University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, November 2
St. Paul, Minn.
7:00 p.m. Central
vs
South Dakota
Photo by: Kylie Macziewski
Tommies end home schedule versus South Dakota Nov. 2 and Omaha Nov. 4
10/31/2023 2:32:00 PM | Volleyball
Volleyball to host Youth Night Thursday followed by Senior Day/Parents Day Saturday
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- St. Thomas prepares to say goodbye to volleyball at Schoenecker Arena as the Tommies face South Dakota Nov. 2 and Omaha Nov. 4 in St. Paul, Minn.
The Tommies continue Summit League play at 7 p.m. Thursday against the Coyotes on Youth Volleyball Night, which includes post-match autographs, before hosting the Mavericks at 12 p.m. Saturday for Senior Day/Parents Day.
Celebrating the Seniors
Middle blocker Ellie Dammann, daughter of Terese and Matthew from Waconia, Minn., is completing her fourth season with Tommie Volleyball after playing 250 sets in 73 matches entering the week. She has totaled 195 blocks and 320 kills for the Purple, including 78 blocks as a sophomore and 124 kills as a junior. Dammann is a two-time Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence and Summit League Academic Honor Roll recipient. She was also named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
Opposite hitter Claire Ricard, daughter of Maureen and Steve Ricard from Benson, Minn., is finishing her fourth season with St. Thomas after appearing in 285 sets in 84 matches entering Thursday's match. She's totaled 304 kills and 122 blocks, recording career highs of 11 kills Sept. 14 2023 and six blocks Oct. 1, 2022. Ricard is also a two-time Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence and Summit League Academic Honor Roll recipient. She was also named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
Evening the Series against the Fighting Hawks
The Fighting Hawks started the match with a 6-2 lead over the Tommies before a 4-2 run by St. Thomas, powered by kills from Gustafson, senior Ellie Dammann, and senior Claire Ricard, helped close the gap, 8-6. The Tommies were able to take the lead with a demanding 10-0 run, 18-11. This run included two kills by sophomore Tezra Rudzitis and Gustafson, and one by Ricard. Back-and-forth points after this kept the Tommies up by seven to secure the win, 25-18.
With a 3-3 score to start the second set, an error and block by sophomore Ava Wild and Rudzitis helped the Tommies get the lead, 7-5. A 7-4 run, including three blocks, helped the Tommies extend its lead, 16-10. After a 7-2 run for the Fighting Hawks, they were within two points at 21-19. Another run by UND tied the score at 22s. Two errors by North Dakota helped the Tommies force extra points with a 24-24 game. A kill by junior Libby Mattila tied the game back up at 26s, but a block by Dammann and Gustafson secured the second set win, 29-27.
The Tommies bounced back from a third set loss to take a 4-1 lead to start the fourth. Alternating points after this kept the Tommies up by three at 12-9. Finally, a 5-1 run for the Tommies gave a seven point lead that UND wouldn't be able to make up. The Tommies finished the fourth set on top, 25-19.
A (Near) Comeback for the Ages
The Tommies' comeback attempt during a 3-2 loss at Denver began in the third set despite DU opening with a 5-1 lead and eventually a 20-13 advantage. A DU attack error was the start of 12 straight points from the Tommies that included four service aces from Rudzitis, including three straight to tie the set at 20 apiece. Kills from Dammann and Kealy along with three Denver attack errors completed the Tommie win heading into the fourth set.
A kill by Mattila and Rudzitis, as well as a service ace by Kopp, helped the Purple to a 4-3 lead to start the fourth set. Going back-and-forth for a 10-9 game, the Tommies pulled ahead 14-10 behind two blocks by Rudzitis and Kealy, paired with a kill by both. Three assists by Kealy helped keep the lead, 18-13. Each team continued to match the other point-for-point before Dammann's sixth, and final kill forced a fifth set.
