No. 2 St. Cloud State Volleyball Closes Regular Season with Winona State at Home

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 2 St. Cloud State Volleyball (23-2, 17-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) returns home for its final match of the 2024 regular season against Winona State (17-10, 10-6 NSIC) on Friday night. First serve for the match is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Halenbeck Hall.

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
vs. Winona State (Halenbeck Hall – St. Cloud, Minn.) – Friday, Nov. 15 / 6 p.m. CT / Tickets / Livestream / Live Stats / Audio

Links to each coverage option can also be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.

MATCH DAY PROMOTIONS
Friday, Nov. 15 vs. Winona State
Promotion: Senior Night

THANK YOU SENIORS
Seniors Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa), Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.), Natalie Tesch (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.) will be honored prior to the match for their contributions to the program including a 100-23 overall record including a 64-11 mark in Northern Sun play. They have won two regular season NSIC Championships, played in three NSIC Tournament Championships, winning two and played in three NCAA tournaments, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2022.

HOME SWEET HALENBECK
SCSU Volleyball has enjoyed tremendous success in the friendly confines of Halenbeck Hall, going 53-7 (.883) in its last 60 home matches.

SERIES HISTORY
St. Cloud State Volleyball is 45-19 all-time against Winona State. SCSU has won its last seven in a row against the Warriors. The Huskies are 10-6 all-time against WSU at Halenbeck Hall.

REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
St. Cloud State won its fourth regular season conference championship in program history, joining the teams from 2021 (NSIC), 1985 (NCC) and 1982 (NSC). Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa), senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.), senior opposite Natalie Tesch (Milwaukee, Wis.) and redshirt junior middle blocker Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.) were all on the 2021 regular season championship squad.

ALL-NSIC HUSKIES
St. Cloud State Volleyball was well recognized in the end-of-season Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) awards, as the league announced its selections on Nov. 13. Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) won NSIC Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season, while head coach Chad Braegelmann was named NSIC Coach of the Year for the third time. Additionally, a program-record five Huskies earned all-conference honors with three being named to the first ream and two earning second team honors.

Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) and junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) joined Foley on the first team, while senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.) and sophomore middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.) were selected to the second team. Previously, the most Huskies to earn all-conference honors in a season was also five, in 1995 while SCSU was in the North Central Conference (NCC). The record for the most while as a member of the NSIC was four, in 2021 – the last time the Huskies won a NSIC regular season title.

Foley was named the NSIC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and was selected to the All-NSIC First Team for the fourth straight season. This season, she leads the NSIC in kills/set (4.92), points/set (5.52), kills (423) and points (474.5). Foley also ranks No. 13 in hitting percentage (.294) and No. 17 in digs/set (3.21) among conference players. Foley has posted 15 double-doubles, two 30+ kill matches and two 20+ dig matches this season.

In 2024, the Sergeant Bluff, Iowa native broke the program records for career kills, career points, career double-digit kill matches, single-match kills, career double-doubles. Foley was named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week six times this season, bringing her career total to 13. She was also tabbed as the AVCA Division II National Player of the Week once in 2024 (third time of career). Foley becomes the first player in program history to repeat as conference player of the year after becoming the first Husky to win such honors a year ago. She is the first Northern Sun player to win the award in back-to-back years since SMSU's Taylor Reiss won it three years in a row from 2016-2018.

Braegelmann was named NSIC Coach of the Year for third time (2019, 2021) after leading the Huskies to their fifth straight 20+ win season this season. He coached the Huskies to second NSIC regular season title in his tenure (third in program history and led a program-record five players to All-NSIC accolades (three first team, two second team) in addition to the back-to-back player of the Year, Kenzie Foley. Braegelmann coached the Huskies to its highest AVCA Coaches Poll ranking in program history (No. 2).

In her first season with the Huskies, Thompson ranks No. 4 in hitting percentage (.353), No. 4 in points/set (3.65) and No. 5 in kills/set (3.24) among NSIC players. She earned NSIC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time of her career on Oct. 7. This is the first all-conference honor of her career.

