The DBU Lady Patriot Volleyball Team opened the 2011 season with a second place finish at the Nanook Classic Volleyball Tournament hosted by the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, September 2-3, 2011.

DBU finished the first weekend of the 2011 campaign with a 2-1 record and had two players named to the Nanook Classic All-Tournament Team, Sophomore Cameron Hartson and Junior Christina Steinkruger.

In their first match of the tournament the Lady Patriots defeated host, Alaska-Fairbanks, by the score of 3-0 on Friday night. Leading DBU was Steinkruger and Sophomore Krystal Wunderlich, with 13 and 11 kills respectively. The Lady Patriots won game one 25-19, game two 27-25 and game three, 25-19, to seal the victory over the Nanooks.

DBU faced Grand Canyon University from Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday morning in their second game of the tournament. The Lady Patriots won the first two games of the match, 25-20, 32-30, before dropping the next two games, 25-20 and 25-22, forcing a decisive fifth game. GCU jumped out to an early lead in the fifth game, but the Lady Patriots rallied to take the game, 15-13, and the match, 3-2. DBU was led by Steinkruger, with 15 kills, Wunderlich with 14 kills, and Senior Claire Stephens, who added 13 kills and three blocks.

DBU faced the number 16th ranked Minnesota State on Saturday afternoon for the championship and final game of the Nanook Classic. The Lady Patriots dropped the first two games 25-15, 25-20, but managed a 25-23 victory in the third game against the #16 Mavericks, before dropping the closest match of the night, 26-24, in the fourth game. Leading DBU in the 3-1 loss was Senior Kaylyn Frink with 11 kills and Wunderlich and Steinkruger with 12 a piece.

The Lady Patriots resume action next Friday and Saturday in the Lady Patriot Classic Tournament hosted by DBU. The Lady Patriots take on West Alabama and East Central University on Friday and Colorado State-Pueblo and Missouri Southern on Saturday.