RAPID CITY, SD (May 22, 2025) — Annika Stephens fell in love with volleyball back in third grade, getting her start through the YMCA program in Rapid City. By seventh grade, she was playing on her middle school team and had joined a new local club — Black Hills Juniors (BHJ).
Today, she leads that same club as its director — a role that recently earned her a spot on the 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)'s Thirty Under 30 list. This prestigious honor recognizes rising coaching talent making a big impact in the volleyball world.
"Being awarded the Club Thirty Under 30 award is such an honor. I've always strived to be a coach who makes a positive difference in the lives of every player I coach," said Stephens, who is also the assistant coach for the South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Volleyball team.
Since stepping into the role of BHJ director in 2020, Stephens has led impressive growth — expanding the club from 13 teams in one city to 39 teams across four cities by the 2025 season. She's brought that same energy and success to the South Dakota Mines volleyball program, where she's been a key part of the coaching staff since 2020. In 2023, she helped guide the Hardrockers to their most successful NCAA Division II season ever — racking up 18 wins, making the RMAC playoffs, hosting a playoff match, and reaching the semifinals — all firsts in program history.
The team had similar success this past season, including its first South Central Regional ranking in school history.
"Annika has played a significant role in growing the game of volleyball in the entire Black Hills region," said Lauren Prochazka, Mines head volleyball coach. "She has created opportunities for girls and boys in western South Dakota to play at a very high level and compete all over the region and the country. Her work with the community has had such a positive impact on our program at South Dakota Mines, as we continue to see the union between our program and the young players in the region. Annika is a wonderful leader in our program and continues to elevate Hardrocker volleyball and South Dakota Mines every single day. She has earned this recognition for her work as a coach and leader. I cannot think of anyone more deserving."
Stephens also played all four years while she attended Dakota State University where she earned her bachelor's degree in business administration.
While Stephens has a passion for coaching, it's the impact she makes beyond the court that she finds most rewarding.
"I love being able to help prepare young adults to make big choices in life and instill the confidence and courage to make those decisions," Stephens said. "Youth sports are continuously increasing in popularity and for good reason – 94 percent of women in C-suite jobs have played sports, with 54 percent of those in college. Knowing that I am helping prepare the next generation of leaders, while also sharing my love for the sport, is an amazing experience."
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About South Dakota Mines
Founded in 1885, South Dakota Mines is one of the nation's leading engineering, science and technology universities. South Dakota Mines offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees and a best-in-class education at an affordable price. The university enrolls 2,579 students with an average class size of 24. The South Dakota Mines placement rate for graduates is 97 percent, with an average starting salary of $77,067. For these reasons, South Dakota Mines is ranked among the best engineering schools in the country for return on investment. Find us online at www.sdsmt.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat.
About South Dakota Mines Athletics
South Dakota Mines is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The RMAC is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Utah.
