Thursday, August 31
Anchorage, Alaska
7:00 P.M. CT
St. Cloud State
vs
Alaska Fairbanks
No. 7 Huskies Volleyball Opens 2023 Season at Seawolf Invitational
8/29/2023 10:00:00 AM | Volleyball
St. Cloud State battles Alaska Fairbanks on Opening Night this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. CT
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 7 St. Cloud State Volleyball begins their 2023 campaign with four matches at the Seawolf Invitational in Anchorage, Alaska beginning Thursday, August 31 with an Opening Night tilt against Alaska Fairbanks at 7:00 p.m. CT. The Huskies meet Florida Tech and tournament host No. 14 Alaska Anchorage on Friday with 2:30 p.m. CT and 10:00 p.m. CT starts respectively, then close the Invitational with a 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday match against Upper Iowa.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
All four matches will be live streamed on YouTube (@UAASeawolves) with live stats provided by Alaska Anchorage. Links to both coverage options can be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.
LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies open the season ranked No. 7 nationally in the AVCA Top-25 poll, their 16th consecutive week in the Top 10 dating back to the 2021 season. No. 7 is the program's highest Preseason rank since SCSU began the 1996 season at No. 6. Including their 2023 Preseason ranking, St. Cloud State has spent 20 weeks in the Top 10 under head coach Chad Braegelmann.
THE LAST FRONTIER
St. Cloud State is making the program's second-ever trip to Alaska this weekend, last visiting the nation's largest state in 2008 for the Nanook Classic hosted by Alaska Fairbanks. The Huskies have played the Seawolves and Nanooks just a combined five times, holding a 1-2 record against Anchorage and an 0-2 mark versus Fairbanks.
SCOUTING ALASKA FAIRBANKS
The Nanooks enter the Seawolf Invitational 1-3 on the young season, dropping two matches to (RV) Chaminade and splitting with Hawai'i Hilo at the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge in Fairbanks last weekend. UAF is directed by ninth-year head coach Brian Scott and is fresh off back-to-back 18-win campaigns. Junior outside Karli Nielson joins towering opposites Ella Bines and Lily Stewart as the top weapons in setter Ainsley Smith's offense. Fairbanks leans on a long, physical block as the centerpiece of a defense that averaged 2.45 blocks a set last season, good for No. 10 in the NCAA. Top middle blockers Elizabeth Jackson and Kristina Head return while Mt. Hood College transfer Josie Jansen has stepped into a key role anchoring the block. St. Cloud State last played UAF in 2008, dropping their match in straight sets, and is 0-2 all-time against the Nanooks.
SCOUTING FLORIDA TECH
Traveling just over 4,800 miles to play in the Seawolf Invitational, Florida Tech opens the Jordan Willis era in Anchorage with an offense in search of a new featured hitter following the departure of Katie Erdmann and her 4.21 kills/set to Northern Illinois. The Panthers return starting setter Kenzie Delacher (8.93 A/S) and talented libero Kari Voelstad Bogen (4.77 D/S, .938 rec%) as Willis begins his first season at the helm following three seasons at Davis & Elkins and five at Otero College where he went a combined 127-79. Lexi Lueger is the top returning hitter for Florida Tech, posting 1.84 kills and 2.09 points a set last season.
SCOUTING NO. 14 ALASKA ANCHORAGE
Seawolf Invitational host Alaska Anchorage enters the weekend 1-3 after opening the season at No. 14 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, dropping two matches to (RV) Chaminade and splitting with Hawai'i Hilo at the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge in Fairbanks. The Seawolves were upset in the NCAA Round of 64 last season by Chaminade and graduated significant firepower from their 27-3 squad including D2CCA National Player of the Year Eve Stephens and fellow AVCA All-American Ellen Floyd. In addition to their star opposite and setter, Anchorage saw the departure of two more senior starters in outside Lisa Januet and libero Talia Leauanae. UAA brings back Preseason All-GNAC outside Nicole Blue as well as starting middle blockers Leilani Elder and Isabel Evans, returning valuable experience for first-year head coach Stacie Meisner. Appointed the Seawolves' head coach in December following a six year run as the top assistant, the former Alaska Anchorage libero has helped guide the program to a 119-42 record and four NCAA Tournament appearances since 2018.
SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
The Huskies' weekend finale with familiar foe Upper Iowa marks the first nonconference match between the two programs since the 2015 Peacock Open as UIU begins its first season as a GLVC member in 2023. Upper Iowa's offense runs through talented middle blocker Zoe Semelroth, a senior who posted 2.97 kills and 3.76 points a set on .260 hitting last season while adding 34 aces. Second Team All-NSIC libero Kaci Beesecker scored 41 times from the service line in 2022 while posting 4.53 digs per set and a .956 in serve receive, forming a terrific passing corps alongside Madelyn Rettler (.971) and Lydia Imbrogno (.956). The Peacocks have built a reputation of scrappy play under longtime head coach and former St. Cloud State assistant Aaron Nelson, providing a strong nonconference challenge to close out the tournament.
PRESEASON COACH SPEAK
St. Cloud State Volleyball was picked to finish fourth in the 2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The defending NSIC Tournament Champion Huskies earned 154 points in the poll to land fourth, ranked top-four to open the season for the third straight campaign. Preseason favorite Concordia-St. Paul (190 pts) took eight first place votes to finish just ahead of Wayne State's (189 pts) seven, followed by Minnesota Duluth (165 pts) in third. Southwest Minnesota State (142 pts), Sioux Falls (130 pts), Augustana (109 pts) and Northern State (108 pts) round out the top eight. Winona State (99 pts) landed ninth with Minnesota State-Mankato (85 pts), MSU-Moorhead (64 pts) and Bemidji State (49 pts) filling out the top 12. The poll closed with Mary (47 pts), Minnesota Crookston (28 pts) and Minot State (16 pts).
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
The Huskies' 27-match regular season slate features nonconference trips to the Seawolf Invitational and the Up North Preseason Tournament in Duluth. Opening their season in Anchorage, SCSU will play nine nonconference matches before beginning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Friday, September 15 with the club's Home Opener set for September 22. 11 of St. Cloud State's matches feature opponents who closed the 2022 season ranked or receiving votes in the final AVCA DII national poll.
FEAR FOLEY
Two-time AVCA All-American and 2021 AVCA National Freshman of the Year Kenzie Foley was named the Huskies' NSIC Player to Watch entering her fourth year with the program. Through two collegiate campaigns, the senior outside has averaged 4.00 kills and 3.16 digs per set on .280 hitting with a .441 kill percentage. Foley ranked No. 10 across the NCAA last season with 484 kills while leading the NSIC in both kills and points per set, averaging 4.07 and 4.70 respectively as one of the most lethal options in the country. She has already cleared the 1,000 point threshold and enters the season on pace to join both the 1,000 Kill and Dig clubs, in need of 65 and 260 respectively.
BERRAN PILOTS THE SHIP
Sophomore setter Emma Berran looks to build off perhaps the best freshman season by a setter in program history. The Eagan product started all 34 matches and delivered a Huskies' first-year record 1286 assists while averaging 11.18 assists/set, landing her eighth and seventh respectively across the NCAA. St. Cloud State's offense found new heights with Berran distributing the ball, ranking sixth in the Nation in hitting percentage (.278), eighth in kills (1717), 10th in kills/set (14.19) and 11th in assists (1563). Kenzie Foley, Linsey Rachel and Phebie Rossi each averaged at least 3.0 kills per set as part of Berran's balanced offense, making SCSU one of just four teams in DII to have three hitters post that mark.
COUNT ON KEELY
Junior libero Keely Kurschner broke through as one of the top players at her position in the Northern Sun last season, leading the Huskies with 3.70 digs per set and posting a strong .929 mark in serve receive. Most impressively, Kurschner led the NSIC with 51 aces and committed just 19 service errors, providing tremendous work at the service line to both score and keep opponents out of system. The sophomore anchored the NSIC's No. 3 defense in opponent kills and No. 5 hitting percentage defense, holding opponents to 11.11 and .180 marks respectively.
STUPENDOUS SAM
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Sam Zimmerman closed her debut season strong, earning NSIC All-Tournament Team honors while producing 2.30 kills and 2.67 points a set on .345 hitting across her final seven matches last year. Zimmerman started all 34 matches last season, hitting .285 with a .424 kill percentage while putting down 1.98 kills a set. She posted 99 blocks for 0.85 a set, helping support the Huskies' strong net play.