Berran is currently ranked No. 3 in assists/set (11.45) in the NSIC and No. 9 in all of NCAA Division II. She has guided the potent SCSU offense to conference leading hitting percentage (.286), kills/set (15.06) and points/set (18.78) marks. This is the second time she has been named an all-conference performer after being voted to the second team in 2023. Earlier this season, Berran earned her first NSIC Setter of the Week accolade of year and fourth of her career earlier this week.

Among Northern Sun players, Kurschner ranks No. 3 in service aces/set (0.44), No. 3 in service aces (38) and No. 9 in digs/set (4.23) this season. In serve-receive has made only 22 errors in 451 attempts for a reception percentage of .951. For the third season in a row, the senior libero leads the team in digs and for the second season in her career, she leads the team in aces. This season, Bruskiewicz ranks No. 5 in hitting percentage (.352), No. 16 in blocks/set (0.86) and is tied for No. 18 in kills/set (2.77) among NSIC players.

SCSU has won 19 straight matches, extended its best conference start in program history (17-0) and set a new program record for wins in a row. Thirteen of the teams 22 wins have come against teams ranked/receiving votes in the AVCA Poll.

The Huskies wrap up their regular season schedule with a home match on Friday against Winona State (17-10, 10-6 NSIC). The match will serve as senior night and the program will honor its four seniors for their contributions over the last four-plus years. First serve is set for 6 p.m. from Halenbeck Hall. Links to each coverage option will be available on the SCSU Volleyball schedule page.

To read the NSIC release, click here.

19 IN A ROW
SCSU has won a program record 19 straight matches. The 19-match win streak includes 10 wins over nationally ranked teams – No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State (sweep), No. 6 Wayne State, No. 8 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 9 Concordia-St. Paul (sweep), No. 15 Minnesota Duluth (sweep), No. 20 Michigan Tech, No. 22 Northern State (sweep), No. 24 Minnesota Duluth (sweep), (RV) Minnesota State (sweep) and (RV) Minnesota State.

BRING OUT THE BROOMS
All 14 of SCSU's sweeps this season have come during the last 17 matches. The Huskies tied the program record for sweeps in a row (eight) that was set in 2022.

HISTORIC START TO CONFERENCE PLAY
St. Cloud State is off to its best conference in program history (17-0). The previous record was set in 1982 (Northern Sun Conference – NSC) and tied in 1985 (North Central Conference – NCC) when both teams finished their respective conference season with a perfect 7-0 record. The Huskies have clinched the top seed in the 2024 NSIC Volleyball Tournament.

LET'S GO POLLING
In the November 11 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Poll, St. Cloud State received its highest ranking in program history, No. 2 for the second straight week. In the Oct. 21 and Oct. 28 polls, St. Cloud State was ranked No. 3, which matched program's previous highest national ranking. It is the fifth time (fourth consecutive) that the Huskies have been ranked in the top-3 and the fourth time during the tenure of head coach Chad Braegelmann.

List of St. Cloud State Volleyball Top-3 National Rankings
#2 – Week Ten of 2024
#2 – Week Nine of 2024
#3 – Week One of 1996
#3 – Week Seven of 2024
#3 – Week Eight of 2024

Under the direction of Braegelmann, the program has been ranked for 65 consecutive weeks (including 41 weeks in the top 10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 139 weeks in the AVCA top 20/25 Poll in program history, including 66 weeks in the top 10.

In the most recent AVCA Poll, six NSIC schools and 10 teams from the Central Region were ranked in the Top 25/Receiving Votes.

Nov. 11 AVCA Top-25 National Rankings (overall record)
#2 St. Cloud State* (23-2)
#4 Nebraska Kearney^ (26-1)
#8 Concordia St. Paul* (19-5)
#10 Central Oklahoma^ (25-2)
#15 Wayne State* (20-6)
#16 Southwest Minnesota State* (21-4)
#18 Northern State* (19-5)
#24 Washburn^ (19-5)
(RV) Missouri Western^ (21-5)
(RV) Minnesota Duluth* (15-10)

*NSIC Team
^Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Team

To view the AVCA poll, click here.

