SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 8 Augustana returns home this weekend to take on the University of Mary and Minot State. The Vikings will welcome the Marauders to the Elmen Center Friday at 7:30 p.m. and the Beavers on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. First Serve
• If the Vikings can earn one win this weekend they will earn win No. 900 in program history 
• Augustana jumped six spots to No. 8 in the most recent AVCA Top-25 Poll. This is their highest ranking since 2008
• The Vikings are 5-0 in conference play for the first time since 2002. That season they started 6-0 before suffering their first loss
• Augustana has four athletes with over 100 kills this season
• The Vikings are on a five-match winning streak. It's their second longest streak of the season
 
Series History
This is the 14th time that Augustana and U-Mary will play against each other. The Vikings own a perfect 13-0 all-time record against the University of Mary. In the last 12 meetings, Augustana hasn't allowed U-Mary to win a set. The Marauders have only won a single set in the series, and that was in the first ever meeting.

Augustana also owns a perfect record against Minot State. The Vikings are 7-0 all-time against Minot State. The first ever meeting was back in 1977, which the Vikings won 2-1. Augustana is 3-0 against Minot State when the match is played in Sioux Falls.
 
The Last Time They Played
• Vikings vs U-Mary: October 24, 2015; Augustana defeated U-Mary 3-0 at home
• Vikings vs Minot State: October 23, 2015; Augustana defeated Minot State 3-1 at home

A Look at U-Mary
U-Mary enters the weekend with a record of 7-7 overall and 2-3 in the NSIC. The Marauders are currently on a two-match losing streak after falling 3-1 to both Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls last weekend.

After playing four of their first five NSIC matches at home, U-Mary will be traveling this weekend and will go to Wayne State following their battle against the Vikings. They started the season out strong after going 3-1 at the Washburn Invite. Their lone loss was a sweep by Washburn.

U-Mary is currently being led offensively by junior Lauren Randall. Randall is leading the team with 236 kills and kills per set average of 4.63. She is the only U-Mary player with 200+ kills. Defensively they are led by senior Alex Brown who has accumulated 229 digs and a digs per set average of 4.49 this season. Senior Rachel Astrup leads the team in blocks with 31.
 
A Look at Minot State
Minot State enters the weekend with a record of 5-9 overall and a 0-5 record in the NSIC. When the Beavers play on the road this season they are 0-4. Minot State is one of the youngest teams in the conference with eight freshmen, two sophomores, and two seniors.

The Beavers began NSIC play at MSU Moorhead and Northern State. They were swept by MSUM but won a set against the Wolves. They have been swept in each of their last three matches against U-Mary, USF, and SMSU.

Offensively Minot State is led by freshman Shelby Spiller who has 107 kills on the season. The only other Beaver to have triple-digit kills is freshman Emily Falldorf who has 105. They have two setters with 200+ assists in senior Janelle Nagy and sophomore Kelsey Dewulf. Defensively they are led by senior Cindy Pelo who has 222 digs this season. Freshman Hayley Swain leads the team in blocks with 41.
 
Weekend Promotions
• Friday night's match against U-Mary will be "Kids Day". Anyone who is under the age of 18 will receive free admission to the match. Between sets two and three you will have a chance to win a Domino's Pizza as part of the serving contest.
• Saturday night against Minot State you can get a free ticket if you bring your football ticket from that afternoon's game vs USF. Also, be sure to wear your Navy at soccer, football, and volleyball.
 
Augustana in the Rankings
• Augustana jumped six spots for the second straight week in AVCA Top-25 Poll. The Vikings are ranked No. 8 in this week's poll.
• The Vikings have been ranked in the AVCA Top-25 poll a total of 207 times of the possible 389 polls. Only Central Missouri has been ranked in every AVCA Poll.
• Augustana currently trails Grand Valley State in total number of weeks ranked by just one and North Dakota State by nine weeks.
• The Vikings 207 appearances in the AVCA Poll is the 10th most all-time. The only NSIC team to have more appearances is Minnesota Duluth, who have been ranked the third most times with 313
• This is the first time since Sept. 8, 2008, that the Vikings have been ranked in the top-10 of the AVCA Poll
• Augustana's highest rank in school history was second back on Dec. 5, 2000
• The Vikings have had a lot of success in program history and it shows with the number of top-10 rankings the program has earned. Augustana has been ranked in the top-10 70 times. That is the 24th most top-10 rankings in Division II history. This week they tied UC San Diego and North Alabama for most weeks ranked in the top-10
• The Vikings are sitting in third place in the NSIC with a perfect 5-0 conference record
• Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth are the only remaining undefeated teams in the conference

Augustana Statistically
• Anna Sykora continues to be the top setter in the NSIC. She had 140 assists and an assists per set average of 12.72 last week against some of the top teams in the NSIC
• For the season Sykora is ranked 11th nationally in assists per set average at 11.43. Her 584 assists to date are the sixth most in the country
• After a string weekend, Sykora is now ranked 10th on the all-time career assists list with 1,340
• Sykora is also ranked 10th in program history with a 6.91 career assists per set average
• Tahlyr Banks continues to be a defensive star for the Vikings. She currently ranks 14th in Division II with a 5.71 digs per set average. That number gets even better in NSIC?play at 5.80. She ranks 3rd in the NSIC by one-tenth of a point
• Banks has the 8th most total digs in the country with 291
• In three seasons at Augustana Banks has accumulated 1,375 career digs which are the 40th most among active players in Division II
• Banks has a career digs per set average of 5.28 which is the 15th best average among all active players regardless of Division. She ranks 8th in Division II
• Banks is ranked No. 1 on the all-time career digs per set list in Augustana history with a 5.28 average
• Augustana is currently leading the NSIC in total kills (737), total assists (690) and total digs (964)
• The Vikings are ranked fifth nationally in total kills, fourth nationally in assists and sixth nationally in digs
• Through 13 matches the Vikings are sixth in the NSIC in attack percentage (.233)
• Augustana's 13.53 assists per set average is fourth in the conference. In just conference matches they are third with an average of 13.95 assists per set
 
When Playing AVCA Top-25 Opponents
• In 2016 Augustana is 4-1 against team's ranked in the AVCA?Top-25
• The Vikings are 3-0 against the AVCA?Top-5 in 2016
• Over the last two season's the Vikings have compiled a 7-10 record against teams ranked in the AVCA Top-25. During that time Augustana is 4-6 against the AVCA?Top-5
 
Up Next
Following this weekend's home stand against U-Mary and Minot State, the Vikings will be on the road for a midweek doubleheader in Rapid City. Augustana will play Black Hills State and South Dakota School of Mines on Oct. 4. First serve against the Yellow Jackets is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. followed by a 7 p.m. start against the Miners.