An error by the Pioneers and a kill by Rudzitis gave the Tommies a 2-1 lead to start the shortened set. Three straight by Denver gave them the lead but Mattila stopped the run with a kill. A 5-1 run gave the Pioneers a 9-4 advantage before the Tommies closed the gap, 11-9, with two blocks and a service ace. The Pioneers extended their lead to match point, 14-11, while an error was the start of a quick 3-0 run, including one of Kealy's seven kills, to tie the set. Back-to-back blocks secured the Denver win.
Scouting South Dakota
South Dakota travels to St. Paul with a 13-9 overall record with a 7-4 mark in Summit League play. Last week, the Coyotes took a sweep over Oral Roberts before a 3-2 loss to Denver.
The Coyotes rank second in the Summit League in blocks per set (2.29) and first in service aces per set (1.3). Senior Madison Harms ranks second overall in the Summit League for hitting percentage (.346).
Scouting Omaha
Omaha enters the week with a 9-3 mark in league play and a 10-12 record overall. The Mavericks' three losses of the Summit League schedule came to Kansas City, South Dakota, and a defeat last week to North Dakota State.
Omaha ranks third in the Summit League for service aces (1.61). Leading the way, junior Erica Fava ranks third overall in the Summit League for service aces (0.4).
Can You Dig It?
Voegele has been one of the best when it comes to digs in the Summit League, entering the week second in the conference with 4.08 digs per set. She set the St. Thomas DI record with 7.67 digs per set after totaling 23 digs in three sets against South Dakota State on Sept. 21.
Set Me Up
Freshman setter Morgan Kealy reached 500 assists on the season Tuesday, Oct. 17 against Kansas City. She entered the night with 497 and ranks sixth in the Summit League with 7.18 assists per set and 603 total assists.
Kealy has totaled at least 40 assists in three matches this season, which rank second, third and fourth for most single-match assists during the St. Thomas Division I era.
We'll Take Two Double-Doubles
Gustafson and Kealy both came away with double-doubles during a 3-2 win over North Dakota State Oct. 14. It's the second time two Tommies have recorded a double-double during the same match this season.
Gustafson came away with 15 digs and 13 kills for her second career double-double. She has now topped double-digit kills in five of the last six matches, including 13 during three of the last four.
Kealy finished with 18 digs and 15 assists against NDSU, which stands as her eighth double-double of the season and second of the month.
Two Time All-Tournament Team
Sophomore Ella Voegele ended the Tommie Volleyball tournament season with her second all-tournament team selection in Green Bay this past weekend. Voegele led the Purple in digs for the ninth time this season, adding 11 on Friday. She ended the tournament recording 21 digs in just the two Capital Credit Union Classic matches alone.
A Career-High Kind of Day
The Sept. 9 five-set, comeback victory over Northern Illinois was powered by career high offensive stats from several Tommies. Gustafson led the Tommies with 18 kills, five more than her previous career high set during the season opener at UIC and hit a career best .368.
Sophomore Kaitlynn Peterson also topped her previous career high in kills by five, finishing Saturday's match with 17. She added career bests with 18 points, eight digs, and one assist.
Sophomore Megan Wetter opened the tournament with a career high 12 kills in the win over Evansville before posting 16 against Northern Illinois. She tacked on one block and tied the St. Thomas NCAA Division I single-match record with five service aces to finish with 21.5 points against Northern Illinois.
Freshman Morgan Kealy accounted for 46 of the Tommies 60 assists against NIU, setting a new career best and topping her own mark for the second most assists in a single match for the Purple in the DI era. She recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 12 digs, one shy of junior Lauren Galvin's team high from the 2022 season.
Beginning Another Decade
Head Coach Thanh Pham, who will coach his 650th match with the Tommies this season, enters his 21st season leading the program. His tenure is the longest among the nine Summit League head coaches at their respective schools. Pham coached his 650th match with the program on Friday, Sept. 29, a road match at North Dakota.
