The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) announced Wednesday that the University of Minnesota Duluth Volleyball Team has been picked to finish seventh in the conference as voted by league coaches. It was also announced that senior right side hitter Madeline Guetzkow (Mayer, Minn.) was named UMD's Player to Watch entering the 2026 season.

"We return the majority of our roster and this group is hungry to take another step this year after starting strong last year before injuries occurred. Our leadership group has the right approach and attitude to push this group and pull the best out of each other," head coach Jim Boos said of his 2026 squad. "We are excited to see the next steps that they take in their individual and collective growth as well as the energy and excitement that they bring to the gym each day."

Guetzkow is one of 15 returners from a Bulldogs team that graduated just one senior and finished the 2025 season with an 18-10 overall record and an 11-9 NSIC record. She was named Second Team All-NSIC after leading UMD and ranking 10th in the league in points per set (3.77) and 13th in kills per set (3.09). Guetzkow had six double-doubles on the season, had 10 or more kills in 14 matches and 20 or more kills in three matches. She also hit .300 or better in 10 matches during her junior campaign. She also earned CSC Academic All-District Team accolades for maintaining a 3.50 GPA as an Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences major. 

"Madeline is coming off a great junior season that was interrupted by injury. She is a six-rotation athlete that really came into her own last season and will impact our team and play in all aspects this season," Boos said. "In addition, she brings a positive leadership style to the table as she uses her experience in our program and on the court to help lead our group."

The Bulldogs were selected behind defending NSIC regular-season co-champions Concordia-St. Paul (220 points; 11 first-place votes) and Wayne State (207 points; 3 first-place votes), NSIC tournament champion St. Cloud State (199 points; 2 first-place votes), Southwest Minnesota State (177 points), Sioux Falls (158 points) and Minnesota State (156 points). UMD received 143 points, three points ahead of eighth-place selection Northern State.

The 2026 season will get underway for UMD against Michigan Tech on Aug. 27 as part of the Up North Tournament in Marquette, Mich. The Bulldogs will also face Cal State East Bay, host Northern Michigan and Tiffin University (Ohio) during the three-day event. 

Its home-opener is slated for Friday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m. against Northern State at Romano Gymnasium following stops at the Colorado State Pueblo Tournament, the University of Mary and Minot State.