Thursday, August 27
Vandament Arena • Marquette, Mich.
11 a.m.
St. Cloud State
1-0,0-0NSIC
3
vs
0
Cal State East Bay
0-1,0-0CCAA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal St. East Bay | 23 | 23 | 21 | 0 |
| St. Cloud St. | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Photo by: Josh Dallas/CSP Athletics
No. 5 St. Cloud State Volleyball Sweeps Opening Day of 2026 Season, UP North Tournament in Michigan
8/27/2026 7:46:00 PM | Volleyball
Huskies record first opening match win, 2-0 start since 2023
MARQUETTE, Mich. – No. 5 St. Cloud State Volleyball (2-0 overall, 0-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) opened its 2026 season with a pair of sweeps at the UP North Tournament in Marquette, Michigan on Thursday.
The Huskies took down Cal State East Bay in straight sets (25-23, 25-23 and 25-21) before sweeping tournament hosts, Northern Michigan (25-19, 25-17 and 25-8). It was the first time since 2023 that SCSU opened the season with back-to-back sweeps.
UP North Tournament Central
MATCH ONE: ST. CLOUD STATE 3, CAL STATE EAST BAY 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21)
TOP HUSKIES
MATCH TWO: ST. CLOUD STATE 3, NORTHERN MICHIGAN 0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-8)
TOP HUSKIES
UP NEXT
The Huskies wrap up play at the UP North Tournament on Friday with a pair of matches at Vandament Arena in Marquette. SCSU will start the day playing Tiffin (Ohio) at 8 a.m. CT (9 a.m. ET) before finishing its time in the Upper Peninsula with a match against Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET). Links to each coverage option can be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball match day central or schedule page.
UP North Tournament Central
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Huskies took down Cal State East Bay in straight sets (25-23, 25-23 and 25-21) before sweeping tournament hosts, Northern Michigan (25-19, 25-17 and 25-8). It was the first time since 2023 that SCSU opened the season with back-to-back sweeps.
UP North Tournament Central
MATCH ONE: ST. CLOUD STATE 3, CAL STATE EAST BAY 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21)
TOP HUSKIES
- Senior outside hitter Shelby Kimm (North Liberty, Iowa) – 16-dig, 11-kill double-double
- Senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Abby Wachal (Lincoln, Neb.) – 14 kills and seven digs
- Junior setter Braya LaPlant (Grand Rapids, Minn.) – 39 assists, seven digs and three kills (.600 hitting percentage)
- SCSU won its inaugural match against East Bay, moving to 1-0 all-time against the Pioneers.
- The Huskies won their season opener for the first time since 2023, moving to 1-0 this season and 1-0 in three set matches. 2023 was also the last time St. Cloud State swept its season opener.
- SCSU led the match in points (61-48), kills (51-38), aces (3-2), assists (37-36) and digs (52-50), while the Pioneers led in blocks (8-7).
- Kimm posted the 20th double-double of her career and extended her double-double streak to two matches which started last season. Her 16 digs were a match high.
- Wachal led the team in kills.
- LaPlant guided the SCSU offense to a .285 hitting percentage and her 39 assists were a match high.
- Junior libero Laurin Hamann (Manitowoc, Wis.) contributed 13 digs.
- Freshman middle blocker Brynn Panek (Avon, Minn.) was named a starter for her collegiate debut and sent down nine kills (.444 hitting percentage).
- Senior middle blocker Hannah Bruskiewicz (Rogers, Minn.) recorded eight kills.
- In addition to Panek, freshman twins – libero/defensive specialist Clara Keaveny (Waconia, Minn.) and setter Izzy Keaveny (Waconia, Minn.) each made their collegiate debut.
MATCH TWO: ST. CLOUD STATE 3, NORTHERN MICHIGAN 0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-8)
TOP HUSKIES
- Bruskiewicz – 11 kills on 13 swings (.769 hitting percentage)
- Hamann – 17 digs and four assists
- Kimm – nine kills (.304 hitting percentage) and seven digs
- With the win, SCSU moved to 13-19 all-time against Northern Michigan and 4-8 against the Wildcats in Marquette.
- The Huskies started 2-0 and swept their first two matches of the season for the first time since 2023.
- SCSU improved to 1-0 on the road and 2-0 in three set matches this season.
- The Huskies led the match in points (54-29), kills (48-25), aces (4-0), assists (47-25) and digs (53-35), while NMU led in blocks (4-2).
- Bruskiewicz posted double digit kills for the first time this season and her 11 kills led the match.
- Hamann's 17 digs were a match high.
- Wachal recorded seven digs and six kills.
- Junior outside hitter/opposite Carlie Willis (Grundy Center, Iowa) posted six digs and five kills. Her six digs are a new career high.
- LaPlant contributed 34 assists and four digs.
- I. Keaveny tallied six assists, six digs and two aces, which are all new career highs.
- Freshmen – middle blocker Alexis Heinle (Bismarck, N.D.) and opposite/outside hitter Audrey Rydell (Fargo, N.D.) each made their collegiate debut. Heinle recorded three kills on five swings and Rydell sent down the first kill of her career.
- Junior middle blocker Abby Leaf (Ramsey, Minn.) made her SCSU debut.
- In addition to Leaf, Heinle and Rydell, sophomore setter/opposite Asta Hildebrand (North Liberty, Iowa) made her season debut for the Huskies, dishing out two assists.
UP NEXT
The Huskies wrap up play at the UP North Tournament on Friday with a pair of matches at Vandament Arena in Marquette. SCSU will start the day playing Tiffin (Ohio) at 8 a.m. CT (9 a.m. ET) before finishing its time in the Upper Peninsula with a match against Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET). Links to each coverage option can be found on the St. Cloud State Volleyball match day central or schedule page.
UP North Tournament Central
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
MB
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S/OPP
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OPP/OH
/ Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
CSUEB
SCSU
Kills
38
51
Errors
15
16
Attempts
110
123
Hitting %
.209
.285
Points
48.0
61.0
Assists
36
47
Aces
2
3
Blocks
8
7
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
3
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