Who: Denver (1-1) vs. South Dakota State (2-3)
What: Game 3-4
Where: Frost Arena 
When: Feb. 14-15 (12:00 p.m. MT)
How to Watch: Stream ($) 
Last Time Out
The Pioneers split with the Omaha Mavericks in their season opener at Hamilton Gymnasium, winning 3-0 on Jan. 31 and falling 3-1 on Feb. 1.

Series History
Denver is 14-0 all-time against South Dakota State. The teams played two matches last season with the Pioneers winning 3-1 on Oct. 4, 2019 in Hamilton Gymnasium and 3-1 on Nov. 1, 2019 in Frost Arena. The Crimson & Gold is 6-0 in road matches against the Jackrabbits and have dropped only three total sets to their conference foe.

What's Next
Denver will continue its season back in Hamilton Gymnasium on Feb. 21-22 vs. Western Illinois.

Quick Points

• Denver will play six of its next eight matches on the road. After this weekend, the Pioneers will return home vs. Western Illinois (Feb. 21-22) before traveling to Oral Roberts (Feb. 28 – March 1) and North Dakota (March 5-6)
• Entering the 2020 season, the Pioneers had the 18^th-highest winning percentage among all Division I programs in the last five seasons (.778) and the 20^th-most wins (123)
• Denver leads the Summit League and ranks 3^rd in the NCAA in blocks per/set (3.57). The Pioneers also lead the conference in service aces/set (1.71), opponent service aces (.43) and opponent digs (14.43)
• Pioneers hold the top four spots in the Summit League for blocks/set: Tina Boe (1.57), Brianna Green (1.29), Ari Winters (1.14) and Lorrin Poulter (1.14)
• Brianna Green leads the Crimson & Gold and ranks 3^rd in the Summit League in hitting percentage/set (.360)
• Ellie Anderson leads Denver and ranks 2^nd in the Summit League in service aces/set (0.57)
• The Crimson & Gold went 23-9 last year to mark the program's seventh straight winning season
• Denver ranked 2nd in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll behind South Dakota. The Pioneers recieved two first-place votes. Lydia Bartalo & Tina Boe were named Players to Watch 
• Tom Hogan enters his fifth season at the helm with a 96-27 overall record (53-8 Summit League). He was hired as an assistant coach in 2012, promoted to associate head coach in 2014 and named head coach in December 2015. Denver is 89-12 in Hamilton Gymnasium since 2012
• Three Pioneers reached career milestones last year. Lydia Bartalo recorded her 500^th kill against Omaha on Oct. 15. Tina Boe posted her 500^th kill against South Dakota State on Nov. 1. Ellie Anderson tallied her 1,500^th career assist against South Dakota on Nov. 3
• Denver returns 12 players from last season and welcomes four newcomers including freshmen Ryen Wilkins, Gemma Tipping, Gianna Bartalo and grad transfer Erica Andrich
  • '20-21 Returners/Newcomers: Overall: 12/4, Setters: 3/0, Outside Hitters: 5/1, Middle Blockers: 2/1
• Five Pioneers received honors after the 2020 season      
  • AVCA All-American, AVCA Midwest All-Region Team, Summit League Player of the Year: Lydia Bartalo
    • Bartalo recorded a team-best 374 kills and 48 service aces. She led the Summit League in aces per set averaging 0.41
  • All-Summit League Team: Lydia Bartalo, Tina Boe
    • Boe ranked 2^nd in the Summit League in attack percentage (.362), tallied 208 kills and recorded 104 blocks
  • All-Summit League Honorable Mention: Ellie Anderson
    • Anderson ranked 7^th in Summit League in assists per set (5.21) and led the Pioneer offense with 610 assists
  • All-Summit League Freshman Team: Kalea Fobert, Brianna Green
    • Green tallied a team-high 131 blocks, ranking 3^rd in the Summit League in blocks per set (1.22)
    • Fobert appeared in 96 sets for the Pioneers, recording 204 kills and 57 blocks
  • The Pioneers have three players playing professionally: Emma Willis (Switzerland), Becca Latham (Italy) and Cassie Baird (Czech Republic)

 
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here.

DONATE: Fans interested in making a donation to the Pioneers Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will transform the lives of our student-athletes by giving them the first-class resources needed to excel in the classroom, in the classroom and beyond. Thank you for Building Pioneers for Life!
 
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