Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University setter Sydney Thein (middle)assists teammate Emma VanHeel (8) during a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament match against Northern State at the SMSU PE Gym on Nov. 19, 2024 in Marshall. Thein was named the NSIC’s Setter of the Week on Monday.

BURNSVILLE — Sydney Thein was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference’s Setter of the Week on Monday after helping the Southwest Minnesota State University to a perfect 3-0 performance at the Pitt State Classic in Pittsburg, Kan. last week. The team’s performance also vaulted SMSU up from No. 9 to No. 6 in the latest Division II American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

Thein, a Clara City-native, tallied 142 assists over the course of SMSU’s three matches, averaging 12.91 per set over the course of the event. She peaked with a 57-assist, 18-dig double-double in the Mustangs’ five-set win over the hosting Pittsburg State Gorillas, helping the Mustangs to the third-best hitting percentage in the NSIC on the week at .278.

Over the course of the season, Thein ranks third in Division II with 12.16 set assists per set. She’s the first Mustang to receive a weekly award from the NSIC since McKenzie Tolk was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 18 with 5.1 digs per set over a pair of wins for the Mustangs.

Just a sophomore, Thein is already building up a lengthy list of accolades. Monday’s selection marks Thein’s fourth time winning the NSIC’s Setter of the Week award, and she was named to the NSIC’s First Team All-Conference as a redshirt freshman last season.

The Mustangs are now a perfect 7-0 on the season and will look to keep their momentum rolling when they open conference play with a pair of road matchups against Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth this weekend. Friday’s match against the Beavers is set to begin at 6 p.m. in the BSU Gymnasium, while Saturday’s match against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Romano Gymnasium.