POSITION BATTLES
As the Huskies enter the 2023 campaign, three key position battles are yet to be determined as St. Cloud State looks to replace outside hitter Linsey Rachel, middle blocker Phebie Rossi and opposite Makena Hollman - each of whom graduated. Sophomore Emilie Planert and freshman Hannah Bruskiewicz vie for the opening at middle blocker. Planert served as the top backup at the position as a true freshman and starred for West De Pere as a prep, earning Bay Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior, while Bruskiewicz was an All-State standout at Rogers with three All-Northwest Suburban Conference honors to her credit. Freshmen Shelby Kimm and Abby Wachal compete with sophomores Maddie MacTaggart and Ella Unterweger at the left pin as the second outside, providing SCSU with an array of options to pair with Foley. Kimm earned AVCA Honorable Mention High School All-American honors last fall at Liberty High School while Wachal was twice named Super State and added three All-State selections at Lincoln Lutheran. Fellow Nebraska All-State selection MacTaggart and WIAA State Champion Unterweger each impressed in their opportunities last season while providing depth on the outside. Junior Natalie Tesch competes with Kimm and Wachal at the right pin fresh off a terrific spring that saw her lead the Huskies in multiple offensive categories.
SERVING TOUGH
A quiet strength for the Huskies last season could be found at the service line as SCSU scored 1.82 aces a set while Keely Kurschner led the league with 51 aces and Kenzie Foley added 39. Sophomore Emily Kern helped the Huskies keep their opponents out of system with 26 aces as the top defensive specialist last fall and will be joined by senior Allena Shimon and freshman Annika Forbes as talented options at the line.
LOOKING BACK...
2022 marked another chapter in St. Cloud State's rise to national prominence as the Huskies earned their first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 1995 while winning their second consecutive NSIC Tournament Championship. Opening their season with a program-best 12-0 start, the Huskies went 28-6 with a 15-5 record in NSIC play, producing the program's highest win total since 1986. St. Cloud State won the NSIC Tournament as the No. 5 seed and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 at the Wayne Regional, taking down No. 2 Wayne State on their home court in the Round of 32. SCSU closed the 2022 season with their highest final AVCA ranking in program history at No. 5 to spend the entire season ranked in Top 10 nationally. St. Cloud State's offense found new heights in 2022, ranking sixth across the NCAA in hitting percentage (.278), eighth in kills (1717), 10th in kills/set (14.19) and 11th in assists (1563). The Huskies defense ranked No. 3 in the NSIC in opponent kills/set (11.11) and recorded the No. 5 hitting percentage defense (.180) in the league.
HUSKIES HOLD THEIR OWN
Since 2019, the Huskies are a combined 34-15 against AVCA Top-25 opponents and opponents receiving votes in the AVCA National poll. The 2022 Huskies went 9-6 against teams ranked or receiving votes including two signature road postseason wins – a five-set instant classic at No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul in the NSIC Tournament Final and a four-set upset of No. 2 Wayne State in the NCAA Round of 32 at the Wayne Regional. SCSU defeated the No. 2, 3, 7 and 12 teams in the country during their incredible postseason run.
Single match and season ticket information can be found on SCSUTickets.com. For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
All four matches will be live streamed on YouTube (@UAASeawolves) with live stats provided by Alaska Anchorage. Links to both coverage options can be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.
LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies open the season ranked No. 7 nationally in the AVCA Top-25 poll, their 16th consecutive week in the Top 10 dating back to the 2021 season. No. 7 is the program's highest Preseason rank since SCSU began the 1996 season at No. 6. Including their 2023 Preseason ranking, St. Cloud State has spent 20 weeks in the Top 10 under head coach Chad Braegelmann.
THE LAST FRONTIER
St. Cloud State is making the program's second-ever trip to Alaska this weekend, last visiting the nation's largest state in 2008 for the Nanook Classic hosted by Alaska Fairbanks. The Huskies have played the Seawolves and Nanooks just a combined five times, holding a 1-2 record against Anchorage and an 0-2 mark versus Fairbanks.
SCOUTING ALASKA FAIRBANKS
The Nanooks enter the Seawolf Invitational 1-3 on the young season, dropping two matches to (RV) Chaminade and splitting with Hawai'i Hilo at the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge in Fairbanks last weekend. UAF is directed by ninth-year head coach Brian Scott and is fresh off back-to-back 18-win campaigns. Junior outside Karli Nielson joins towering opposites Ella Bines and Lily Stewart as the top weapons in setter Ainsley Smith's offense. Fairbanks leans on a long, physical block as the centerpiece of a defense that averaged 2.45 blocks a set last season, good for No. 10 in the NCAA. Top middle blockers Elizabeth Jackson and Kristina Head return while Mt. Hood College transfer Josie Jansen has stepped into a key role anchoring the block. St. Cloud State last played UAF in 2008, dropping their match in straight sets, and is 0-2 all-time against the Nanooks.