The Staff's All Back
All four members of the Tommie Volleyball coaching staff return for the 2023 season. Joining Pham during the previous two seasons since joining NCAA Division I are assistant coaches Joy Tietz and David Ganser. In his second season with the program is assistant coach Kevin Rivas. Also in her second season is director of operations Malissa LeClaire.
Summit League Preseason Poll
The Tommies enter the season ranked eighth as the 2023 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll was released Wednesday, August 23. St. Thomas garnered 16 points to finish ahead of Oral Roberts in the poll.
Reigning Summit League regular season and tournament champion South Dakota was voted to finish first with 61 points and six first-place votes. North Dakota State followed in second with 54 points and two first-place votes while Omaha rounded out the top three spots with 53 points and the final first-place vote.
Keep an Eye Out
Junior outside hitter Lauren Galvin and sophomore middle blocker Emma Goerger were selected as the team's Players to Watch for 2023. Galvin led the Tommies and ranked 10th in the league with 3.12 kills per set and led the team and was 11th in the Summit with 3.49 points per set. Goerger led the Tommies with 0.97 blocks per set and followed Galvin with 2.67 points per set.
Nice to Meet You
Among the 11 non-conference opponents, the Tommies faced nine for the first time in program history. The only familiar opponents during the non-conference schedule are Montana State and Central Michigan. The Purple beat the Bobcats in five sets during the 2022 season before taking a 3-1 loss Aug. 31 to open the Tommie Invitational. St. Thomas also played Central Michigan in 2022, a 3-1 loss that was avenged with a 3-0 win on Sept. 14, 2023 in Green Bay, Wis.
The Youth Movement Continues
The 20-member Tommie squad is comprised of nine sophomores and five freshmen, to go along with two seniors and four juniors. St. Thomas is the only program in the country with a true sophomore class of at least nine student-athletes and is one of two to have a true sophomore, junior, or senior class of at least nine, joining UT Chattanooga who has a class of nine true juniors.
St. Thomas has seven new student-athletes on its roster this season: Bradley transfer and outside hitter Kaitlynn Peterson (Lakeville, Minn.), UNC Greensboro transfer and defensive specialist Ella Voegele (Plymouth, Minn.), freshman right side Emily Clausen (Waukesha, Wis.), freshman outside hitter Ellie Gustafson (Monticello, Wis.), freshman setter Morgan Kealy (River Falls, Wis.), freshman middle blocker Addison Schmotzer (Madison, Wis.), and freshman outside hitter Miriam Unongo (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament
The Tommies hosted their first tournament, the Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament, as an NCAA Division I program. St. Thomas went 1-2 during the tournament, grabbing a 3-1 win over California Baptist and taking losses of 3-1 to Milwaukee and Montana State.
Summit League Network
Beginning with the 2023 season, all home Tommie Volleyball matches, and all Summit League matches will be streamed exclusively on the Summit League Network, in partnership with Midco Sports. A subscription-based network, viewers can access all St. Thomas athletics events HERE.
Looking at the Yearbook
Reflecting on 2022, the Tommies fielded one of the youngest teams across all of NCAA Division I. Last year's squad included just one senior and three juniors with the youth of sophomores and freshmen including 16 student-athletes.
The Toms improved one victory over their 2021 season total as their second fall of Division I play, but the Purple continue to improve and compete at a high level. They picked up nonconference wins at 14-win Montana State and 18-win Saint Louis and swept Western Illinois in conference play. Both wins against Western Illinois came in straight sets.
All-Freshman Team: Part Two
Emma Goerger and Tezra Rudzitis followed in the footsteps of junior Lauren Galvin as selections to the seven-player Summit League All-Freshman Team last season. Goerger was one of four Toms to play in all 30 matches and ranked ninth in the league with 0.97 blocks per set and 24th with 2.67 points per set. She had 101 total blocks and 195 total kills. Rudzitis played in 28 matches with 21 starts and was second for St. Thomas with 2.07 kills per set (190 total kills).
