No. 11 St. Cloud State Volleyball Travels to North Dakota for Pair of NSIC Matches

Friday, October 31

McDowell Activity Center • Bismarck, N.D.

6 p.m.

St. Cloud State

UMary

Emilie Planert vs. Minnesota State 10-21-25

Photo by: Kayden Kircher

No. 11 St. Cloud State Volleyball Travels to North Dakota for Pair of NSIC Matches

10/30/2025 3:49:00 PM | Volleyball

Huskies play at UMary Friday, Minot State Saturday

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 11 St. Cloud State Volleyball (17-5 overall, 12-2 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) travels to North Dakota for a pair of conference matches against UMary (6-16, 3-11 NSIC) and Minot State (3-20, 1-13 NSIC). The Huskies play UMary on Friday with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m. from the McDowell Activity Center in Bismarck, North Dakota and Minot State on Saturday at noon at the Minot State Dome in Minot, North Dakota.

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
The matches will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network. Live stats will be provided by each home team.

Match 23 – @UMary (McDowell Activity Center // Bismarck, N.D.) – Friday, Oct. 31 / 6 p.m. / Watch (NSIC Network) / Live stats
Match 24 – @ Minot State (Minot State Dome // Minot, N.D.) – Saturday, Nov. 1 / Noon / Watch (NSIC Network) / Live stats

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

SERIES HISTORY
St. Cloud State Volleyball is 20-6 all-time against UMary and has won the last 11 matches against the Mauraders. The Huskies swept the teams' matchup earlier this season on Sept. 20 at Halenbeck Hall. SCSU is 8-4 all time against UMary in Bismarck.

The Huskies are 19-1 all-time against Minot State and have won the last 14 in a row against the Beavers. SCSU swept the lone meeting of 2025 on Sept. 19 in St. Cloud. The Huskies are a perfect 8-0 against MSU in Minot.

NSIC SETTER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.) was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Setter of the Week for the second time this season/of her career on Monday. She is the only Husky to earn weekly conference honors so far this season.

The sophomore setter led the NSIC in assists/set (11.82) while ranking fifth in service aces/set (0.64). She also chipped in 1.91 digs/set, 1.77 points/set, 0.73 kills/set and 0.55 blocks/set. LaPlant helped guide the SCSU offense to 15.36 kills/set which ranked No. 2 in the conference and a .294 team hitting percentage which was fourth best in the NSIC.

LaPlant's best performance came in the Huskies five-set win over No. 22 Northern State Friday, when she recorded a 58-assist, 11-dig double-double with four aces, three kills, three block assists and two solo blocks. It was her sixth double-double of the season and first since Oct. 11 and her two solo blocks were a new single-match career high. Additionally, the Grand Rapids, Minnesota native dished out 41 assists in SCSU's sweep of No. 23 Minnesota State on Tuesday which were the second most of any three-set match this season for the Huskies.

NSIC Release

2025 NSIC Weekly Honors
Setter of the Week

Braya LaPlant (Sept. 29)
Braya LaPlant (Oct. 27)

LAST TIME OUT
SCSU finished its perfect 3-0 Homecoming week by defeating No. 22 Northern State in a five-setter on Friday and
sweeping Jamestown on Saturday.

Notes from the match
3-2 win vs. #22 Minnesota State (10-24-25)

SCSU moved to 17-23 all-time against Northern State including a nine-match win streak that dates back to October 2021. The Huskies also improve to 10-7 all-time against the Wolves at Halenbeck Hall.
SCSU improved to 7-4 against teams ranked/receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) DII National Poll this season, 9-2 at home and 3-1 in five set matches.
The Huskies 72 kills and 67 assists were each the third most in a match this season and its 71 digs, 10 blocks and nine aces were each the fourth most.
SCSU led the match in points (91-70), kills (72-60), hitting percentage (.254-.227), aces (9-1), blocks (10-9) and assists (67-58). The Wolves led the match in digs (77-71).
Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.) notched 58-assist, 11-dig double-double with four aces, three kills, three block assists, two solo blocks. It was her sixth double-double of the season and first since Oct. 11. LaPlant's two solo blocks are a new single match career high, and her four aces were the third most in a match this season.
Junior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) recorded a 17-kill, 17-dig double-double. It was her fifth consecutive double-double and 11^th of the season. Kimm's 17 kills were tied for the second most in a match this season and her 17 digs were the third fourth most.
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) posted 17 kills and seven digs. She sent down 17+ kills for the third time this season and recorded a career-high 61 attack attempts.
Graduate opposite Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.) tallied 16 kills (.400 hitting percentage), four digs and four block assists. She has recorded double-digit kills in three straight matches and six overall this season. Her 16 were the second most of any match.
Redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) – 15 kills (.345 hitting percentage) and four block assists. She contributed 15+ kills for the ninth time this season.
Sophomore libero Laurin Hamann (Manitowoc, Wis.) posted 18 digs and a career-high six assists.
Senior middle blocker Emilie Planert (De Pere, Wis.) tallied four kills and four block assists.