St. Cloud State Volleyball in the 2024 AVCA Polls
#10 – Preseason
#7 – Week One
#12 – Week Two
#12 – Week Three
#8 – Week Four
#5 – Week Five
#5 – Week Six
#3 – Week Seven
#3 – Week Eight
#2 – Week Nine
#2 – Week Ten

NCAA REGION RANKINGS
St. Cloud State Volleyball was ranked No. 1 in the second NCAA Volleyball Regional Rankings, as announced by the organization on Nov. 13. The Huskies are one of five Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) teams under consideration and are joined by Concordia-St. Paul, Southwest Minnesota State, Wayne State and Northern State in the first of three rankings.

St. Cloud State is looking to make its fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies have made the NCAA Tournament a total of nine times in program history. St. Cloud State has one final remaining regular season games before the NSIC Tournament starts on Nov. 19.

The NSIC, the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC) make up the 39-team NCAA Central Region. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the NCAA region tournament on December 5-8. Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the MIAA, GAC and NSIC postseason tournaments, with the remaining five spots awarded on an at-large basis.

The NCAA Volleyball selection show will be streamed online on Monday, November 25 at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on NCAA.com.

The championship quarterfinals, semifinals and final match will take place Thursday-Saturday, December 12-14, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Nov. 13 NCAA Central Region Rankings (overall record, in region record)

St. Cloud State* (23-2, 19-1)
Concordia St. Paul* (19-5, 15-2)
Nebraska Kearney^ (26-1, 23-1)
Missouri Western^ (21-5, 18-5)
Central Oklahoma^ (25-2, 21-2)
Washburn^ (19-5, 18-4)
Southwest Minnesota State* (21-4, 18-4)
Wayne State* (20-6, 14-6)
Northern State* (19-5, 15-5)
Emporia State^ (16-8, 16-7)

* NSIC Team
^ MIAA Team
& GAC Team

To view the full NCAA DII Volleyball Region Rankings, click here.

WOLTERS KLUWER FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
St. Cloud State Athletics announced that fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) was named the Wolters Kluwer Female Athlete of the Month for October after sweeping the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Offensive Player of the Week honors during the month.

Kenzie Foley's October Highlights

Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week every week of October (Oct. 7 | Oct. 14 | Oct. 21 | Oct. 28) to bring her season total to six and her career total to 13.
Named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Player of the Week on Oct. 8 for the first time of the season and the third time in her career.
Set the program record for single match kills with 34 in a thrilling five set road victory over No. 6 Wayne State on Oct. 12, breaking the old record of 32 which was held by both Foley and Cami Selbitschka, who had each recorded 32 kills in two matches.
During October, Foley was No. 1 in kills/set (5.36), No. 1 in points/set (6.06), No. 1 in kills (177), tied for No. 1 in points (200.0), No. 5 in hitting percentage (.343), tied for No. 4 in service aces (14) and tied for No. 5 in service aces/set (0.42) among NSIC players.
As of October 28, Foley ranked No. 4 in kills/set (4.97), No. 4 in points/set (5.59) and No. 5 in total kills (368) among all Division II players. She was also leading the NSIC in kills/set, points/set, total kills and total attacks (769), and was No. 2 in attacks/set (10.39), No. 13 in hitting percentage (.299) and No. 19 in total digs (227).
SCSU went a perfect 10-0 during the month with eight sweeps and five wins over nationally ranked opponents.

NSIC WEEKLY AWARDS
Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) has earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Offensive Player of the Week honors 13 times in her career and six times this season (Sept. 9 | Sept. 16 | Oct. 7 | Oct. 14 | Oct. 21 | Oct. 21). She was also named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Player of the Week on Oct. 8 for the first time of the season and the third time in her career.

Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) was tabbed as the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7. It was the first NSIC honor of her career and second conference honor all-time after being named Summit League Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 15, 2022, while playing for South Dakota State.

NSIC SPOTLIGHT
Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) was featured on sixth episode of the 2024-25 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Spotlight series – the voice of the NSIC Student-Athletes – which was released on Oct. 16.

