MARSHALL, Minn. - As the fall athletics season gets into full swing, Southwest Minnesota State University head volleyball coach Terry Culhane will welcome 15 student-athletes on campus in preparation for the 2010 season. The Mustangs open fall camp with two-a-day practices on Monday, Aug. 16. Morning practices will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with the afternoon session beginning at 2 p.m. and ending at 4 p.m.

Culhane, entering his seventh season at the helm of the SMSU volleyball team, welcomes back 10 letter-winners from 2009. Brigetta Berg, Brooke Burmeister, Cara Carson, Devin Diedrich, Mary Groth, Whitney Kemink, Ashley King, Kenzie Niesche, Tomomi Sakurai and Brittany Wenzel. Culhane will welcome five incoming freshman to round out the 2010 Mustang Volleyball squad.

The Mustangs return All-America junior middle blocker Devin Diedrich (6-0, Braham, Minn.) who was named to the AVCA third team. Diedrich also garnered AVCA All-Central Region honors to go along with her All-NSIC selection. SMSU also returns reigning NSIC Freshman of the Year Mary Groth (MB, 6-1, Jr., West Bend, Wis.). The now sophomore was also selected as the Central Region Freshman of the Year in 2009. Groth also picked up AVCA All-Central Region Honorable Mention and All-NSIC honors in just her first season for the brown and gold.

SMSU finished the 2009 season with an overall record of 25-8. The Mustangs tallied a 15-5 record in the NSIC, which was good enough for a fourth place finish in the league. The SMSU volleyball team found itself in the national polls throughout the 2009 season. At the conclusion of the season SMSU was ranked 16th in the AVCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The SMSU volleyball team will hold its annual "Late Show" intrasquad scrimmage at the Physical Education Gymnasium on Thursday, Aug. 19, at 7:30 p.m.

The Mustangs open the 2010 campaign on Sept. 3 when they travel to Golden, Colo. to compete in the Courtyard by Marriott/Residence Inn Oredigger Volleyball Classic hosted by the Colorado School of Mines.