SCOUTING FLORIDA TECH
Traveling just over 4,800 miles to play in the Seawolf Invitational, Florida Tech opens the Jordan Willis era in Anchorage with an offense in search of a new featured hitter following the departure of Katie Erdmann and her 4.21 kills/set to Northern Illinois. The Panthers return starting setter Kenzie Delacher (8.93 A/S) and talented libero Kari Voelstad Bogen (4.77 D/S, .938 rec%) as Willis begins his first season at the helm following three seasons at Davis & Elkins and five at Otero College where he went a combined 127-79. Lexi Lueger is the top returning hitter for Florida Tech, posting 1.84 kills and 2.09 points a set last season.
SCOUTING NO. 14 ALASKA ANCHORAGE
Seawolf Invitational host Alaska Anchorage enters the weekend 1-3 after opening the season at No. 14 in the AVCA Preseason Poll, dropping two matches to (RV) Chaminade and splitting with Hawai'i Hilo at the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge in Fairbanks. The Seawolves were upset in the NCAA Round of 64 last season by Chaminade and graduated significant firepower from their 27-3 squad including D2CCA National Player of the Year Eve Stephens and fellow AVCA All-American Ellen Floyd. In addition to their star opposite and setter, Anchorage saw the departure of two more senior starters in outside Lisa Januet and libero Talia Leauanae. UAA brings back Preseason All-GNAC outside Nicole Blue as well as starting middle blockers Leilani Elder and Isabel Evans, returning valuable experience for first-year head coach Stacie Meisner. Appointed the Seawolves' head coach in December following a six year run as the top assistant, the former Alaska Anchorage libero has helped guide the program to a 119-42 record and four NCAA Tournament appearances since 2018.
SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
The Huskies' weekend finale with familiar foe Upper Iowa marks the first nonconference match between the two programs since the 2015 Peacock Open as UIU begins its first season as a GLVC member in 2023. Upper Iowa's offense runs through talented middle blocker Zoe Semelroth, a senior who posted 2.97 kills and 3.76 points a set on .260 hitting last season while adding 34 aces. Second Team All-NSIC libero Kaci Beesecker scored 41 times from the service line in 2022 while posting 4.53 digs per set and a .956 in serve receive, forming a terrific passing corps alongside Madelyn Rettler (.971) and Lydia Imbrogno (.956). The Peacocks have built a reputation of scrappy play under longtime head coach and former St. Cloud State assistant Aaron Nelson, providing a strong nonconference challenge to close out the tournament.
PRESEASON COACH SPEAK
St. Cloud State Volleyball was picked to finish fourth in the 2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The defending NSIC Tournament Champion Huskies earned 154 points in the poll to land fourth, ranked top-four to open the season for the third straight campaign. Preseason favorite Concordia-St. Paul (190 pts) took eight first place votes to finish just ahead of Wayne State's (189 pts) seven, followed by Minnesota Duluth (165 pts) in third. Southwest Minnesota State (142 pts), Sioux Falls (130 pts), Augustana (109 pts) and Northern State (108 pts) round out the top eight. Winona State (99 pts) landed ninth with Minnesota State-Mankato (85 pts), MSU-Moorhead (64 pts) and Bemidji State (49 pts) filling out the top 12. The poll closed with Mary (47 pts), Minnesota Crookston (28 pts) and Minot State (16 pts).
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
The Huskies' 27-match regular season slate features nonconference trips to the Seawolf Invitational and the Up North Preseason Tournament in Duluth. Opening their season in Anchorage, SCSU will play nine nonconference matches before beginning Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Friday, September 15 with the club's Home Opener set for September 22. 11 of St. Cloud State's matches feature opponents who closed the 2022 season ranked or receiving votes in the final AVCA DII national poll.
FEAR FOLEY
Two-time AVCA All-American and 2021 AVCA National Freshman of the Year Kenzie Foley was named the Huskies' NSIC Player to Watch entering her fourth year with the program. Through two collegiate campaigns, the senior outside has averaged 4.00 kills and 3.16 digs per set on .280 hitting with a .441 kill percentage. Foley ranked No. 10 across the NCAA last season with 484 kills while leading the NSIC in both kills and points per set, averaging 4.07 and 4.70 respectively as one of the most lethal options in the country. She has already cleared the 1,000 point threshold and enters the season on pace to join both the 1,000 Kill and Dig clubs, in need of 65 and 260 respectively.