Notes from the match
3-0 win vs. Jamestown (10-25-25)

SCSU improved to 6-0 all-time against Jamestown and 1-0 against the Jimmies in St. Cloud. The Huskies have swept all six meetings.
SCSU improved to 10-2 at home and 12-2 in three set matches.
The Huskies 12 aces were the second most in any match this season and their 50 kills were the second most in a three-set match this season
SCSU led the match in points (65-38), kills (50-25), hitting percentage (.308-.226), aces (12-2), assists (43-21) and digs (55-31). The Jimmies led the match in blocks (11-3).
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) contributed 11 kills (.348 hitting percentage), eight digs and four aces. Her four aces matched her single match career high. Wachal recorded 11+ kills for the ninth time this season.
Junior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) posted nine kills (.467 hitting percentage) and nine digs. She had her five-match double-double streak snapped.
Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.) recorded 31 assists, six digs and three kills. She tallied 31+ assists for the 13^th consecutive match.
Sophomore libero Laurin Hamann (Manitowoc, Wis.) tallied 19 digs. Her 19 digs were her fourth most in a match this season.
Senior middle blocker Emilie Planert (De Pere, Wis.) sent down a career-high 10 kills on a career-high 21 attacks (.333 hitting percentage).
Graduate opposite Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.) posted nine kills (.353 hitting percentage).
Sophomore outside hitter Carlie Willis (Grundy Center, Iowa) recorded a career-high four aces.
Redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) contributed seven kills.

NCAA (Top 20) / NSIC (Top 3) TEAM STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 10/29)

NCAA
- No. 2 – kills/set (15.03)
- No. 5 – assists/set (13.72)
- No. 10 – kills (1,172)
- No. 16 – assists (1,070)
- No. 17 – hitting percentage (.262)
NSIC
- No. 1 – kills/set (15.03)
- No. 1 – assists/set (13.72)
- No. 1 – kills (1,172)
- No. 2 – assists (1,070)
- No. 2 – service aces (155)
- No. 3 – digs (1,280)
- No. 3 – aces/set (1.99)

NCAA (Top 50) / NSIC (Top 15) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 10/29)

Sophomore libero Laurin Hamann
- NSIC
  - No. 6 – digs/set (4.41)
  - No. 6 – digs (344)
Junior outside hitter/opposite Shelby Kimm
- NSIC
  - No. 7 – kills/set (3.39)
  - No. 8 – points/set (3.88)
  - No. 10 – digs/set (3.57)
  - No. 12 – attacks/set (8.67)
Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant
- NCAA
  - No. 7 – assists/set (11.36)
  - No. 19 – assists (829)
- NSIC
  - No. 4 – assists/set (11.36)
  - No. 5 – assists (829)
Redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson
- NSIC
  - No. 9 – kills/set (3.35)
  - No. 10 – hitting percentage (.330)
  - No. 11 – points/set (3.80)
  - No. 12 – kills (248)
  - No. 12 – total blocks (61)
  - No. 14 – blocks/set (0.82)
Graduate student opposite Sam Zimmerman
- NSIC
  - No. 4 – aces/set (0.46)

LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies were ranked No. 11 for the third consecutive week in the Oct. 27 (week eight) edition of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Poll.

Under the direction of Head Coach Chad Braegelmann, the program has been ranked for 77 consecutive weeks (including 47 weeks in the top 10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 151 weeks in the AVCA top 20/25 Poll in program history, including 72 weeks in the top 10.

SCSU in the 2025 AVCA DII National Poll
#3 – Preseason
#10 – Week One
#16 – Week Two
#15 – Week Three
#13 – Week Four
#10 – Week Five
#11 – Week Six
#11 – Week Seven
#11 – Week Eight

NSIC SPOTLIGHT
Redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) was featured on the fifth episode of the 2025-26 season of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) spotlight following SCSU's 3-0 week and 5-0 start to conference play.

Watch on YouTube
NSIC Release

ALL-TOURNEY TEAMS
Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn) and redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) were named to the 2025 UP North Tournament All-Tournament Team.

Senior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn) and Thompson were named to the 2025 Western Washington Invitational All-Tournament Team to open the season.

WELCOME TO THE PACK
The Huskies welcomed three newcomers to the team this fall (all freshmen): setter/opposite Asta Hildebrand (North Liberty, Iowa / Liberty HS), middle blocker Kendall Huhnerkoch (Redwood Falls, Minn. / Redwood Valley HS) and outside hitter/defensive specialist Emery Thury (Watertown, S.D. / Watertown HS).

NSIC PRESEASON FAVORITES / NSIC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
St. Cloud State Volleyball was selected to finish first in the 2025 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. Additionally, reigning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) second team All-American, redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson (Lakeville, Minn.) was named the Preseason Player of the Year for the conference.

The defending NSIC Regular Season and Tournament Champion Huskies amassed 212 points in the poll, including eight of the 16 first place votes, earning the top spot in the preseason poll for the first time in program history.

Rounding out the top five behind the Huskies is Concordia-St. Paul (2^nd, 208 points, four first place votes), Southwest Minnesota State (3^rd, 202 points, four first place votes), Wayne State (4^th, 188 points) and Northern State (5^th, 170 points).

"Once again, I'm impressed with the work that these women have put in, throughout the spring, competitive season, and the off-season," said head coach Chad Braegelmann. "They continue to improve as volleyball players, students of the game and as role models to the young girls that watch our sport. I am excited to see some new players step up into bigger roles, this fall and am excited for the combination of experience and youth that we look to roster this fall."

In her first season playing for SCSU in 2024, Thompson was a first team All-Central Region selection by the AVCA and a second team all-region pick by the D2CCA. The Lakeville native was a first team All-NSIC selection and was named to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team, the NSIC Tournament All-Tournament Team and the UP North Tournament All-Tournament Team. The middle blocker finished the regular season No. 30 among DII players in hitting percentage and was top six among NSIC players in hitting percentage, points/set, kills/set and total kills.

"Ella is fantastic offensively and does not get cheated on her swings," said Braegelmann. "She is very intense on the volleyball court and has grown in her knowledge of the game. Her energy on the court is contagious."

For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.