About Denver: The Pioneers are 21-6 on the season and 9-3 in the Summit League. Seven of Denver's nine Summit League wins have come in straight sets. In the November 2 statistical rankings from the NCAA, DU dropped from first among DI programs in total blocks to fifth place with 259.0 blocks. Sarah Schmid leads the Pioneers with 115 blocks. The Pioneers rank 25th with 1,331 kills, led by Kayla Principato's 261 kills. The Pioneers have four remaining Summit League matches, including two at home, before they will host the Summit League Championships.

South Dakota: The Coyotes are sixth in the Summit League with a 5-6 record and a 11-13 record on the season. In the Pioneers' first meeting with South Dakota, Principato led Denver with 12 kills and Becca Latham also reached double-digit kills with 10 in the match. Denver won the match in four sets, winning the first two sets by the score of 25-13, then falling 25-19 in the third set before completing the victory with a 25-20 fourth set win. The Pioneers held the Coyotes to a .097 hitting percentage in the match, tallying 72 digs and 12.5 team blocks in the process. Four DU players had double-digit digs, while Ruth Okoye led Denver with a career-high eight blocks.

TICKETS

Tickets for the 2015 season are on sale. The Pioneers' remaining home schedule features Summit League opponents. DU, the reigning Summit League Champion, will also host the Summit League Championships Fri., Nov. 20 through Sun., Nov. 22. Tickets for The Summit League Championships are on sale and can be purchased online.

TOP BLOCKERS

Denver fell to fifth place in total blocks in the NCAA statistical rankings updated November 2. The Pioneers held first place among DI teams for more than one month, beginning their reign September 20. Middle blocker Sarah Schmid leads DU with 115 total blocks and ranks 24th individually. Schmid was recently led the country with 90 blocks through September 29. Ruth Okoye is also ranked individually in 109th place with 97 blocks. Okoye previously held 41st place in the nation after a 12-block weekend for the Pioneers, including tying her single-match career high of eight blocks at North Dakota State.

AT THE SUMMIT

The Pioneers are half a match back in the Summit League at 9-3, tied for second place. Denver has the best overall record among the Summit League teams at 21-6 on the season. DU also leads the Summit League with seven three-set wins against league opponents.

SUMMIT STAR

Schmid was named the Summit League Female Athlete of the Month for August/September 2015. She earned her first Athlete of the Month award after leading the NCAA with 90 blocks through September 29 and has recorded a 2015 League-high 10 blocks twice this season. In addition, Schmid hit at least .400 in 10 of the Pioneers' 18 matches in August and September. Schmid earned her second Summit League Defensive Player of the Week award for her play vs. Northern Colorado, IPFW and IUPUI. Schmid tallied a career high 10 block assists at IUPUI for the Summit League season high for total blocks in a match. Schmid was also named the Summit League Defensive Player of the Week for her week 2 performance during the Pioneer Classic and vs. Western Michigan. Schmid recorded 26 total blocks in four matches.

ROOKE LOOK

Libero Cassidy Rooke earned her first Summit League Player of the Week Award, picking up Defensive Player honors for her performance against Western Illinois October 30. Rooke recorded a career-high for digs in a three-set match with 24, making up more than 40 percent of the Pioneers' digs vs. the Fighting Leathernecks. She also had her best digs per set performance of the season with 8.00.

BAIRD BREAKS RECORDS

Cassie Baird was named the MVP of the Pioneer Classic. Baird tallied 16 kills, three aces and 12 digs vs. UT Arlington, at the time all career highs. In the final match of the Pioneer Classic, Baird recorded four aces, a new career high. Baird broke her ace record with five vs. Oral Roberts, the most by any active Pioneer. Through October 19, Baird ranked 14th in the nation with 35 aces on the season.

PRINCIPATO AND DOMME SET CAREER BESTS

Principato earned a career-high 14 kills in the season opener vs. Bakersfield. Principato closed out the second week of play with back-to-back 15-kill matches, setting a new career high. Setter Monique Domme also set a career best in the first game of the season with 24 assists in the match, a record she beat the next match with 27 assists vs. San Diego State. Domme broke her personal record for the fourth time this season with 29 assists vs. UT Arlington. Principato and Domme earned career highs at UTEP. Principato had 18 kills, and Domme had 34 assists. Setter Piyusha Boteju also had a career-high 29 assists in the match. Domme continued her record-setting season with a career-high 43 assists vs. Oral Roberts.

NCAA RANKINGS

In the second statistical rankings of 2015, DU ranked third among DI teams in team total blocks (116.0), tied for fourth in team kills (590) and fourth in team assists (550). In the 16th release of the rankings published November 2, Denver ranked fifth among NCAA DI teams with 259.0 total blocks. Many Pioneers remain ranked individually. In addition to the two players ranked for their blocking performances, Schmid ranks 17th for her .412 hitting percentage, Rooke is 42nd with 453 digs and Baird is 31st with 37 service aces. Other top-150 rankings include Baird (aces per set), Rooke (digs per set) and Schmid (blocks per set).