Hawks Host Denver and Oral Roberts in Key Summit League Contests
Grand Forks,N.D. – the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks volleyball team returns home this weekend to face summit League rivals Denver and Oral roberts, seeking to bolster their position in the conference standings. The Hawks will first challenge Denver on Friday before welcoming oral Roberts on Saturday.
North Dakota aims to break a losing streak against Denver, having not defeated the Pioneers as 2018. Conversely, the team boasts a six-match winning streak against Oral Roberts. These matches represent crucial opportunities for the Hawks to improve their league record and solidify their playoff aspirations.
Player Spotlight: White and Rugley Lead the Way
sophomore setter Sadie White is coming off her fourth double-double of the season, contributing 47 assists and a career-high 14 digs. White has consistently fueled the offense, recording 20 or more assists in nine consecutive matches, and currently ranks fourth in the Summit League with 436 total assists.
On the defensive front, Kimanni Rugley is a force at the net, recently achieving a career-best five total blocks. She leads the team with 35.0 blocks on the season, having registered at least one block in 12 of 15 matches and two or more in 11 of 15.
Hawks Excel in Service Game
UND currently ranks third in the Summit League in service aces, having tallied 98 aces across 56 sets played. Izzie McCormick leads the team’s ace production, sitting fifth in the conference with 23 aces. Sadie White is eighth with 19 aces,and skylar Darr is ninth with 17. McCormick has delivered an ace in eight consecutive matches.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Last season, North Dakota completed a dramatic reverse sweep victory over Oral Roberts on October 3, 2024, highlighted by strong performances from Barber (18 kills), Lauren Perugini (16 digs), and Izzie McCormick (16 digs). Three of the last six matchups against Denver have extended to five sets, foreshadowing potentially competitive contests this weekend.
