (Hillsborough Community College), Abi Banitt (SIUE) and Zoe John (Pacific) as the only players added through the portal.
YOUNG BISON
The Bison have seven total newcomers on the roster this season, including six first-year players: Malayna Syverson, Kendall Worwa, Morgan Engel, Aryn Heeke, Allie Collins and Courtney Peters. The roster is constructed of 50 percent first or second-year players. Natasha Kidd, Sarah Pfiffner and Rya Borer each enter their second season.
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATES TO BISON
Malayna Syverson and Morgan Engel were high school teammates at Ada-Borup-West High School in Ada, Minn. Engel is also following in the footsteps of her mother, Janna Ruebke Engel, who played for NDSU volleyball from 1996-99 and was recently inducted into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame in 2025.
LOPEZ CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOK
Head coach Jennifer Lopez is entering her 10th season and has amassed 133 wins over that span. Her 133 wins are the most in the NDSU Division I era and is tied with Jolyn Montgomery (1989-92, 133 wins) for third place in Bison history. Her 10 seasons are also the second-most in program history behind Montgomery (11 seasons).
THE BBF ADVANTAGE
The Bison posted an 11-2 record at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse last season, which marked the most home wins in the NDSU Division I era and most since 2003. The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 428-114 overall record at home during that span. NDSU picked up its 400th win at the BBF after sweeping Kansas City, 3-0, on Oct. 1, 2022.
GOING THE DISTANCE
The Bison posted a 5-0 mark in five-set matches last season and opened this season with a 3-2 win at Tulane. Dating back to the 2024 season, NDSU has won each of its last eight five-set matches.
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2025 SEASON
The Bison notched a 17-11 (10-6 Summit) overall record last season. NDSU made its fourth straight appearance in the Summit League Championship before falling short against South Dakota State in the semifinal round. It marked the third time in the last four seasons that NDSU has advanced to the semifinal round.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 14th straight year in 2025-26. The award recognizes collegiate and high school programs across the country that maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The Bison also earned Academic Honor Roll recognition, which celebrates programs in the top 20 percent of their division. NDSU boasted a 3.74 cumulative GPA last season.
NEXT UP
NDSU will be back in action at the Bobcat Invitational in Bozeman, Mont., against Montana State on Thursday, Sept. 10. First serve is set for 8:00 p.m. CT
The North Dakota State (2-0) volleyball team travels to the Boise State Classic in Boise, Idaho this week. The Bison will take on Boise State (1-2) on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. CT and then face Idaho State (2-1) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT. NDSU will finish out the trip against UNLV (0-2) on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CT
MATCH COVERAGE
GoBison.com: All three matches will feature live statistics. The match against Boise State will stream on the Pac-12 YouTube channel, while the Idaho State and UNLV contests will stream on the Boise State Broncos YouTube channel. Links to live stats, live video and audio can be found at GoBison.com/coverage.
THE SERIES VS. BOISE STATE
This will mark the third all-time meeting between NDSU and Boise State dating back to 2006 with the Broncos leading the series, 2-0. In their most recent meeting in 2017, Boise State swept NDSU, 3-0, in Tempe, Arizona.
THE SERIES VS. IDAHO STATE
This will be the second all-time meeting between NDSU and Idaho State. In their only meeting in 2011, the Bison swept the Bengals, 3-0, after head coach Jennifer Lopez passed out a match-high 35 assists.
THE SERIES VS. UNLV
This will be the first all-time meeting between NDSU and UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bison started the season 2-0 for the second straight season after cruising past Tennessee Tech, 3-0, to finish up play at the Green Wave Classic. Zoe John led the way with a match-high 13 kills and a .391 hitting percentage, while Lauren Jansen recorded her second straight double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs.
ROAD BISON
NDSU will play all 10 of its non-conference matches on the road this season. It marks the longest road stretch to begin a season since 2021 when the Bison played 12 straight non-conference matches on the road, which included a 3-1 win over Cal.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Outside hitters Lauren Jansen and Zoe John were named to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Jansen has totaled a team-high 699 kills over three seasons, including a career-high 328 kills last season. John appeared in 23 matches in her first season with the Bison last year. The Queen Creek, Ariz., native reached double digits in kills in five matches and posted 146 kills.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
The Bison were picked fourth in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll with 29 points. South Dakota and St. Thomas were tied for second place with 41 points and one first place vote each. South Dakota State earned the top spot with 47 points and six first place votes.
RETURNING ALL-LEAGUE BISON
NDSU returns all three of its Summit League All-League selections from last season. Lauren Jansen was tabbed to the All-League First Team for the first time in her career, while Arianna Blohm was named to the All-League Second Team. Rya Borer was also selected to the All-Freshman Team.
EXPERIENCE IN THE LINEUP
NDSU returns seven starters from last season: Arianna Blohm, Maddy Dombeck, Cathy Porter, Emma Tallman, Lauren Jansen, Zoe John and Rya Borer. Blohm is the most experienced player on the roster having appeared in 85 matches over three seasons.
PORTAL ADDITIONS
Sarah Pfiffner was the only transfer portal addition over the offseason. She played one season at West Virginia in 2025 and appeared in 25 matches. The Frisco, Texas native ranked second on the team with 309 total assists. Pfiffner joins Cathy Porter (Hillsborough Community College), Abi Banitt (SIUE) and Zoe John (Pacific) as the only players added through the portal.
YOUNG BISON
The Bison have seven total newcomers on the roster this season, including six first-year players: Malayna Syverson, Kendall Worwa, Morgan Engel, Aryn Heeke, Allie Collins and Courtney Peters. The roster is constructed of 50 percent first or second-year players. Natasha Kidd, Sarah Pfiffner and Rya Borer each enter their second season.
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATES TO BISON
Malayna Syverson and Morgan Engel were high school teammates at Ada-Borup-West High School in Ada, Minn. Engel is also following in the footsteps of her mother, Janna Ruebke Engel, who played for NDSU volleyball from 1996-99 and was recently inducted into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame in 2025.
LOPEZ CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOK
Head coach Jennifer Lopez is entering her 10th season and has amassed 133 wins over that span. Her 133 wins are the most in the NDSU Division I era and is tied with Jolyn Montgomery (1989-92, 133 wins) for third place in Bison history. Her 10 seasons are also the second-most in program history behind Montgomery (11 seasons).
THE BBF ADVANTAGE
The Bison posted an 11-2 record at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse last season, which marked the most home wins in the NDSU Division I era and most since 2003. The Bison have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse home since 1978 and have notched a 428-114 overall record at home during that span. NDSU picked up its 400th win at the BBF after sweeping Kansas City, 3-0, on Oct. 1, 2022.
GOING THE DISTANCE
The Bison posted a 5-0 mark in five-set matches last season and opened this season with a 3-2 win at Tulane. Dating back to the 2024 season, NDSU has won each of its last eight five-set matches.
LOOKING BACK AT THE 2025 SEASON
The Bison notched a 17-11 (10-6 Summit) overall record last season. NDSU made its fourth straight appearance in the Summit League Championship before falling short against South Dakota State in the semifinal round. It marked the third time in the last four seasons that NDSU has advanced to the semifinal round.
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE CLASSROOM
NDSU earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 14th straight year in 2025-26. The award recognizes collegiate and high school programs across the country that maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The Bison also earned Academic Honor Roll recognition, which celebrates programs in the top 20 percent of their division. NDSU boasted a 3.74 cumulative GPA last season.
NEXT UP
NDSU will be back in action at the Bobcat Invitational in Bozeman, Mont., against Montana State on Thursday, Sept. 10. First serve is set for 8:00 p.m. CT
Players Mentioned
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