Home tournament highlights South Dakota State volleyball schedule

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BROOKINGS – It has been three years since the South Dakota State volleyball team hosted its own tournament. With the Jackrabbits' history in tournaments in Frost Arena, returning to the friendly confines was an easy decision in 2017. The Hampton Inn Jackrabbits Invitational highlights the 28-match regular-season schedule that third-year head coach Nicole Cirillo revealed Monday.

Since 2006, SDSU is 11-7 in home tournaments, including two seasons without losing a match.

"We are excited to be hosting a tournament in Frost Arena," Cirillo said. "It's obviously great to add to our home match count, but to bring in teams that we don't usually get to play makes it fun and provides some different scenery."

In addition to the Hampton Inn Jackrabbits Invitational, SDSU's schedule features eight other home matches in Frost Arena, its third trip to the Sanford Pentagon for a match and three other regular-season tournaments.

"We have a great schedule for both nonconference and conference matches this year. Being able to partner with the Sanford Pentagon again for our Dig Pink match is extremely exciting as not only are we raising awareness and money, but we currently hold a perfect 2-0 record in that facility," Cirillo said.

SDSU enters the season needing six wins to become the second women's program at SDSU to reach the 900-win mark. The women's basketball team defeated Oral Roberts on Feb. 11, 2016, for its 900th victory.

South Dakota State opens the season traveling to Milwaukee, Wis., for the Panther Invitational on Aug. 25-26. The Jacks meet the Panthers in their season opener and play Virginia Tech and Idaho State.

The Jackrabbits celebrate Labor Day weekend and their 46th year at home with the Hampton Inn Jackrabbit Invitational on Sept. 1-2. SDSU plays Valparaiso the first night and UC-Bakersfield and Northern Arizona in the final matches of the invitational.

SDSU returns to the road for a seven-match road trip that takes it to the North Dakota Tournament on Sept. 8-9 where it meets Appalachian State and George Washington on Sept. 8 and the Fighting Hawks on Sept. 9.

The Jackrabbits are at the Bradley Tournament on Sept. 15-16. They play the host Braves on Sept. 15 and Grand Canyon and UMKC on Sept. 16.

In its 11th year in the Summit League, South Dakota State plays eight home-and-home contests against league opponents.

Key Summit League dates for South Dakota State are Oct. 1 when the defending Summit League champions Denver are in Frost; Oct. 20 when the Jackrabbits play at the Sanford Pentagon for the third consecutive year, taking on Omaha in the annual Dig Pink match; and Nov. 7 when they play in-state rival South Dakota in Frost Arena on Senior Night.

The Summit League Championship is Nov. 17-19 at Denver.

SDSU's alumni scrimmage is Aug. 19.

Fans can purchase season tickets by visiting JackrabbitTickets.com, calling 1-866-GoJacks or (605) 688-5422, and stopping by the Jackrabbit Athletics Ticket Office, which is open weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The ticket office is located on the first floor of the Stanley J. Marshall Center.

For more information on the South Dakota State volleyball team, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksVB) or like South Dakota State volleyball on Facebook.