BERRAN PILOTS THE SHIP
Sophomore setter Emma Berran looks to build off perhaps the best freshman season by a setter in program history. The Eagan product started all 34 matches and delivered a Huskies' first-year record 1286 assists while averaging 11.18 assists/set, landing her eighth and seventh respectively across the NCAA. St. Cloud State's offense found new heights with Berran distributing the ball, ranking sixth in the Nation in hitting percentage (.278), eighth in kills (1717), 10th in kills/set (14.19) and 11th in assists (1563). Kenzie Foley, Linsey Rachel and Phebie Rossi each averaged at least 3.0 kills per set as part of Berran's balanced offense, making SCSU one of just four teams in DII to have three hitters post that mark.
COUNT ON KEELY
Junior libero Keely Kurschner broke through as one of the top players at her position in the Northern Sun last season, leading the Huskies with 3.70 digs per set and posting a strong .929 mark in serve receive. Most impressively, Kurschner led the NSIC with 51 aces and committed just 19 service errors, providing tremendous work at the service line to both score and keep opponents out of system. The sophomore anchored the NSIC's No. 3 defense in opponent kills and No. 5 hitting percentage defense, holding opponents to 11.11 and .180 marks respectively.
STUPENDOUS SAM
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Sam Zimmerman closed her debut season strong, earning NSIC All-Tournament Team honors while producing 2.30 kills and 2.67 points a set on .345 hitting across her final seven matches last year. Zimmerman started all 34 matches last season, hitting .285 with a .424 kill percentage while putting down 1.98 kills a set. She posted 99 blocks for 0.85 a set, helping support the Huskies' strong net play.
POSITION BATTLES
As the Huskies enter the 2023 campaign, three key position battles are yet to be determined as St. Cloud State looks to replace outside hitter Linsey Rachel, middle blocker Phebie Rossi and opposite Makena Hollman - each of whom graduated. Sophomore Emilie Planert and freshman Hannah Bruskiewicz vie for the opening at middle blocker. Planert served as the top backup at the position as a true freshman and starred for West De Pere as a prep, earning Bay Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior, while Bruskiewicz was an All-State standout at Rogers with three All-Northwest Suburban Conference honors to her credit. Freshmen Shelby Kimm and Abby Wachal compete with sophomores Maddie MacTaggart and Ella Unterweger at the left pin as the second outside, providing SCSU with an array of options to pair with Foley. Kimm earned AVCA Honorable Mention High School All-American honors last fall at Liberty High School while Wachal was twice named Super State and added three All-State selections at Lincoln Lutheran. Fellow Nebraska All-State selection MacTaggart and WIAA State Champion Unterweger each impressed in their opportunities last season while providing depth on the outside. Junior Natalie Tesch competes with Kimm and Wachal at the right pin fresh off a terrific spring that saw her lead the Huskies in multiple offensive categories.
SERVING TOUGH
A quiet strength for the Huskies last season could be found at the service line as SCSU scored 1.82 aces a set while Keely Kurschner led the league with 51 aces and Kenzie Foley added 39. Sophomore Emily Kern helped the Huskies keep their opponents out of system with 26 aces as the top defensive specialist last fall and will be joined by senior Allena Shimon and freshman Annika Forbes as talented options at the line.
LOOKING BACK...
2022 marked another chapter in St. Cloud State's rise to national prominence as the Huskies earned their first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 1995 while winning their second consecutive NSIC Tournament Championship. Opening their season with a program-best 12-0 start, the Huskies went 28-6 with a 15-5 record in NSIC play, producing the program's highest win total since 1986. St. Cloud State won the NSIC Tournament as the No. 5 seed and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 at the Wayne Regional, taking down No. 2 Wayne State on their home court in the Round of 32. SCSU closed the 2022 season with their highest final AVCA ranking in program history at No. 5 to spend the entire season ranked in Top 10 nationally. St. Cloud State's offense found new heights in 2022, ranking sixth across the NCAA in hitting percentage (.278), eighth in kills (1717), 10th in kills/set (14.19) and 11th in assists (1563). The Huskies defense ranked No. 3 in the NSIC in opponent kills/set (11.11) and recorded the No. 5 hitting percentage defense (.180) in the league.
HUSKIES HOLD THEIR OWN
Since 2019, the Huskies are a combined 34-15 against AVCA Top-25 opponents and opponents receiving votes in the AVCA National poll. The 2022 Huskies went 9-6 against teams ranked or receiving votes including two signature road postseason wins – a five-set instant classic at No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul in the NSIC Tournament Final and a four-set upset of No. 2 Wayne State in the NCAA Round of 32 at the Wayne Regional. SCSU defeated the No. 2, 3, 7 and 12 teams in the country during their incredible postseason run.
Single match and season ticket information can be found on SCSUTickets.com. For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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