Thursday, September 5
Coussoulis Arena • San Bernardino, Calif.
2 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State
vs
Cal Poly Pomona
No. 10 St. Cloud State Volleyball Opens 2024 Season at Yotes Classic Showcase
9/4/2024 4:15:00 PM | Volleyball
Huskies set to battle four nationally ranked teams over three days in California
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 10 St. Cloud State Volleyball begins its 2024 campaign with four matches against top-25 nationally ranked opponents at the Yotes Classic Showcase in San Bernardino, California beginning Thursday, Sept. 5 with an opening day matchup with No. 21 Cal Poly Pomona at 2 p.m. CT. The Huskies meet No. 12 Chaminade (Hawaii) and tournament host Cal State San Bernardino on Friday with 2 p.m. CT and 9:30 p.m. CT starts respectively, before closing out the tournament with a 4:30 p.m. CT Saturday match against defending national champions, No. 1 Cal State LA.
2024 Yotes Classic Showcase Homepage
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Match 1 vs. #21 Cal Poly Pomona – Thursday, Sept. 5 / 2 p.m. CT / Livestream ($) / Live Stats
Match 2 vs. #12 Chaminade (Hawaii) – Friday, Sept. 6 / 2 p.m. CT / Livestream / Live Stats
Match 3 @ #8 Cal State San Bernardino – Friday, Sept. 6 / 9:30 p.m. CT / Livestream ($) / Live Stats
Match 4 vs #1 Cal State LA – Saturday, Sept. 7 / 4:30 p.m. CT / Livestream ($) / Live Stats
All the matches will be played on the campus of Cal State San Bernardino in San Bernardino, California. Matches 1, 3 and 4 will be played Coussoulis Arena and Match 2 will be played at The Den. The livestream for Matches 1, 3 and 4 require a FloSports subscription.
Links to each coverage option can also be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.
SEASON PREVIEW
St. Cloud State Volleyball was selected to finish third in the 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Additionally, reigning Division-II National Player of the Year, fifth-year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) was named the Preseason Player of the Year for the conference.
"Huskies Volleyball has improved immensely over the past nine years, and we are very proud of the product we are putting on the floor today," said head coach Chad Braegelmann, "I felt this team had a fantastic spring as we grew closer together as individuals. The group has put in a ton of work, and I think the sky is the limit for this fall. We have a grueling schedule, including facing four top 25 teams to open the season as well as the defending national champion. And after that, the NSIC regular season awaits us."
Braegelmann enters his 10th season at the helm of St. Cloud State Volleyball and his 24th season overall as a collegiate head coach in 2024. His record at SCSU is 150-92 (.620) including an 89-69 (.563) mark in NSIC play after leading last year's team to a 22-9 record (13-5 NSIC) to finish fourth.
The Huskies return all six starters from last year's team, headlined by the 2024 NSIC Preseason Player of the Year in Foley. Foley's third season on the court in 2023 was a monumental one. Foley was the first player in program history to be named NSIC Player of the Year, D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year, AVCA Central Region Player of the Year, D2CCA Ron Lenz National Player of the Year, AVCA DII National Player of the Year and a Honda NCAA DII Athlete of the Year Finalist. She was also the second player in program history to be named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) after Maddy Torve in 2021 – both were named to the First Team. Additionally, Foley became the fifth member of the 1,000 kill / 1,000 dig club in 2023.
In the SCSU Volleyball record book, Foley currently ranks:
The Huskies also return 2023 First Team All-NSIC Selection, redshirt junior middle blocker Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.), 2023 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), 2023 NSIC All-Tournament Team member, sophomore middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.), senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.), senior opposite Natalie Tesch (Milwaukee, Wis.), sophomore outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa), sophomore outside hitter Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) and sophomore defensive specialist Annika Forbes (Cottage Grove, Minn.).
WELCOME TO THE PACK
The Huskies welcomed five newcomers over the offseason (all freshmen): libero/defensive specialist Laurin Hamann (Maitowoc, Wis. / Lincoln HS), opposite Mollie Hobson (McHenry, Ill. / McHenry HS), setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn. / Grand Rapids HS), middle blocker Kinsey Mohwinkle (Aplington, Iowa / Aplington Parkersburg HS) and outside hitter Carlie Willis (Grundy Center, Iowa / Grundy Center HS),
THE SENIORS
Kurschner and Tesch are joined by Foley to make up the senior class.
