The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, September 5
Brookings, S.D.
7 PM
Ole Miss
at
South Dakota State
Volleyball Heads North for South Dakota State Invitational
9/4/2025 | Volleyball
BROOKINGS, S.D. – The Ole Miss volleyball program continues the season-opening road swing this weekend at the South Dakota State Invitational, hosted by South Dakota State at the First Bank & Trust Arena.
The Rebels (2-1, 0-0 SEC) face the host Jackrabbits (1-1, 0-0 Summit) on Friday at 7 p.m., CT, before facing Wyoming (2-1, 0-0 MWC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. Both matches will be streamed on the Summit League Network.
RALLY POINTS
SERIES HISTORY
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss kicked off the 2025 campaign at the Georgia Tech Classic, going 2-1 overall with wins over Arkansas State and Wofford. The most recent came in the tournament finale and saw the Rebels earn a 3-0 victory over Wofford, holding the Terriers to a -.102 hitting percentage. The result marked the lowest hitting percentage that Ole Miss has held an opponent to since a 2009 win over Alcorn State.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen enters her final collegiate season with eyes on not only setting, but ultimately smashing the program's all-eras dig record. The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and stands just 188 digs away from setting a new record that is currently held by Morgan Springer.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career. Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. Niesen's digs per set stood at third in the SEC at 4.48, just marginally behind Missouri's Maya Sands (4.53) and Arkansas' recent graduate Courtney Jackson (4.49).
In fact, Niesen ranks sixth in the NCAA on the active digs leaderboard with 1,444.
Active Leaders
1. Emma Hickey, Valparaiso - 2,144
2. Lauren Lindseth, Montana State - 1,541
3. Maya Sands, Missouri - 1,516
4. LonDynn Betts, West Virginia - 1,460
5. Emma Farrell, Wake Forest - 1,447
6. Cammy Niesen, Ole Miss - 1,444
7. Campbell Jensen, UC Irvine - 1,442
8. Ella Voegele, St. Thomas - 1,432
9. Breanna Mitchell, Boise State - 1,384
10. McKenzie Johnson, Cincinnati - 1,343
FILLING THE VOID
While the Rebels have had to replace much of their offensive attack from 2024, several newcomers have immediately stepped up. The hitters are led by transfer Gabi Placide, who surged to 51 kills and a .236 hitting percentage at the Georgia Tech Classic and already ranks third in the SEC in total kills. Redshirt freshman Melia Johnson has also stepped up, opening her collegiate career with 10 or more kills in all three matches.
HONORED BY THE SEC
Setter Mokihana Tufono, who turned heads in her debut season in Oxford, was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team earlier this offseason. Tufono, who started her collegiate career at UCLA, developed into one of the top setters in the conference under head coach Bre Henry, earning AVCA All-South Region honors and recording 1,173 assists. Tufono also notched 286 digs, 60.0 total blocks, 43 kills and 21 service aces.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, Ole Miss athletics and the volleyball program will honor and recognize many who have contributed to the success and legacy of the program over 50 years of volleyball.
The program has tallied over 800 wins, reached five NCAA Tournaments and won the 2017 NIVC championship. Nineteen student-athletes have earned All-SEC honors, 16 have earned AVCA All-Region and three have been named All-Americans as the program has blossomed over generations of standout student-athletes.
The success of the program has built on the foundation of countless student-athletes who have gone on to earn a degree from the University of Mississippi and take their talents throughout the world.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2025 across multiple different metrics.
In addition to her pursuit of the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 58 in her career. That stands just 11 outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer also has her sights on the same list, standing at 45 service aces across just two seasons of action.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits ninth all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,294 and 16th across all eras, despite only playing one season.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
The Rebels (2-1, 0-0 SEC) face the host Jackrabbits (1-1, 0-0 Summit) on Friday at 7 p.m., CT, before facing Wyoming (2-1, 0-0 MWC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. Both matches will be streamed on the Summit League Network.
RALLY POINTS
- The Rebels head to South Dakota State for the SDSU Invitational in their second tournament of the 2025 season.
- Senior Mokihana Tufono was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team ahead of the 2025 campaign. Tufono was one of 15 student-athletes and just two setters tabbed to the list, alongside Tennessee's Caroline Kerr.
- The Rebels held Wofford to a -.102 hitting percentage on Sunday, good for the lowest total by an opponent against the Rebels since a 2009 win over Alcorn State.