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Volleyball, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @tommievball
Join Us
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommies' 2023 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
The Tommies continue Summit League play at 7 p.m. Thursday against the Coyotes on Youth Volleyball Night, which includes post-match autographs, before hosting the Mavericks at 12 p.m. Saturday for Senior Day/Parents Day.
Celebrating the Seniors
Middle blocker Ellie Dammann, daughter of Terese and Matthew from Waconia, Minn., is completing her fourth season with Tommie Volleyball after playing 250 sets in 73 matches entering the week. She has totaled 195 blocks and 320 kills for the Purple, including 78 blocks as a sophomore and 124 kills as a junior. Dammann is a two-time Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence and Summit League Academic Honor Roll recipient. She was also named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
Opposite hitter Claire Ricard, daughter of Maureen and Steve Ricard from Benson, Minn., is finishing her fourth season with St. Thomas after appearing in 285 sets in 84 matches entering Thursday's match. She's totaled 304 kills and 122 blocks, recording career highs of 11 kills Sept. 14 2023 and six blocks Oct. 1, 2022. Ricard is also a two-time Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence and Summit League Academic Honor Roll recipient. She was also named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
Evening the Series against the Fighting Hawks
The Fighting Hawks started the match with a 6-2 lead over the Tommies before a 4-2 run by St. Thomas, powered by kills from Gustafson, senior Ellie Dammann, and senior Claire Ricard, helped close the gap, 8-6. The Tommies were able to take the lead with a demanding 10-0 run, 18-11. This run included two kills by sophomore Tezra Rudzitis and Gustafson, and one by Ricard. Back-and-forth points after this kept the Tommies up by seven to secure the win, 25-18.
With a 3-3 score to start the second set, an error and block by sophomore Ava Wild and Rudzitis helped the Tommies get the lead, 7-5. A 7-4 run, including three blocks, helped the Tommies extend its lead, 16-10. After a 7-2 run for the Fighting Hawks, they were within two points at 21-19. Another run by UND tied the score at 22s. Two errors by North Dakota helped the Tommies force extra points with a 24-24 game. A kill by junior Libby Mattila tied the game back up at 26s, but a block by Dammann and Gustafson secured the second set win, 29-27.
The Tommies bounced back from a third set loss to take a 4-1 lead to start the fourth. Alternating points after this kept the Tommies up by three at 12-9. Finally, a 5-1 run for the Tommies gave a seven point lead that UND wouldn't be able to make up. The Tommies finished the fourth set on top, 25-19.
A (Near) Comeback for the Ages
The Tommies' comeback attempt during a 3-2 loss at Denver began in the third set despite DU opening with a 5-1 lead and eventually a 20-13 advantage. A DU attack error was the start of 12 straight points from the Tommies that included four service aces from Rudzitis, including three straight to tie the set at 20 apiece. Kills from Dammann and Kealy along with three Denver attack errors completed the Tommie win heading into the fourth set.
A kill by Mattila and Rudzitis, as well as a service ace by Kopp, helped the Purple to a 4-3 lead to start the fourth set. Going back-and-forth for a 10-9 game, the Tommies pulled ahead 14-10 behind two blocks by Rudzitis and Kealy, paired with a kill by both. Three assists by Kealy helped keep the lead, 18-13. Each team continued to match the other point-for-point before Dammann's sixth, and final kill forced a fifth set.
An error by the Pioneers and a kill by Rudzitis gave the Tommies a 2-1 lead to start the shortened set. Three straight by Denver gave them the lead but Mattila stopped the run with a kill. A 5-1 run gave the Pioneers a 9-4 advantage before the Tommies closed the gap, 11-9, with two blocks and a service ace. The Pioneers extended their lead to match point, 14-11, while an error was the start of a quick 3-0 run, including one of Kealy's seven kills, to tie the set. Back-to-back blocks secured the Denver win.