THE JUNIORS
Redshirt juniors middle blockers Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) and Zimmerman join true juniors Berran, libero/defensive specialist Emily Kern (Belgrade, Minn.) and middle blocker Emilie Planert (De Pere, Wis.) to form the five player junior class.
THE SOPHOMORES
The five sophomores are Bruskiewicz, Forbes, Kimm, Wachal and middle blocker Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.).
LET'S GO POLLING
SCSU opens 2024 ranked No. 10 in the AVCA Poll after closing last season as the No. 9 team in the country. Last season the Huskies spent 13 of the 14 weeks ranked inside the top-10. Under the direction of Braegelmann, the program has been ranked for 55 consecutive weeks (including 33 weeks in the Top-10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 129 weeks in the AVCA Top 20/25* Poll in program history, including 58 weeks in the Top 10.
THE GOLDEN STATE
The Huskies last played in California in 2017, leaving with a 5-0 record. The Huskies played at St. Katherine before defeating Saint Martin's, Cal State San Marcos and Adelphi at the Cougar Classic in San Marcos.
SERIES HISTORY
St. Cloud State Volleyball has never played Cal Poly Pomona, Chaminade or Cal State LA in program history and will meet Cal State San Bernardino for the first time since 1996. The Huskies took down CSUSB in straight sets in their lone matchup (15-1, 15-6, 15-4) while playing in a tournament hosted by Northern Michigan.
LOOKING BACK
The Huskies wrapped up their 2023 season of competition with a 22-9 record. SCSU competed in its fourth straight NSIC Tournament Final match and punched its fourth consecutive ticket the NCAA Tournament.
St. Cloud State advanced to the NSIC Tournament Final after taking down Northern State in the quarterfinals and the No. 1 team in the country, Wayne State, in the semifinals. SCSU fell to No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul in the championship match. The victory over Wayne State was the first time that an SCSU Volleyball beat a team that was ranked No. 1 in the nation, and they did while playing on Wayne State's home court. St. Cloud State earned its fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth, falling to No. 16 Central Missouri in the Round of 64. The Huskies closed out the 2023 season ranked ninth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Volleyball Coaches Top 25 Poll.
The 2024 Huskies Volleyball Season Ticket Package is available now and can be purchased/renewed for $70/seat on SCSUTickets.com or by calling 320-308-2137. The package includes a general admission ticket to each of the 10 regular season home matches.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
2024 Yotes Classic Showcase Homepage
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Match 1 vs. #21 Cal Poly Pomona – Thursday, Sept. 5 / 2 p.m. CT / Livestream ($) / Live Stats
Match 2 vs. #12 Chaminade (Hawaii) – Friday, Sept. 6 / 2 p.m. CT / Livestream / Live Stats
Match 3 @ #8 Cal State San Bernardino – Friday, Sept. 6 / 9:30 p.m. CT / Livestream ($) / Live Stats
Match 4 vs #1 Cal State LA – Saturday, Sept. 7 / 4:30 p.m. CT / Livestream ($) / Live Stats
All the matches will be played on the campus of Cal State San Bernardino in San Bernardino, California. Matches 1, 3 and 4 will be played Coussoulis Arena and Match 2 will be played at The Den. The livestream for Matches 1, 3 and 4 require a FloSports subscription.
Links to each coverage option can also be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.
SEASON PREVIEW
St. Cloud State Volleyball was selected to finish third in the 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Additionally, reigning Division-II National Player of the Year, fifth-year outside hitter Kenzie Foley (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) was named the Preseason Player of the Year for the conference.
"Huskies Volleyball has improved immensely over the past nine years, and we are very proud of the product we are putting on the floor today," said head coach Chad Braegelmann, "I felt this team had a fantastic spring as we grew closer together as individuals. The group has put in a ton of work, and I think the sky is the limit for this fall. We have a grueling schedule, including facing four top 25 teams to open the season as well as the defending national champion. And after that, the NSIC regular season awaits us."
Braegelmann enters his 10th season at the helm of St. Cloud State Volleyball and his 24th season overall as a collegiate head coach in 2024. His record at SCSU is 150-92 (.620) including an 89-69 (.563) mark in NSIC play after leading last year's team to a 22-9 record (13-5 NSIC) to finish fourth.
