No. 13 St. Cloud State Volleyball Wraps Up Four-Match Homestand Against Winona State Tuesday

Tuesday, October 27

St. Cloud, Minn.

6 p.m.

St. Cloud State

Winona State

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team lineup pre-match vs. UMary 10-23-26

Photo by: Nathaly Delgado

10/26/2026 6:36:00 PM | Volleyball

Huskies look to continue six-match home win streak

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 13 St. Cloud State Volleyball (18-6 overall, 11-4 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) is set to conclude its four-match homestand against Winona State (5-16, 4-11 NSIC) on Tuesday. First serve against the Warriors is set for 6 p.m. from Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud.

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
The match will be streamed live on the new NSIC Network (which is housed on Midco Sports Plus and requires a paid subscription*) with audio coverage on 97.5 FM RadioX. KVSC talent Noah Grant will have the call. Live stats will be provided by SCSU and tickets for the matches can be purchased at SCSUTickets.com.

Match 25 vs. Winona State (Halenbeck Hall // St. Cloud, Minn.) / Tuesday, Oct. 27 / 6 p.m. / Watch ($ - NSIC Network) / Live stats / Listen (97.5 FM RadioX)

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

*NSIC Network (Midco Sports Plus) Quick Links
Homepage: https://midcosportsplus.com/?sport=5-nsic
Packages: https://midcosportsplus.com/packages
Support: https://sports.midco.com/support

MATCH DAY PROMOTIONS
Tuesday, Oct. 27 vs. Winona State
Promotion: Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night

Full 2026 Promotional Schedule

SERIES HISTORY
SCSU is 48-19 (.716) all-time against Winona State and are currently on a 10 match win streak that dates back to Oct. 13, 2018. Earlier this season, the Huskies beat the Warriors in a back-and-forth five-setter in Winona. SCSU is 11-6 (.647) all-time against WSU in St. Cloud.

HOME SWEET HALENBECK
SCSU Volleyball has enjoyed tremendous success in the friendly confines of Halenbeck Hall, going 79-11 (.878) in its last 90 home matches, dating back to 2018. The Huskies are 7-1 (.875) so far this season at home and are riding a six-match home win streak.

LET'S GO POLLING
The Huskies moved up two spots to No. 13 in the Oct. 26 (week nine) American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/TARAFLEX Division II Poll, following a 3-0 week at home that included a four-set win over then-No. 7 Concordia-St. Paul and sweeps of UMary and Minot State

Winona State is not ranked or receiving votes in the poll.

Under the direction of head coach Chad Braegelmann, SCSU Volleyball has been ranked for 91 consecutive weeks (including 53 weeks in the top 10), dating back to the 2019 season. The Huskies have spent a total of 165 weeks in the AVCA top 20/25 Poll in program history, including 78 weeks in the top 10.

SCSU owns a 51-32 (.614) record in its last 83 matches against teams ranked in the top 25 of the AVCA Poll, dating back to 2019. During that same stretch, the Huskies are 67-34 (.663) against teams ranked in the top 25 or receiving votes in the poll. This season, the Huskies are 2-5 against teams ranked/receiving votes in the poll.

SCSU in the 2026 AVCA Coaches Poll
#5 – Preseason
#1 – Week One
#8 – Week Two
#10 – Week Three
#13 – Week Four
#15 – Week Five
#16 – Week Six
#13 – Week Seven
#15 – Week Eight
#13 – Week Nine

LAST TIME OUT // SWEPT THE WEEKEND
SCSU swept UMary on Friday and Minot State on Saturday to extend its win streak to four matches and its home win streak to six matches.

Notes from the matches
MATCH 23 (10-23-26): #15 ST. CLOUD STATE 3, UMARY 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-21)

SCSU improved to 22-6 (.786) all-time against the Mauraders and extended its win streak to 13 matches against UMary. SCSU is 12-1 (.923) all time against UMary in St. Cloud.
The Huskies improved to 6-1 at home and 13-2 in three set matches.
St. Cloud State led the match in points (57-32), kills (47-26), aces (6-1), assists (42-26) and digs (40-35). UMary led in blocks (5-4).
Junior libero Laurin Hamann (Manitowoc, Wis.) tallied a match-high 13 digs, a match-high three aces and three assists. She became the 14^th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs and the second Husky this season after senior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) did so in September.
Junior setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.) posted a match-high 22 assists and five digs in two sets.
Senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) contributed 10 digs and a match-high nine kills on .692 hitting with two aces. Her nine kills were tied for the match high, and she surpassed 500 career kills. She contributed 10+ digs for the seventh time this season and for the fourth time in the last five matches.
Junior outside hitter Emery Thury (Watertown, S.D.) recorded seven kills.
Senior middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.) posted six kills in two sets.
Junior outside hitter/opposite Carlie Willis (Grundy Center, Iowa) contributed five kills (.444 hitting percentage) in two sets.
Junior middle blocker Kinsey Mohwinkle (Aplington, Iowa) tallied four kills in two sets.
Freshman middle blocker Brynn Panek (Avon, Minn.) sent down four kills in one set on a career-high .800 hitting.
Freshman middle blocker Alexis Heinle (Bismarck, N.D.) recorded four kills in one set on .600 hitting.
Freshman setter Izzy Keaveny (Waconia, Minn.) dished out 14 assists in two sets.