Scouting South Dakota
South Dakota travels to St. Paul with a 13-9 overall record with a 7-4 mark in Summit League play. Last week, the Coyotes took a sweep over Oral Roberts before a 3-2 loss to Denver.
The Coyotes rank second in the Summit League in blocks per set (2.29) and first in service aces per set (1.3). Senior Madison Harms ranks second overall in the Summit League for hitting percentage (.346).
Scouting Omaha
Omaha enters the week with a 9-3 mark in league play and a 10-12 record overall. The Mavericks' three losses of the Summit League schedule came to Kansas City, South Dakota, and a defeat last week to North Dakota State.
Omaha ranks third in the Summit League for service aces (1.61). Leading the way, junior Erica Fava ranks third overall in the Summit League for service aces (0.4).
Can You Dig It?
Voegele has been one of the best when it comes to digs in the Summit League, entering the week second in the conference with 4.08 digs per set. She set the St. Thomas DI record with 7.67 digs per set after totaling 23 digs in three sets against South Dakota State on Sept. 21.
Set Me Up
Freshman setter Morgan Kealy reached 500 assists on the season Tuesday, Oct. 17 against Kansas City. She entered the night with 497 and ranks sixth in the Summit League with 7.18 assists per set and 603 total assists.
Kealy has totaled at least 40 assists in three matches this season, which rank second, third and fourth for most single-match assists during the St. Thomas Division I era.
We'll Take Two Double-Doubles
Gustafson and Kealy both came away with double-doubles during a 3-2 win over North Dakota State Oct. 14. It's the second time two Tommies have recorded a double-double during the same match this season.
Gustafson came away with 15 digs and 13 kills for her second career double-double. She has now topped double-digit kills in five of the last six matches, including 13 during three of the last four.
Kealy finished with 18 digs and 15 assists against NDSU, which stands as her eighth double-double of the season and second of the month.
Two Time All-Tournament Team
Sophomore Ella Voegele ended the Tommie Volleyball tournament season with her second all-tournament team selection in Green Bay this past weekend. Voegele led the Purple in digs for the ninth time this season, adding 11 on Friday. She ended the tournament recording 21 digs in just the two Capital Credit Union Classic matches alone.
A Career-High Kind of Day
The Sept. 9 five-set, comeback victory over Northern Illinois was powered by career high offensive stats from several Tommies. Gustafson led the Tommies with 18 kills, five more than her previous career high set during the season opener at UIC and hit a career best .368.
Sophomore Kaitlynn Peterson also topped her previous career high in kills by five, finishing Saturday's match with 17. She added career bests with 18 points, eight digs, and one assist.
Sophomore Megan Wetter opened the tournament with a career high 12 kills in the win over Evansville before posting 16 against Northern Illinois. She tacked on one block and tied the St. Thomas NCAA Division I single-match record with five service aces to finish with 21.5 points against Northern Illinois.
Freshman Morgan Kealy accounted for 46 of the Tommies 60 assists against NIU, setting a new career best and topping her own mark for the second most assists in a single match for the Purple in the DI era. She recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 12 digs, one shy of junior Lauren Galvin's team high from the 2022 season.
Beginning Another Decade
Head Coach Thanh Pham, who will coach his 650th match with the Tommies this season, enters his 21st season leading the program. His tenure is the longest among the nine Summit League head coaches at their respective schools. Pham coached his 650th match with the program on Friday, Sept. 29, a road match at North Dakota.
The Staff's All Back
All four members of the Tommie Volleyball coaching staff return for the 2023 season. Joining Pham during the previous two seasons since joining NCAA Division I are assistant coaches Joy Tietz and David Ganser. In his second season with the program is assistant coach Kevin Rivas. Also in her second season is director of operations Malissa LeClaire.
