Women's Volleyball | 10/1/2025 11:00:00 AM

#TIDBITS

Golden Eagle volleyball will be back at home this weekend for Homecoming on the beautiful campus of Minnesota Crookston. Homecoming is already a special occasion on every campus and this weekend, the maroon and gold welcome in Northern State, who is ranked in the top 20 nationally and Jamestown, who are still looking for their first win in conference play in their programs' history. The Golden Eagles will look to turn in some wins in what could be a favorable part of their schedule.

·   BACK TO THE BASICS. Minnesota Crookston hasn't had any favors in terms of the schedule this season in conference play. Northern State will be the fourth opponent in six matches that is either ranked or earning votes in the AVCA Coaches' Poll. Heading into the year, the Golden Eagles knew what kind of league they play in and how challenging it is. Now, it's time to flip the script and see if the Golden Eagles can rack up some wins. They started 6-2 on the year, their best record through eight games since 2014 and they did that by doing the fundamentals very well. The Golden Eagles will hope to bring that back this weekend at home.

·   WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE. This weekend, the Golden Eagles will welcome the University of Jamestown for the second time ever into Crookston. The two programs have met three other times before, with the Jimmies taking two out of three and the last time coming on September 11, 2007. The last time the Jimmies made their way to Crookston, they knocked off the Golden Eagles in four sets. Jamestown is looking for their first ever NSIC win and the Golden Eagles would like nothing more than to make the Jimmies wait a little bit longer.

·   WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE, KID.  Abbi Gingerich has been thrown right into the fire for the Golden Eagles at a very important position. Through the first 10 matches, the freshman setter from Indiana didn't even see the floor, but she has played the last three matches, two of which have been against ranked opponents and another against Sioux Falls, who has a top-10 win on the year. Gingerich had her best match of the season and her career against Sioux Falls, where she finished with eight assists and five digs. Gingerich is a talented player and she will look to continue her ascension this weekend against the Wolves and Jimmies.

·  ON PACE FOR NEW HIGH. Madison Carsten is in the midst of a career year and she should shatter every bit of previous career watermarks. Carsten currently has 171 kills on the season, which she should break her current career high of 222 set last season by a wide margin. Carsten finished her sophomore season with 308 digs last season and is currently at 145 digs on the year, so she would be on pace to break that career high, as well. It's been an excellent season for Carsten, who along with her seven double-doubles on the year, is making a case to be on an All-NSIC team following the end of this season.

• BIG AT THE NET. Minnesota Crookston will look to be bigger and better this weekend at the net this weekend. Minnesota Crookston has just 50 blocks as a team this season, while their opponents have 88, 38 more than the Golden Eagles and that is not a great recipe for success for any team. The Golden Eagles will look to have a bigger presence at the net, which doesn't always mean collecting a block for a point. Sometimes, a tip on the net will do the job, as well.

·   TRIO OF ND SCHOOLS. Minnesota Crookston will start a run of playing schools based in the Dakotas. Starting this Friday night against South Dakota based Northern State, Minnesota Crookston's opponents will be from the Dakota that is North. The Golden Eagles will host Jamestown on Saturday and then will hit the road next weekend at UMary and Minot State. Minnesota Crookston will hope that the four matches against the Dakota schools will prove to be a start to a nice run for the maroon and gold.

• RIGHTFULLY IN THE HALL OF FAME. With it being homecoming on the campus of Minnesota Crookston, that also means that it's Hall of Fame banquet time, as well. The banquet will take place in Bede Auditorium on the campus of Minnesota Crookston, starting at 6 PM on Friday. One of the HOF inductees is former Golden Eagle great Brittany Looker, who might be the best Golden Eagle ever to don a Golden Eagle volleyball uniform. Looker is the only Golden Eagle in program history to be named to an All-NSIC team all four years and the second ever Golden Eagle to earn All-NSIC first team honors in back-to-back years, joining Joan (Ebnet) Bellesbach, who entered the Hall of Fame last season. Looker has program records in kills, total attacks, points scored and  total service attempts throughout her career and is tied for the school record in kills in a match, where she finished with 29. Looker is pretty close to being a 'first ballot' Golden Eagle Hall of Famer and rightfully so.

·   HOMECOMING FESTIVITIES. The homecoming week is always a fun one, no matter which campus you attend. It's a time of togetherness and feeling a love for your school or alma mater. This weekend, there are a ton of fun festivities for fans to attend, including a cookout on Friday sponsored by SAAC, before the soccer and volleyball games, starting at 1:30 P.M. On Saturday, there is a Parking Lot Party on the football field before the volleyball match against the Jimmies. If you are making your way to Crookston, make sure you check out all the fun happenings on campus.

Series Quick Look vs the opponents
NSU leads the all-time series, 34-4

UJ leads 2-1, although these two teams haven't played since 2007


How to Follow

No. 24 Northern State @ Minnesota Crookston
Friday, Oct. 3
6 P.M.
Crookston, Minn. / Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/

Jamestown @ Minnesota Crookston
Saturday, Oct. 4
2 P.M.
Crookston, Minn. / Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Stats -- https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Watch Live -- https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/

#OPPONENTOUTLOOK

NORTHERN STATE. Northern State moved out to a perfect 8-0 start on the season, but has struggled to get out of the gates in the NSIC, sitting at 1-4 through their first five NSIC games. However, NSU is still ranked in the top 25 and will look to get back on the right path this weekend against Minnesota Crookston and MSU Moorhead.

GAUNTLET. Much like the Golden Eagles, NSU has seen its fair-share of quality opponents through five games of conference play. NSU has already played three opponents that are either ranked or receiving votes in the top 25, losing all three matches. Their lone win was against their travel partner, Jamestown. The schedule in the NSIC doesn't get easy, so the Wolves will look to turn their season around as soon as possible.

WE'LL GET YOU A POINT. When NSU needs a point, they have many ways to get a point. The Wolves have four attackers with more than 100 kills on the year, led by Natalia Szybinska and Abby Brooks, who each have 140 kills on the year. Both have attacking percentages of over .300, as well, while Brooks is fourth in the Northern Sun with a .404 attack percentage. It also helps that redshirt freshman Ava Nilsson leads the nation in assists per set with exactly 12.

JAMESTOWN. The University of Jamestown is in their first year of Division II and so far, it hasn't been easy sledding for the otherwise successful Jimmies program. The Jimmies are just three years removed from an NAIA National Championship, but have yet to find that elusive first win in the Northern Sun, although they have also played high level opponents through their first five matches in the NSIC.

MENZ MANIA. Corbyn Menz is undoubtedly the go-to for the Jimmies this season. The junior from Delano, Minn., is the lone Jamestown attacker with more than 100 kills on the season and has a pair of double-doubles on the year. Menz is coming off an 11 kill performance in a four set defeat to Minnesota State their last time out.

DIGS GALORE. Much like the Golden Eagles, the Jimmies are pretty good defensively in the back row. Jamestown is led by Momoka Minamiya with her 167 digs on the year and 10 matches with more than 10 digs on the year. Mia Hinsz, who transferred in from Northern State, is also having a good year with more than 100 digs. It might be tough for attackers to find the floor this Saturday.