University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, August 31
St. Paul, Minn.
7:00 p.m. Central
vs
Montana State
Photo by: Wesley Dean
Inaugural Tommie Invitational Tournament set for Aug. 31 - Sept. 2
8/29/2023 10:55:00 AM | Volleyball
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- St. Thomas Volleyball welcomes in three non-conference opponents Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 as it hosts the Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament at Schoenecker Arena.
The Purple are joined by California Baptist, Milwaukee, and Montana State with the first match of the tournament serving at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 between St. Thomas and MSU. The Tommies play one match each day, facing the Lancers of CBU at 7 p.m. Friday and the Panthers of UWM at 2 p.m.
Chi-Town Heartbreak
St. Thomas found itself down 1-0 to start the Chicago Classic against host-school UIC before a marathon set two. The Purple led 19-12 before the Flames scored nine of the next 11 points to tie the match and force extra points. Both teams faced five set points before UIC took the set, 34-32.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, St. Thomas came away with decisive wins of 25-15 and 25-19 during the third and fourth sets. UIC opened the fifth set on a 10-3 run before taking the match.
The Purple fell in the first two sets against both Lindenwood and Oakland by an average margin of three points. St. Thomas answered with wins in set three against both teams, including a 25-21 margin over the LU and a 25-13 victory over OU.
Immediate Impact
Freshman Morgan Kealy made her collegiate debut felt at the Chicago Classic, racking up a Summit League-best 114 assists, 8.77 per set, through three matches. She finished with 43 assists during the first match of the season, a 3-2 loss to UIC, which stands as the second-most assists in a single match for the Tommies since joining NCAA Division I. She added another 41 assists during the tournament finale.
Kealy not only set up the offensive firepower, adding a team-best five service aces, but also chipped in double-digit digs in each match. She began the tournament with 11 digs in each of the first two matches on Friday before recording a team-high 16 on Saturday. Kealy looks to continue her season-opening streak of three double-doubles.
Fellow freshman Ellie Gustafson tallied double-digit kills during her first two career matches, leading the Tommies in the season opener with 13 to go along with 12 against Lindenwood. Her 2.60 kills per set ranks behind junior Lauren Galvin (2.83).
All-Tournament Nod
Sophomore Ella Voegele was one of four selections to the Chicago Classic All-Tournament Team, finishing with 52 digs, 14 assists, three service aces, one kill, and four total points. She led the Tommies with 4.0 digs per set, which ranks fourth in the Summit League over the weekend. Voegele led the squad with 22 digs during her first match in the Purple before adding 19 with seven assists in the tournament finale.
Scouting Milwaukee
Milwaukee enters the tournament 0-3 after losses at the Western Michigan Tournament Aug. 25-26 in Kalamazoo, Mich. UWM opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to host Western Michigan before dropping a 3-0 match to Northern Iowa and a five-set loss to Villanova.
Graduate student Ari Miller paced the team with 37 total kills and 3.08 kills per set, hitting .380 from the floor to go along with a team-best five service aces. Milwaukee was voted to finish fourth in the Horizon League Preseason Coaches' Poll while bringing back the entirety of its 2022 roster.
Scouting Montana State
Montana State began its season 3-0 as it captured the Bobcat/Blackridge Invite title in Bozeman, Mont. MSU, as the tournament host, opened the weekend with a five-set win over Oregon State followed by a 3-1 win over Summit League program North Dakota on Friday. The Bobcats secured the tournament title with a 3-1 win over Kennesaw State.
Senior Kira Thomsen was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week after compiling double-digit kills in all three matches, including a team-best 17 against Kennesaw State. Senior Avery Turnage led the defensive charge with 1.36 blocks per set, including a career-high 10 blocks in the win over North Dakota.
Scouting California Baptist
California Baptist posted a 1-2 record at the Santa Clara Tournament/San Jose State Invitational to begin the 2023 season. The Lancers took losses of 3-2 to Jacksonville and 3-1 to Santa Clara to begin the tournament on Friday. CBU answered back with a 3-1 win over Cal State Northridge, including a 33-31 decision during the fourth and final set.
Senior Michalina Rola paces CBU with 43 kills and 42 digs, recording three straight double-double performances to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. Graduate student Catherine Krieger and freshman Nicole Mauser combined for 56 kills over the tournament, including an 18-kill performance by Krieger against CSUN to reach 1,000 in her career.
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 will face 10 for the first time in program history. The only familiar opponent during the non-conference schedule is Montana State after taking a 3-2 win over the Bobcats last 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 is set to reach the 650-match mark 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.