- Cammy Niesen continues rank among the best liberos in the game, ranking sixth nationally on the career active digs leader list.
- Niesen now stands at 1,444 career digs, with the total ranking third all-time at Ole Miss and just 11 away from sole possession of second.
- The Rebels roster features nine newcomers, as well as three additional returning freshmen from the 2024 roster. Five are incoming freshmen and four are transfers.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Rebels are set to meet South Dakota State for just the second time, following a 3-0 win by the Rebels in Oxford in 2023. Cammy Niesen is the lone Rebel holdover from the last meeting, where she recorded 11 digs and two service aces in the victory.
- Ole Miss is set to resume the all-time ledger against Wyoming for the first time since 2003, trailing 3-1 in the all-time series. The Rebels lone victory came in 2000, with the Cowgirls taking matchups in 1987, 1988 and 2003.
LAST TIME OUT
Ole Miss kicked off the 2025 campaign at the Georgia Tech Classic, going 2-1 overall with wins over Arkansas State and Wofford. The most recent came in the tournament finale and saw the Rebels earn a 3-0 victory over Wofford, holding the Terriers to a -.102 hitting percentage. The result marked the lowest hitting percentage that Ole Miss has held an opponent to since a 2009 win over Alcorn State.
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Senior libero Cammy Niesen enters her final collegiate season with eyes on not only setting, but ultimately smashing the program's all-eras dig record. The 2024 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year has been a model of consistency her entire career and stands just 188 digs away from setting a new record that is currently held by Morgan Springer.
Niesen has quietly emerged as one of the best liberos in the SEC over her dynamic career. Last season, Niesen led the SEC in total digs with 537, which also ranked 33rd in the nation. Niesen's digs per set stood at third in the SEC at 4.48, just marginally behind Missouri's Maya Sands (4.53) and Arkansas' recent graduate Courtney Jackson (4.49).
In fact, Niesen ranks sixth in the NCAA on the active digs leaderboard with 1,444.
Active Leaders
1. Emma Hickey, Valparaiso - 2,144
2. Lauren Lindseth, Montana State - 1,541
3. Maya Sands, Missouri - 1,516
4. LonDynn Betts, West Virginia - 1,460
5. Emma Farrell, Wake Forest - 1,447
6. Cammy Niesen, Ole Miss - 1,444
7. Campbell Jensen, UC Irvine - 1,442
8. Ella Voegele, St. Thomas - 1,432
9. Breanna Mitchell, Boise State - 1,384
10. McKenzie Johnson, Cincinnati - 1,343
FILLING THE VOID
While the Rebels have had to replace much of their offensive attack from 2024, several newcomers have immediately stepped up. The hitters are led by transfer Gabi Placide, who surged to 51 kills and a .236 hitting percentage at the Georgia Tech Classic and already ranks third in the SEC in total kills. Redshirt freshman Melia Johnson has also stepped up, opening her collegiate career with 10 or more kills in all three matches.
HONORED BY THE SEC
Setter Mokihana Tufono, who turned heads in her debut season in Oxford, was named to the All-SEC Preseason Team earlier this offseason. Tufono, who started her collegiate career at UCLA, developed into one of the top setters in the conference under head coach Bre Henry, earning AVCA All-South Region honors and recording 1,173 assists. Tufono also notched 286 digs, 60.0 total blocks, 43 kills and 21 service aces.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, Ole Miss athletics and the volleyball program will honor and recognize many who have contributed to the success and legacy of the program over 50 years of volleyball.
The program has tallied over 800 wins, reached five NCAA Tournaments and won the 2017 NIVC championship. Nineteen student-athletes have earned All-SEC honors, 16 have earned AVCA All-Region and three have been named All-Americans as the program has blossomed over generations of standout student-athletes.
The success of the program has built on the foundation of countless student-athletes who have gone on to earn a degree from the University of Mississippi and take their talents throughout the world.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2025 across multiple different metrics.
In addition to her pursuit of the all-eras digs record at Ole Miss, Cammy Niesen is also poised to enter the top-10 all-time in service aces, with 58 in her career. That stands just 11 outside the rally scoring era's top-10. Shayla Meyer also has her sights on the same list, standing at 45 service aces across just two seasons of action.
Mokihana Tufono continues her rapid ascent of the assists charts in her short time at Ole Miss. Tufono currently sits ninth all-time in the rally scoring era with 1,294 and 16th across all eras, despite only playing one season.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
Players Mentioned
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