To watch the interview on YouTube, click here.

AVCA WEEKLY AWARD
Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Player of the Week by the organization on Oct. 8. It was her first National Player of the Week honor of the year and the third of her career. The 2023 DII AVCA National Player of the Year is one of just four Huskies be named AVCA DII National Player of the Week in program history and is the only player to be honored more than once in her career.

St. Cloud State players who have been the AVCA Division II National Player of the Week:
Kristi Kutter (Oct. 4, 1993)
Swen Minnema (Oct. 9, 1995)
Cami Selbitschka (Sept. 2, 1996)
Kenzie Foley (Sept. 11, 2022)
Kenzie Foley (Nov. 13, 2022)
Kenzie Foley (Oct. 8, 2024)

NCAA (Top-50) / NSIC (Top-25) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 11/13)

Junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.)
- NCAA
  - No. 9 – assists/set (11.45)
  - No. 31 – assists (973)
- NSIC
  - No. 3 – assists/set (11.45)
  - No. 5 – assists (973)
Sophomore middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.)
- NSIC
  - No. 6 – hitting % (.352)
  - No. 15 – blocks/set (0.86)
  - No. 16 – blocks (74)
  - No. 19 – kills/set (2.77)
  - No. 23 – points/set (3.27)
Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa)
- NCAA
  - No. 5 – kills/set (4.92)
  - No. 5 – points/set (5.52)
  - No. 6 – kills (423)
  - No. 39 – attacks/set (10.55)
- NSIC
  - No. 1 – kills/set (4.92)
  - No. 1 – kills (423)
  - No. 1 – points/set (5.52)
  - No. 1 – attacks/set (10.55)
  - No. 1 – attacks (907)
  - No. 13 – hitting % (.294)
  - No. 16 – digs (276)
  - No. 17 – digs/set (3.21)
Sophomore outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa)
- NSIC
  - No. 4 – aces/set (0.42)
  - No. 11 – aces (33)
Senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.)
- NSIC
  - No. 3 – aces/set (0.44)
  - No. 3 – aces (38)
  - No. 9 – digs/set (4.23)
  - No. 9 – digs (368)
Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.)
- NCAA
  - No. 48 – hitting % (.353)
- NSIC
  - No. 4 – hitting % (.353)
  - No. 4 – points/set (3.65)
  - No. 5 – kills/set (3.24)
  - No. 9 – kills (279)

NCAA (Top-10) / NSIC (Top-5) TEAM STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 11/13)

NCAA
- No. 1 – kills/set (15.06)
- No. 5 – hitting % (.286)
- No. 5 – assists/set (13.74)
- No. 7 – winning % (.920)
NSIC
- No. 1 – winning % (.920)
- No. 1 – kills/set (15.06)
- No. 1 – hitting % (.286)
- No. 1 – opponents hitting % (.148)
- No. 2 – aces/set (1.90)
- No. 2 – assists/set (13.74)
- No. 3 – aces (165)
- No. 4 – kills (1,310)
- No. 4 – assists (1,195)

PROGRAM LEADERBOARD STANDINGS
(as of 11/13)

Junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.)
- No. 5 in career assists (272 more until No. 4)
Fifth year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa)
- No. 1 in career kills – broke Linsey Rachel's record that was set in 2022
- No. 1 in career points – passed SCSU Hall of Famer and volleyball legend, Kathy Davis, who had held the record for 36 years
- No. 1 in career double-digit kill matches – broke Linsey Rachel's record that was set in 2022
- No. 1 in single-match kills – broke a tie with Cami Selbitschka (1996)
- No. 1 in career double-doubles – broke Linsey Rachel's record that was set in 2022
- No. 2 in career attacks (24 more until No. 1)
- No. 4 in career sets played (6 more until No. 3)
- No. 5 in career digs (203 more until No. 4)
- 27 20+ kill matches in her career
- 4 30+ kill matches in her career
Senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.)
- No. 8 in career digs (7 more until No. 7)