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 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 are set to host their first tournament, the Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament, as an NCAA Division I program. California Baptist, Milwaukee, and Montana State converge in Schoenecker Arena from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. The Purple open the tournament and their home schedule at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 against 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 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 Purple are joined by California Baptist, Milwaukee, and Montana State with the first match of the tournament serving at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 between St. Thomas and MSU. The Tommies play one match each day, facing the Lancers of CBU at 7 p.m. Friday and the Panthers of UWM at 2 p.m.
Chi-Town Heartbreak
St. Thomas found itself down 1-0 to start the Chicago Classic against host-school UIC before a marathon set two. The Purple led 19-12 before the Flames scored nine of the next 11 points to tie the match and force extra points. Both teams faced five set points before UIC took the set, 34-32.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, St. Thomas came away with decisive wins of 25-15 and 25-19 during the third and fourth sets. UIC opened the fifth set on a 10-3 run before taking the match.
The Purple fell in the first two sets against both Lindenwood and Oakland by an average margin of three points. St. Thomas answered with wins in set three against both teams, including a 25-21 margin over the LU and a 25-13 victory over OU.
Immediate Impact
Freshman Morgan Kealy made her collegiate debut felt at the Chicago Classic, racking up a Summit League-best 114 assists, 8.77 per set, through three matches. She finished with 43 assists during the first match of the season, a 3-2 loss to UIC, which stands as the second-most assists in a single match for the Tommies since joining NCAA Division I. She added another 41 assists during the tournament finale.
Kealy not only set up the offensive firepower, adding a team-best five service aces, but also chipped in double-digit digs in each match. She began the tournament with 11 digs in each of the first two matches on Friday before recording a team-high 16 on Saturday. Kealy looks to continue her season-opening streak of three double-doubles.
Fellow freshman Ellie Gustafson tallied double-digit kills during her first two career matches, leading the Tommies in the season opener with 13 to go along with 12 against Lindenwood. Her 2.60 kills per set ranks behind junior Lauren Galvin (2.83).
All-Tournament Nod
Sophomore Ella Voegele was one of four selections to the Chicago Classic All-Tournament Team, finishing with 52 digs, 14 assists, three service aces, one kill, and four total points. She led the Tommies with 4.0 digs per set, which ranks fourth in the Summit League over the weekend. Voegele led the squad with 22 digs during her first match in the Purple before adding 19 with seven assists in the tournament finale.
Scouting Milwaukee
Milwaukee enters the tournament 0-3 after losses at the Western Michigan Tournament Aug. 25-26 in Kalamazoo, Mich. UWM opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to host Western Michigan before dropping a 3-0 match to Northern Iowa and a five-set loss to Villanova.
Graduate student Ari Miller paced the team with 37 total kills and 3.08 kills per set, hitting .380 from the floor to go along with a team-best five service aces. Milwaukee was voted to finish fourth in the Horizon League Preseason Coaches' Poll while bringing back the entirety of its 2022 roster.
Scouting Montana State
Montana State began its season 3-0 as it captured the Bobcat/Blackridge Invite title in Bozeman, Mont. MSU, as the tournament host, opened the weekend with a five-set win over Oregon State followed by a 3-1 win over Summit League program North Dakota on Friday. The Bobcats secured the tournament title with a 3-1 win over Kennesaw State.
Senior Kira Thomsen was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week after compiling double-digit kills in all three matches, including a team-best 17 against Kennesaw State. Senior Avery Turnage led the defensive charge with 1.36 blocks per set, including a career-high 10 blocks in the win over North Dakota.
Scouting California Baptist
California Baptist posted a 1-2 record at the Santa Clara Tournament/San Jose State Invitational to begin the 2023 season. The Lancers took losses of 3-2 to Jacksonville and 3-1 to Santa Clara to begin the tournament on Friday. CBU answered back with a 3-1 win over Cal State Northridge, including a 33-31 decision during the fourth and final set.
Senior Michalina Rola paces CBU with 43 kills and 42 digs, recording three straight double-double performances to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. Graduate student Catherine Krieger and freshman Nicole Mauser combined for 56 kills over the tournament, including an 18-kill performance by Krieger against CSUN to reach 1,000 in her career.
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 will face 10 for the first time in program history. The only familiar opponent during the non-conference schedule is Montana State after taking a 3-2 win over the Bobcats last 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 is set to reach the 650-match mark 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.
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 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 are set to host their first tournament, the Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament, as an NCAA Division I program. California Baptist, Milwaukee, and Montana State converge in Schoenecker Arena from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. The Purple open the tournament and their home schedule at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 against 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 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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