Friday, September 19
St. Cloud, Minn.
6 p.m.
St. Cloud State
vs
Minot State
Photo by: Nathaly Delgado
No. 16 St. Cloud State Volleyball Set to Open Northern Sun Play at Home
9/18/2025 2:52:00 PM | Volleyball
Huskies host Minot State and UMary at Halenbeck Hall to open conference play
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 16 St. Cloud State Volleyball (5-3 overall, 0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) will open NSIC play this weekend at home in Halenbeck Hall against Minot State (1-7, 0-0 NSIC) and UMary (3-5, 0-0 NSIC). The Huskies play Minot State on Friday at 6 p.m. and first serve for Saturday's tilt against UMary is slated for 2 p.m.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Both matches will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network and the KVSC Sports Stream with Luke Paider on the call. Live Stats will be provided by SCSU. Tickets for the matches can be bought HERE.
Match 9 – vs. Minot State – Friday, Sept. 19 / 6 p.m. / Watch (NSIC Network) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)
Match 10 – vs. UMary – Saturday, Sept. 20 / 2 p.m. / Watch (NSIC Network) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)
Links to each coverage option can also be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.
MATCH DAY PROMOTIONS
Friday, Sept. 19 vs. Minot State
Promotion: High School Night
Saturday, Sept. 20. 2 vs. Minot State
Promotion: Red Out / Salute to Service (veterans get in free)
SERIES HISTORY
The Huskies are 18-1 all-time against Minot State and have won the last 13 in a row against the Beavers, including a sweep in last year's lone matchup. SCSU is 8-1 all-time when playing Minot State at Halenbeck Hall.
St. Cloud State Volleyball is 19-6 all-time against UMary. SCSU has won the last 10 matches against the Mauraders including a sweep in the lone matchup of 2024 and are 10-1 against UMary at Halenbeck Hall.
HOME SWEET HALENBECK
SCSU Volleyball has enjoyed tremendous success in the friendly confines of Halenbeck Hall, going 62-9 (.873) in its last 71 home matches. The Huskies are 3-1 at home this season.
LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend, the Huskies hosted the 2025 Best Western/Kelly Inn of St. Cloud UP North Tournament at Halenbeck Hall, going 3-1 to open its 2025 home schedule. The Huskies swept Adelphi (N.Y.), Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech, before falling to then-No. 17 Barry in four sets to close out the weekend.
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.
LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies were ranked No. 16 in the Sept. 15 (week two) American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Poll, marking the first time in 12 weeks that SCSU was ranked outside the top-10. SCSU opened the 2025 with its highest ever preseason ranking (No. 3), after tying its best final ranking (No. 5), to end the 2024 season.
Under the direction of Head Coach Chad Braegelmann, the program has been ranked for 71 consecutive weeks (including 46 weeks in the top 10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 145 weeks in the AVCA top 20/25 Poll in program history, including 71 weeks in the top 10.
SCSU in the 2025 AVCA DII National Poll
#3 – Preseason
#10 – Week One
#16 – Week Two
NCAA (Top-50) / NSIC (Top-15) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 9/17)
(as of 9/17)
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).
SEASON PREVIEW
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 (2nd, 208 points, four first place votes), Southwest Minnesota State (3rd, 202 points, four first place votes), Wayne State (4th, 188 points) and Northern State (5th, 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."
Braegelmann enters his 10th competitive season at the helm of St. Cloud State Volleyball and his 24th season overall as a collegiate head coach in 2025 (*note – no season was held in 2020-21 due to the global pandemic). His record at SCSU is 179-95 (.653) including an 107-69 (.608) mark in NSIC play after leading last year's team to a 29-3 record (18-0 NSIC).
Last season, he was tabbed as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Coach of the Year and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Central Region Coach of the Year. It was the third time (2019, 2021) he was named NSIC Coach of the Year, and first time being named a regional coach of the year. It was the first time in SCSU Volleyball history that a coach earned regional coach of the year honors.
On the court, the Huskies return four of six starters from last year's team, headlined by Thompson, the 2025 NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and fellow reigning AVCA All-American, senior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn).
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."
Last season, Berran became the first setter in program history to become a multiple time All-American and became just the fourth player in program history to be named an All-American in more than one season. She was also named to the All-Central Region First Team by the AVCA. Additionally, the Inver Grove Heights product was a First Team All-NSIC pick and was selected to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team, the NSIC Tournament All-Tournament Team and the Yotes Classic Showdown All-Tournament Team. She currently ranks No. 4 in career assists in program history and became the first player in SCSU Volleyball history to surpass 1,000 assists in each of her first three seasons. She finished the regular season No. 6 in assists/set and No. 7 in total assists among DII players while ranking second in both assists/set and total assists among NSIC players this season.
In addition to the two All-Americans, SCSU returns Second Team All-NSIC Selection and NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team member, junior middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.), NSIC All-Tournament Team pick, junior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) and 2023 First Team All-NSIC Selection, graduate student middle blocker Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.). The Huskies also return a pair of defensive specialists who played in 95+ of the team's 113 sets last season in senior Emily Kern (Belgrade, Minn.) and junior Annika Forbes (Cottage Grove, Minn.).
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Both matches will be streamed live for free on the NSIC Network and the KVSC Sports Stream with Luke Paider on the call. Live Stats will be provided by SCSU. Tickets for the matches can be bought HERE.