MATCH 24 (10-24-26): #15 ST. CLOUD STATE 3, MINOT STATE 0 (25-15, 25-10, 25-9)

SCSU improved to 21-1 (.955) all-time against Minot State and have won the last 16 matches in a row against the Beavers. The Huskies also improved to 10-1 (.909) against MSU in St. Cloud.
The Huskies improved to 7-1 (.875) at home and 14-2 (.875) in three set matches.
St. Cloud State led the match in points (53-13), kills (38-11), aces (9-2), blocks (6-0), assists (33-7) and digs (44-27).
The Huskies .395 hitting percentage was the second-best single match mark of the season and nine aces were tied for the fifth most in a match.
Kimm tallied eight digs and six kills on .556 hitting in two sets. Her six kills tied the match high.
Freshman defensive specialist/libero Clara Keaveny (Waconia, Minn.) recorded a match-high nine digs.
LaPlant posted a match-high 20 assists and seven digs in two sets.
Thury tied the match-high with six kills (.417 hitting percentage).
Panek recorded five kills (.444 hitting percentage) and three block assists in two sets. Her three block assists/total blocks were a match high and career highs.
Hamann posted seven digs and a match-high two aces in two sets.
Wachal tallied five digs and a match-high two aces in two sets.
Sophomore middle blocker Kendall Huhnerkoch (Redwood Falls, Minn.) contributed a career-high three digs.
Sophomore setter/opposite Asta Hildebrand (North Liberty, Iowa) recorded a career-high three assists.
I. Keaveny tied her career high in kills with two.
Freshman opposite/middle blocker Audrey Rydell (Fargo, N.D.) tied her career high in kills with two.

NCAA (TOP 30) / NSIC (TOP 3) TEAM STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 10/25)

NCAA
- No. 8 – assists/set (13.12)
- No. 24 – kills/set (13.79)
NSIC
- No. 1 – aces (161)
- No. 2 – aces/set (2.50)
- No. 3 – opponents hitting percentage (.169)

NCAA (TOP 50) / NSIC (TOP 10) INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
(as of 10/25)

Junior libero Laurin Hamann
- NSIC
  - No. 4 – digs/set (4.52)
  - No. 4 – aces/set (0.43)
  - No. 4 – digs (375)
  - No. 4 – aces (36)
Senior outside hitter Shelby Kimm
- NSIC
  - No. 8 – digs/set (3.53)
  - No. 10 – kills/set (3.26)
  - No. 10 – points/set (3.60)
  - No. 10 – attacks/set (8.62)
Junior setter Braya LaPlant
- NCAA
  - No. 6 – assists/set (10.90)
  - No. 30 – assists (850)
- NSIC
  - No. 3 – assists/set (10.90)
  - No. 5 – assists (850)

BACK-TO-BACK NSIC SETTER OF THE WEEK
Junior setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.) was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Setter of the Week back-to-back weeks (Oct. 5 and Oct. 12). She is the only Husky to have earned a weekly award this season and has earned four Setter of the Week awards throughout her career.

2026 NSIC WEEKLY HONORS
Setter of the Week

Braya LaPlant (2x, Oct. 5 | Oct. 12)

NO. 1 IN THE NATION FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
On Aug. 31, SCSU Volleyball took the top spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)-Taraflex Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll for the first time in program history, when the organization released its Week One poll. The Huskies received 21 of the possible 47 first place votes and moved up four spots from its No. 5 spot in the preseason poll to No. 1 after starting the season 4-0 at the UP North Tournament in Marquette, Michigan.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HUSKIES
UP North Tournament (Aug. 27-28 // Northern Michigan // Marquette, Mich. // Vandament Arena)

Senior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa)
Junior libero Laurin Hamann (Manitowoc, Wis.)

Buccaneer Invitational (Sept. 3-5 // Barry // Miami Shores, Fla. // Health & Sports Center)

Senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.)

WELCOME TO THE PACK
The Huskies welcomed seven newcomers to the roster during the offseason, including one transfer – junior middle blocker Abby Leaf (Ramsey, Minn. / Anoka HS / Washburn) and six freshman who will begin their collegiate careers at St. Cloud State in 2026 – middle blocker Alexis Heinle (Bismarck, N.D. / Century HS), libero/defensive specialist Clara Keaveny (Waconia, Minn. / Mayer Lutheran HS), setter Izzy Keaveny (Waconia, Minn. / Mayer Lutheran HS), opposite/outside hitter Keira Nagle (Minneapolis / Academy of Holy Angels), middle blocker Brynn Panek (Avon, Minn. / Albany HS) and opposite/outside hitter Audrey Rydell (Fargo, N.D. / North HS).

