Loaded Southwest MN Challenge on Tap this Weekend

The highly anticipated Southwest Minnesota Challenge is just about here with first round matches set to begin Friday (9/6) evening at 5:00pm. With 32 teams competing at both the Red Baron Arena in Marshall, MN and Southwest Minnesota State University, the weekend is certain to provide some high-level and exciting volleyball with teams representing all classifications. Among the class AAA participants, six of the teams scheduled to play are currently ranked in the top 10 in the latest Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association poll, with two others that were previously ranked and are currently receiving votes. Classes AA and A are also represented well with three teams that are currently ranked in their respective polls and are among the juggernauts that are consistently in the hunt for conference and state crowns each year. With this collection of teams slated to play Friday and Saturday this also means that the individual talent that will be on display will feature many of the state's best athletes, which makes it difficult to predict a winner. Here is a list some of the hottest teams and individual athletes right now scheduled to compete: FEATURED TEAMS Benilde St. Margaret's - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71669" first="Sarah" last="Luong"] (Setter, 2020, Prep Dig #41); [player_tooltip player_id="57524" first="Haley" last="Hewitson"] (L, 2020, Prep Dig #89); [player_tooltip player_id="72037" first="Alexis" last="Brixius"] (OH, 2021, Prep Dig #72); [player_tooltip player_id="72043" first="Josie" last="King"] (OH/RS, 2021, Prep Dig #74) First match: vs. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa | 6:15pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 4 Champlin Park (#6 Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71651" first="Jordan" last="Stalpes"] (2020, OH, Prep Dig #6); [player_tooltip player_id="57481" first="Sami" last="Hilley"] (2020, MH/S, Prep Dig #10); [player_tooltip player_id="71665" first="Hannah" last="Prasky"] (2020, MH, Prep Dig #17); [player_tooltip player_id="71679" first="Megan" last="Panser"] (2020, Libero, Prep Dig #58) First match: vs. YME | 6:15pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 1 Eastview - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71942" first="Lauren" last="Crowl"] (2021, RH, Prep Dig #3); [player_tooltip player_id="71963" first="Emma" last="Grimm"] (2021, OH, Prep Dig #50) First match: vs. Kasson-Mantorville | 6:15pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 2 Hutchinson - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="57490" first="Grace" last="Daak"] (2020, MH, Prep Dig #46); [player_tooltip player_id="58058" first="Aubrey" last="Brunkhorst"] (2021, OH/RS, Prep Dig #57) First match: vs. Tracy Milroy Balaton | 5pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 4 Kasson-Mantorville (#5 Class AA) - Players to watch: Emilee Terry (2020, OH/MH, Prep Dig #63); [player_tooltip player_id="72766" first="Maddie" last="Converse"] (2022, S, Prep Dig #16); [player_tooltip player_id="72789" first="Addison" last="Bzoskie"] (2022, OH, Prep Dig #38) First match: vs. Eastview | 6;15pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 2 Lakeville North (#4 Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="10020" first="Halle" last="Wolfe"] (2020, Libero, Prep Dig #16); Maddie Hornyak (2021, OH, Prep Dig #14); [player_tooltip player_id="71955" first="Ella" last="Thompson"] (2021, MH/OH, Prep Dig #36); Abbey Milner (2021, MH, Prep Dig #60) First match: vs. Fergus Falls | 6:15pm @ SMSU Ct. 2 [program_tooltip program_id='430430' first='Lakeville' last='South'] (#2 Class AA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71941" first="Ava" last="Moes"] (2021, RS, Prep Dig #2; [player_tooltip player_id="71943" first="Jasmine" last="Weidemann"] (2021, S, Prep Dig #9); [player_tooltip player_id="72038" first="Kendyl" last="Storlie"] (2021, MH, Prep Dig #81) First match: vs. LeSueur-Henderson | 5pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 