The Class AA state volleyball tournament is Nov. 17-19 at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. 

The tournament features four Sioux Falls teams, including defending state champion Sioux Falls O’Gorman and Sioux Falls Jefferson, a second-year program. 

Below are capsules on all eight teams in the field.

No. 1 Sioux Falls Washington (25-4)

Coach: Kelly Schroeder

Tournament history: Thirty-fourth appearance, including seven state championships and seven runner-up finishes.

Key players: Joslyn Richardson (338 kills, 43 aces, 26 blocks, 360 digs), Macie Malchow (863 assists, 253 digs, 29 blocks, 37 aces, 76 kills), Cate Legel (224 kills, 44 aces, 28 blocks, 307 digs), Kyra Thorstenson (103 kills, 57 blocks, 64 digs), Taryn Kirsch (37 aces, 455 digs), Carlie Beckstrand (181 kills, 29 blocks, 86 digs), Brianna Hanson (24 aces, 165 digs). 

Notes: The Warriors will play Rapid City Stevens at 11:30 a.m. in their first-round match. … Sioux Falls Washington last season’s Class AA runner-up, losing to O’Gorman in the state championship. … The Warriors have wins over tourney qualifiers Sioux Falls Lincoln (twice), Sioux Falls Jefferson (twice), Pierre T.F. Riggs, Harrisburg, Huron, and Rapid City Stevens. … Sioux Falls Washington’s losses have come against Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Sioux Falls Lincoln, Western Christian, Iowa, and O’Gorman. … The Warriors defeated their first round opponent, Rapid City Stevens, in four sets on Nov. 4.

No. 2 O’Gorman (25-4)

Coach: Cale Hecht

Tournament history: Twenty-seventh appearance, including eight state championships and four runner-up finishes.

Key players: Bergen Reilly (374 kills, 58 aces, 24 blocks, 284 digs), Brooke Harvison (786 assists, 177 digs, 19 blocks, 17 aces, 61 kills), Gabriella Jones (325 digs, 24 aces), Meghan Tiahrt (37 aces, 235 digs), Keira McManus (80 kills, 14 aces, 29 blocks), Brogan Beck (248 kills, 60 blocks, Maggie Noonan (149 kills, 11 blocks, 63 digs). 

Notes: The Knights will play Huron at 6:45 p.m. in their first-round match. … O’Gorman has wins over Class AA state tourney qualifiers Sioux Falls Jefferson, Pierre T.F. Riggs, Rapid City Stevens, Sioux Falls Lincoln, Sioux Falls Washington, and Huron, Class A tourney qualifier Sioux Falls Christian, and Class B tourney qualifiers Chester Area and Warner. … The Knights losses came against Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Dakota Valley, Western Christian, Iowa, and Harrisburg. … O’Gorman is the two-time defending Class AA state champion.

No. 3 Harrisburg (25-3)

Coach: Ronette Costain

Tournament history: Eleventh appearance, including three state championships in 2005 (Class A), 2016 (Class AA), and 2017 (AA), along with one runner-up in 2008 (A). Three appearances in Class A tournament, seven appearances in Class AA tournament.  

Key players: Gabi Zachariasen (282 kills, 213 digs, 30 aces), Morissen Samuels (253 kills, 166 digs, 42 blocks, 33 aces), Kaelyn Snoozy (192 kills, 261 digs,  30 aces), Karalynn Leach (141 kills, 47 blocks), Maggie Meister (422 digs, 23 aces), Kayleigh Hybertson (748 assists, 181 digs)

Notes: The Tigers will play Sioux Falls Lincoln at 6:45 p.m. in their first-round match. … Harrisburg has recorded wins against state tourney qualifiers Sioux Falls Lincoln, Huron, Sioux Falls Jefferson, Pierre T.F. Riggs, O’Gorman, and Class A participants Sioux Falls Christian and Dakota Valley. … The Tigers three losses came against Sioux Falls Washington, Sioux Falls Lincoln, and Western Christian, Iowa. … Harrisburg’s last state tournament appearance came last season, a seventh place finish.

No. 4 Sioux Falls Jefferson (23-6)

Coach: Beth Donnelly

Tournament history: No previous state tournament appearances. 2022 will be the Cavaliers first state tournament appearance.