SEASON PREVIEW
SCSU was picked to finish third in the 2026 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office on Aug. 5. Additionally, reigning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Second Team All-American, senior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) was named the Huskies 'Player to Watch'.

NSIC RELEASE

The Huskies (3^rd, 199 points, two first place votes), who earned a top-four preseason ranking for the sixth consecutive season, were preceded in the poll by Concordia-St. Paul (1^st, 220 points, 11 first place votes) and Wayne State (2^nd, 207 points, three first place votes) and followed by Southwest Minnesota State (4^th, 177 points) and Sioux Falls (5^th, 158 points) who round out the top five. It was also the fifth time in the last six years that SCSU received first place votes.

Last season, SCSU finished third in the Northern Sun regular season standings before going on to win its second consecutive conference tournament championship and fourth in the last five seasons after taking down the No. 13, No. 2 and No. 5 teams in the country.

"With the graduation of six players from last year's roster, it has been extremely fun to watch new leaders grow and develop," said head coach Chad Braegelmann. "There will be opportunities for younger players to get out on the floor, to showcase the improvement that they made over the spring and summer, and it will be fun to see this team form their own identity again, as we hope to make another fun postseason run."

Braegelmann, who is entering year 12 as the Huskies head coach and year 26 as a collegiate head coach in 2026, is approaching 500 career wins. He owns an overall record of 492-273 (.643) and an impressive 207-102 (.670) record at SCSU which includes a 125-71 (.638) mark in conference play.

Last season, Braegelmann led SCSU to a 28-7 (18-2 NSIC) record which included the program's sixth consecutive (11^th overall) NCAA Tournament berth and second straight (fourth overall) trip to an NCAA region championship match after beating No. 17 Missouri Western and No. 2 and tournament host, Nebraska Kearney, on their home court. Last season the Huskies also tied the program record for NCAA Tournament wins in a season (two), were ranked inside the top 16 of every AVCA Poll (including tying the program record final ranking of No. 5) and earned wins over 13 ranked opponents including four against top five teams.

On the court, the Huskies return four starters from last year's team, headlined by a pair of AVCA Second Team All-Americans – Kimm and junior setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.).

In her breakout junior season in 2025, Kimm not only earned the first all-America recognition of her career but also the first all-region and all-conference honors after averaging 3.88 points, 3.47 digs, 3.40 kills and 0.46 blocks per set throughout the season.

The North Liberty, Iowa native was named to the AVCA All-Central Region First Team, the Division-II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Central Region Second Team and the All-NSIC First Team. Kimm was also named to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team for the first time and became a back-to-back NSIC All-Tournament Team selection.

"Shelby has been one of the most improved players to come through our program in recent history," said Braegelmann. "Her growth and maturation as a volleyball player have been very impressive to watch and work with. She enjoys the game of volleyball, she loves the process of getting better and she is a volleyball weapon in the front row back row and service line."

LaPlant flourished in 2025 after becoming the team's full-time setter early in the season, and like Kimm earned the first national, regional and conference awards of her career. For the season, she averaged 11.69 assists, 2.21 digs, 1.23 points, 0.62 kills and 0.49 blocks per set.

The Grand Rapids, Minnesota native was named to the AVCA All-Central Region First Team, the D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team and the All-NSIC First Team. She was also named to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team and the NSIC All-Tournament Team and became just the fifth player in program history to be named AVCA DII Player of the Week. LaPlant's 1,309 assists in 2025 rank No. 8 on the program's single season top 10 list and she produced three of the top five single match assist performances. Her .329 career hitting percentage also ranks No. 6 all-time on the program leaderboard.

SCSU also returns junior libero/defensive specialist Laurin Hamann (Manitowoc, Wis.) and senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) who were regular starters for the Huskies in 2025.

In her first season as the libero, Hamann posted the fourth most single season digs (589) in program history and set the single match record for digs, with 38, in a 3-1 NSIC Tournament Semifinals win over No. 2 Wayne State on Nov. 21, breaking Andreanna Pieper's record of 37 from Oct. 20, 2007. She also led the team in aces, with 48. Wachal, who was coming off a redshirt season, recorded nine kill-dig double-doubles throughout the season and was named to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team.

Junior outside hitter/opposite Carlie Willis (Grundy Center, Iowa) is the final returner who played in 100+ sets in 2025, meanwhile senior middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.) looks to return to the lineup after being hampered by injury in 2025. In 2024, she was a Second Team All-NSIC Selection and an NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team member. The Rogers, Minnesota native owns top 10 marks in career hitting percentage (No. 8, .305) and single season hitting percentage (No. 10, .354, 2024).

RECORD BOOK CHECK
After another historic season in 2025, many updates have been made to the record book. Click the link below to access the updated version.

Updated Record Book

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