Summit League Preseason Poll
The Tommies enter the season ranked eighth as the 2023 Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll was released Wednesday, August 23. St. Thomas garnered 16 points to finish ahead of Oral Roberts in the poll.
Reigning Summit League regular season and tournament champion South Dakota was voted to finish first with 61 points and six first-place votes. North Dakota State followed in second with 54 points and two first-place votes while Omaha rounded out the top three spots with 53 points and the final first-place vote.
Keep an Eye Out
Junior outside hitter Lauren Galvin and sophomore middle blocker Emma Goerger were selected as the team's Players to Watch for 2023. Galvin led the Tommies and ranked 10th in the league with 3.12 kills per set and led the team and was 11th in the Summit with 3.49 points per set. Goerger led the Tommies with 0.97 blocks per set and followed Galvin with 2.67 points per set.
Nice to Meet You
Among the 11 non-conference opponents, the Tommies faced nine for the first time in program history. The only familiar opponents during the non-conference schedule are Montana State and Central Michigan. The Purple beat the Bobcats in five sets during the 2022 season before taking a 3-1 loss Aug. 31 to open the Tommie Invitational. St. Thomas also played Central Michigan in 2022, a 3-1 loss that was avenged with a 3-0 win on Sept. 14, 2023 in Green Bay, Wis.
The Youth Movement Continues
The 20-member Tommie squad is comprised of nine sophomores and five freshmen, to go along with two seniors and four juniors. St. Thomas is the only program in the country with a true sophomore class of at least nine student-athletes and is one of two to have a true sophomore, junior, or senior class of at least nine, joining UT Chattanooga who has a class of nine true juniors.
St. Thomas has seven new student-athletes on its roster this season: Bradley transfer and outside hitter Kaitlynn Peterson (Lakeville, Minn.), UNC Greensboro transfer and defensive specialist Ella Voegele (Plymouth, Minn.), freshman right side Emily Clausen (Waukesha, Wis.), freshman outside hitter Ellie Gustafson (Monticello, Wis.), freshman setter Morgan Kealy (River Falls, Wis.), freshman middle blocker Addison Schmotzer (Madison, Wis.), and freshman outside hitter Miriam Unongo (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament
The Tommies hosted their first tournament, the Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament, as an NCAA Division I program. St. Thomas went 1-2 during the tournament, grabbing a 3-1 win over California Baptist and taking losses of 3-1 to Milwaukee and Montana State.
Summit League Network
Beginning with the 2023 season, all home Tommie Volleyball matches, and all Summit League matches will be streamed exclusively on the Summit League Network, in partnership with Midco Sports. A subscription-based network, viewers can access all St. Thomas athletics events HERE.
Looking at the Yearbook
Reflecting on 2022, the Tommies fielded one of the youngest teams across all of NCAA Division I. Last year's squad included just one senior and three juniors with the youth of sophomores and freshmen including 16 student-athletes.
The Toms improved one victory over their 2021 season total as their second fall of Division I play, but the Purple continue to improve and compete at a high level. They picked up nonconference wins at 14-win Montana State and 18-win Saint Louis and swept Western Illinois in conference play. Both wins against Western Illinois came in straight sets.
All-Freshman Team: Part Two
Emma Goerger and Tezra Rudzitis followed in the footsteps of junior Lauren Galvin as selections to the seven-player Summit League All-Freshman Team last season. Goerger was one of four Toms to play in all 30 matches and ranked ninth in the league with 0.97 blocks per set and 24th with 2.67 points per set. She had 101 total blocks and 195 total kills. Rudzitis played in 28 matches with 21 starts and was second for St. Thomas with 2.07 kills per set (190 total kills).
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Volleyball, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @tommievball
Join Us
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommies' 2023 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
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St. Thomas Volleyball 2023 Intro Video
Tuesday, September 05
Volleyball
Saturday, November 19
St. Thomas Volleyball 2022 Intro Video
Friday, September 30
Volleyball vs. South Dakota
Saturday, November 06