The Huskies return all six starters from last year's team, headlined by the 2024 NSIC Preseason Player of the Year in Foley. Foley's third season on the court in 2023 was a monumental one. Foley was the first player in program history to be named NSIC Player of the Year, D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year, AVCA Central Region Player of the Year, D2CCA Ron Lenz National Player of the Year, AVCA DII National Player of the Year and a Honda NCAA DII Athlete of the Year Finalist. She was also the second player in program history to be named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) after Maddy Torve in 2021 – both were named to the First Team. Additionally, Foley became the fifth member of the 1,000 kill / 1,000 dig club in 2023.
In the SCSU Volleyball record book, Foley currently ranks:
- 1st in career games with 20+ kills
- 1st in kills by a first-year player
- t-1st, t-5th, 8th, 9th, t-10th and t-14th in single match kills
- 2nd in career double-digit kill matches
- 2nd in career double-doubles
- 2nd, 4th and t-7th in season kills
- 4th in career kills
- 4th and 8th in season attacks
- 6th in career attacks
- 7th in career points
- 9th in career digs
The Huskies also return 2023 First Team All-NSIC Selection, redshirt junior middle blocker Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.), 2023 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, junior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), 2023 NSIC All-Tournament Team member, sophomore middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.), senior libero Keely Kurschner (Maplewood, Minn.), senior opposite Natalie Tesch (Milwaukee, Wis.), sophomore outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa), sophomore outside hitter Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) and sophomore defensive specialist Annika Forbes (Cottage Grove, Minn.).
WELCOME TO THE PACK
The Huskies welcomed five newcomers over the offseason (all freshmen): libero/defensive specialist Laurin Hamann (Maitowoc, Wis. / Lincoln HS), opposite Mollie Hobson (McHenry, Ill. / McHenry HS), setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn. / Grand Rapids HS), middle blocker Kinsey Mohwinkle (Aplington, Iowa / Aplington Parkersburg HS) and outside hitter Carlie Willis (Grundy Center, Iowa / Grundy Center HS),
THE SENIORS
Kurschner and Tesch are joined by Foley to make up the senior class.
THE JUNIORS
Redshirt juniors middle blockers Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) and Zimmerman join true juniors Berran, libero/defensive specialist Emily Kern (Belgrade, Minn.) and middle blocker Emilie Planert (De Pere, Wis.) to form the five player junior class.
THE SOPHOMORES
The five sophomores are Bruskiewicz, Forbes, Kimm, Wachal and middle blocker Bethany Weiss (Forest Lake, Minn.).
LET'S GO POLLING
SCSU opens 2024 ranked No. 10 in the AVCA Poll after closing last season as the No. 9 team in the country. Last season the Huskies spent 13 of the 14 weeks ranked inside the top-10. Under the direction of Braegelmann, the program has been ranked for 55 consecutive weeks (including 33 weeks in the Top-10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 129 weeks in the AVCA Top 20/25* Poll in program history, including 58 weeks in the Top 10.
THE GOLDEN STATE
The Huskies last played in California in 2017, leaving with a 5-0 record. The Huskies played at St. Katherine before defeating Saint Martin's, Cal State San Marcos and Adelphi at the Cougar Classic in San Marcos.
SERIES HISTORY
St. Cloud State Volleyball has never played Cal Poly Pomona, Chaminade or Cal State LA in program history and will meet Cal State San Bernardino for the first time since 1996. The Huskies took down CSUSB in straight sets in their lone matchup (15-1, 15-6, 15-4) while playing in a tournament hosted by Northern Michigan.
LOOKING BACK
The Huskies wrapped up their 2023 season of competition with a 22-9 record. SCSU competed in its fourth straight NSIC Tournament Final match and punched its fourth consecutive ticket the NCAA Tournament.
St. Cloud State advanced to the NSIC Tournament Final after taking down Northern State in the quarterfinals and the No. 1 team in the country, Wayne State, in the semifinals. SCSU fell to No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul in the championship match. The victory over Wayne State was the first time that an SCSU Volleyball beat a team that was ranked No. 1 in the nation, and they did while playing on Wayne State's home court. St. Cloud State earned its fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth, falling to No. 16 Central Missouri in the Round of 64. The Huskies closed out the 2023 season ranked ninth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Volleyball Coaches Top 25 Poll.
The 2024 Huskies Volleyball Season Ticket Package is available now and can be purchased/renewed for $70/seat on SCSUTickets.com or by calling 320-308-2137. The package includes a general admission ticket to each of the 10 regular season home matches.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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