Match 9 – vs. Minot State – Friday, Sept. 19 / 6 p.m. / Watch (NSIC Network) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)
Match 10 – vs. UMary – Saturday, Sept. 20 / 2 p.m. / Watch (NSIC Network) / Live stats / Listen (KVSC Sports Stream)
Links to each coverage option can also be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball schedule page.
MATCH DAY PROMOTIONS
Friday, Sept. 19 vs. Minot State
Promotion: High School Night
Saturday, Sept. 20. 2 vs. Minot State
Promotion: Red Out / Salute to Service (veterans get in free)
SERIES HISTORY
The Huskies are 18-1 all-time against Minot State and have won the last 13 in a row against the Beavers, including a sweep in last year's lone matchup. SCSU is 8-1 all-time when playing Minot State at Halenbeck Hall.
St. Cloud State Volleyball is 19-6 all-time against UMary. SCSU has won the last 10 matches against the Mauraders including a sweep in the lone matchup of 2024 and are 10-1 against UMary at Halenbeck Hall.
HOME SWEET HALENBECK
SCSU Volleyball has enjoyed tremendous success in the friendly confines of Halenbeck Hall, going 62-9 (.873) in its last 71 home matches. The Huskies are 3-1 at home this season.
LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend, the Huskies hosted the 2025 Best Western/Kelly Inn of St. Cloud UP North Tournament at Halenbeck Hall, going 3-1 to open its 2025 home schedule. The Huskies swept Adelphi (N.Y.), Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech, before falling to then-No. 17 Barry in four sets to close out the weekend.
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.
LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies were ranked No. 16 in the Sept. 15 (week two) American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Poll, marking the first time in 12 weeks that SCSU was ranked outside the top-10. SCSU opened the 2025 with its highest ever preseason ranking (No. 3), after tying its best final ranking (No. 5), to end the 2024 season.
Under the direction of Head Coach Chad Braegelmann, the program has been ranked for 71 consecutive weeks (including 46 weeks in the top 10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 145 weeks in the AVCA top 20/25 Poll in program history, including 71 weeks in the top 10.
SCSU in the 2025 AVCA DII National Poll
#3 – Preseason
#10 – Week One
#16 – Week Two
NCAA (Top-50) / NSIC (Top-15) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 9/17)
- Sophomore libero Laurin Hamann
- NSIC
- No. 6 – digs/set (4.32)
- No. 6 – digs (121)
- NSIC
- Redshirt freshman opposite Mollie Hobson
- NSIC
- No. 9 – aces/set (0.46)
- NSIC
- Junior outside hitter/opposite Shelby Kimm
- NSIC
- No. 15 – aces/set (0.40)
- No. 15 – points/set (3.68)
- NSIC
- Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant
- NCAA
- No. 27 – assists/set (10.13)
- No. 50 – assists (243)
- NSIC
- No. 7 – assists/set (10.13)
- No. 7 – assists (243)
- NCAA
- Redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Thompson
- NCAA
- No. 45 – kills/set (3.72)
- NSIC
- No. 6 – kills/set (3.72)
- No. 9 – points/set (4.14)
- No. 13 – kills (93)
- No. 14 – blocks/set (0.84)
- NCAA
(as of 9/17)
- NCAA
- No. 7 – assists/set (13.71)
- No. 7 – kills/set (14.71)
- NSIC
- No. 2 – kills (412)
- No. 3 – aces/set (2.11)
- No. 3 – kills/set (14.71)
- No. 3 – aces (59)
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).
SEASON PREVIEW
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 (2nd, 208 points, four first place votes), Southwest Minnesota State (3rd, 202 points, four first place votes), Wayne State (4th, 188 points) and Northern State (5th, 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."
Braegelmann enters his 10th competitive season at the helm of St. Cloud State Volleyball and his 24th season overall as a collegiate head coach in 2025 (*note – no season was held in 2020-21 due to the global pandemic). His record at SCSU is 179-95 (.653) including an 107-69 (.608) mark in NSIC play after leading last year's team to a 29-3 record (18-0 NSIC).
Last season, he was tabbed as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Coach of the Year and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Central Region Coach of the Year. It was the third time (2019, 2021) he was named NSIC Coach of the Year, and first time being named a regional coach of the year. It was the first time in SCSU Volleyball history that a coach earned regional coach of the year honors.
On the court, the Huskies return four of six starters from last year's team, headlined by Thompson, the 2025 NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and fellow reigning AVCA All-American, senior setter Emma Berran (Inver Grove Heights, Minn).
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."
Last season, Berran became the first setter in program history to become a multiple time All-American and became just the fourth player in program history to be named an All-American in more than one season. She was also named to the All-Central Region First Team by the AVCA. Additionally, the Inver Grove Heights product was a First Team All-NSIC pick and was selected to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team, the NSIC Tournament All-Tournament Team and the Yotes Classic Showdown All-Tournament Team. She currently ranks No. 4 in career assists in program history and became the first player in SCSU Volleyball history to surpass 1,000 assists in each of her first three seasons. She finished the regular season No. 6 in assists/set and No. 7 in total assists among DII players while ranking second in both assists/set and total assists among NSIC players this season.
In addition to the two All-Americans, SCSU returns Second Team All-NSIC Selection and NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team member, junior middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.), NSIC All-Tournament Team pick, junior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) and 2023 First Team All-NSIC Selection, graduate student middle blocker Sam Zimmerman (Moorhead, Minn.). The Huskies also return a pair of defensive specialists who played in 95+ of the team's 113 sets last season in senior Emily Kern (Belgrade, Minn.) and junior Annika Forbes (Cottage Grove, Minn.).
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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