Key players: Emory Brosnahan (168 kills, 67 digs, 11 blocks), Presley Pastian (563 assists, 191 digs), Maddie Paulsen (176 kills, 76 digs, 43 blocks), Ella Kvernmo (159 kills, 39 aces, 223 digs), Taylor Evenson (96 kills, 17 blocks), Nancy Peter (123 kills, 30 blocks), Cora Hokenstad (435 digs, 20 aces). 

Notes: The Cavaliers will play Pierre T.F. Riggs at 1:15 p.m. in their first-round match. … Sioux Falls Jefferson is making their first state tournament appearance in school history. … The Cavaliers earned regular season wins over state tourney qualifiers Sioux Falls Lincoln (three), Rapid City Stevens, Huron, and Pierre T.F. Riggs. … Sioux Falls Jefferson’s losses came against Sioux Falls Washington (twice), O’Gorman, Harrisburg, Bishop Heelan, Iowa, and Sioux Center, Iowa.

No. 5 Pierre T.F. Riggs (16-5)

Coach: Tiffany Stoeser

Tournament history: Ninth tournament appearance, best finish runner-up in 2007 and 2008. 

Key players: Ayvrie Kaiser (230 kills, 46 aces, 166 digs), Lilly Sanchez (350 assists, 39 aces, 76 digs), Aleise Christopherson (318 assists, 81 digs, 29 aces), Reese Terwilliger (136 kills, 35 aces, 24 digs), Campbell Boddicker (83 kills, 20 digs) Remi Rice (218 digs, 26 aces, 25 kills), Makenna Schlekeway (76 kills)

Notes: The Governors will play Sioux Falls Jefferson at 1:15 p.m. in their first-round match … Pierre finished in eighth place in last season's state tournament. …In their only meeting with Thursday’s opponent, the Governors lost in straight sets to Sioux Falls Jefferson. Pierre has wins over state tournament participants Rapid City Stevens and Huron twice. 

No. 6 Sioux Falls Lincoln (19-10)

Coach: Katie Tirrel

Tournament history: Twenty fifth appearance and four state championships

Key players: Samantha Zeeck (637 assists, 162 digs, 27 blocks, 35 aces), Linnea Nesheim (257 kills, 37 aces, 37 blocks, 340 digs), Nyareal Kutey (239 kills, 141 blocks), Sophia Siegel (195 kills, 24 aces, 36 blocks, 286 digs), Ella Roths (47 kills, 54 blocks, 31 digs, Claire Brown (34 aces, 520 digs), Kate Tollinger (20 aces, 280 digs). 

Notes: The Patriots will play Harrisburg at 6:45 p.m. in their first-round match. …Sioux Falls Lincoln has wins over AA state tournament participants, Rapid City Stevens, Harrisburg, Huron, Pierre and No. 1 seed Sioux Falls Washington. …Of their nine losses this season, three came at the hands of Class AA, No. 4 seed Sioux Falls Jefferson. …Sioux Falls Lincoln last won a Class AA state volleyball tournament in 2016. 

No. 7 Huron (18-9)

Coach: Joshua Lien

Tournament history: Twenty sixth appearance and two state championships. 

Key players: Hamtyn Heinz (707 assists, 35 aces, 79 kills, 24 blocks, 288 digs), Brynn Gose (247 kills, 21 blocks, 66 digs), Heavan Gainey (222 kills, 33 aces, 251 digs), Bryn Huber (633 digs, 33 aces), Olivia Rink (224 digs, 14 aces), Emma Ross (29 aces, 176 digs). 

Notes: The Tigers will play Sioux Falls O’Gorman at 5:00 p.m. in their first-round match. …Huron finished as the AA runner-up in 2021. …Huron has a win over Class AA state tournament participant, Rapid City Stevens. …The Tigers also have wins over Class B state tournament participants, Chester and Northwestern and a loss to Class A state tournament team Dakota Valley. 

No. 8 Rapid City Stevens (23-12)

Coach: Elizabeth Pendegraft

Tournament history: Thirty sixth appearance and four state championships. 

Key players: Carsyn Mettler (172 kills, 38 aces, 51 blocks, 299 digs, 752 assists), Alexa Morin-Baxter (137 kills, 17 aces, 32 blocks, 70 digs), Macey Wathen (309 kills, 41 aces, 22 blocks, 345 digs), Claire Fierro (96 kills, 33 blocks, 32 digs), Ava Mitchell (83 kills, 51 blocks, 46 digs), Sydney Wathen (40 aces, 480 digs, 89 assists), Brienna Brewer (33 kills, 23 aces, 185 digs).