3 Marshall (#3 Class AA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71656" first="Mia" last="Schnaible"] (2020, Libero, Prep Dig #28); [player_tooltip player_id="71659" first="Logan" last="Sherman"] (2020, S/RS, Prep Dig #28); [player_tooltip player_id="71685" first="Bria" last="Morris"] (2020, OH, Prep Dig #52); [player_tooltip player_id="57516" first="Paige" last="Andries"] (2020, MH, Prep Dig #81) First match: vs. Owatonna | 5pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 1 Minneota (#2 Class A) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="72055" first="Ellie" last="Pesch"] (2021, Libero, Prep Dig #89); [player_tooltip player_id="72762" first="Natalee" last="Rolbiecki"] (2022, OH/MH, Prep Dig #12) First match: vs. Burnsville | 5pm @ SMSU Ct. 4 New Prague (Receiving votes Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="30263" first="Sophia" last="Andersen"] (2020, OH, Prep Dig #13); [player_tooltip player_id="71657" first="McKenna" last="Vacek"] (2020, Libero, Prep Dig #26); [player_tooltip player_id="57543" first="Dani" last="Friedges"] (2020, RH/S, Prep Dig #110); [player_tooltip player_id="71958" first="Tori" last="Moe"] (2021, S/RS, Prep Dig #37) First match: vs. Elk River | 6:15pm @ SMSU Ct. 1 Northfield (#7 Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="57483" first="Bronwyn" last="Timperley"] (2020, OH/RS, Prep Dig #22); [player_tooltip player_id="57515" first="Lida" last="King"] (2020, S, Prep Dig # 80); [player_tooltip player_id="10110" first="Emma" last="Torstenson"] (2021, Libero, Prep Dig #7); [player_tooltip player_id="58067" first="Rachel" last="Wieber"] (2021, OH, Prep Dig #66) First match: vs. HLO | 5pm @ SMSU Ct. 1 Prior Lake (Receiving votes Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71944" first="Camille" last="Libert"] (2021, MH, Prep Dig #10); [player_tooltip player_id="31577" first="Julia" last="Hanson"] (2022, OH, Prep Dig #1) First match: vs. Totino Grace | 6:15pm @ SMSU Ct. 4 St. Michael-Albertville (#9 Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="71647" first="Mikala" last="Henderson"] (2020, OH, Prep Dig #14); Sam Palmer (2020, OH, Prep Dig #134) First match: vs. SF Roosevelt | 5pm @ SMSU Ct. 3 Wayzata (#3 Class AAA) - Players to watch: [player_tooltip player_id="57478" first="Elizabeth" last="Helmich"] (2020, RS, Prep Dig #3); [player_tooltip player_id="71648" first="Olivia" last="Johnson"] (2020, S, Prep Dig #15); [player_tooltip player_id="30278" first="Lily" last="Emlong"] (2020, MH, Prep Dig #32); [player_tooltip player_id="58014" first="Sophie" last="Jesewitz"] (2021, OH, Prep Dig #4) First match: vs. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton | 6:15pm @ Marshall Red Baron Arena Ct. 3 OTHER ATHLETES TO WATCH <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="72034" first="Kalleigh" last="Carr"] - RTR | 2021 | RH | Prep Dig #29</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="71655" first="Ellie" last="Dammann"] - Waconia | 2020 | MH | Prep Dig #24</li> <li>Clare Hilary - Elk River | 2020 | S | Prep Dig #132</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="57507" first="Madison" last="Hinz"] - YME | 2020 | S | Prep Dig #70</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="57511" first="Elizabeth" last="Holscher"] - Totino-Grace | 2020 | Libero | Prep Dig #75</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="58028" first="Karsee" last="Kampsen"] - BBE | 2021 | S | Prep Dig #26</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="71964" first="Kelly" last="McArthur"] - Bloomington Jefferson | 2021 | S | Prep Dig #28</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="58062" first="Brenna" last="Stamm"] - Andover | 2021 | DS/L | Prep Dig #61</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="30259" first="Kali" last="Wolf"] - Waconia | 2020 | OH | Prep Dig #3</li> </ul> TOURNAMENT FORMAT <ul> <li>First two rounds on Friday 9/6</li> <li>Bracket play continues on Saturday</li> <li>The championship match is scheduled for 3:45pm on Saturday at Marshall Red Baron Arena.</li> </ul>