University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, October 3
Vermillion, S.D. / Sanford Coyote Sports Center
7:00 p.m. Central
at
South Dakota
Photo by: Abby Bondi
St. Thomas looks to bounce back at USD, home versus UMKC
10/2/2024 9:39:00 AM | Volleyball
Tommies travel Thursday before returning to Schoenecker Saturday
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- St. Thomas volleyball continues its second week of Summit League play with a road-home weekend, beginning Oct. 3 at South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D., and closing Oct. 5 versus Kansas City in St. Paul, Minn. The Tommies and Coyotes are set to play at 7 p.m. Thursday while the Tommies and Roos will have first serve at 12 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets: Saturday vs. UMKC
Live Stats: Thursday at South Dakota / Saturday vs. UMKC
Watch: Summit League Network
Series History
St. Thomas has yet to beat either South Dakota or Kansas City, combing for an 0-12 record against the Summit League duo. In total, the Tommies have two set wins between the 12 matches, both coming against the Coyotes in St. Paul.
During last season's match against USD in Vermillion, junior Tezra Rudzitis led the Purple with nine kills on a .217 hitting percentage while sophomore Ellie Gustafson followed with five kills along with 12 digs.
Senior Libby Mattila led St. Thomas against Kansas City at home last season as she finished with a team high nine kills along with nine digs. Rudzitis finished with seven kills while junior Megan Wetter led with five total blocks.
Toms On a Roll
St. Thomas volleyball was on a roll over its final nine matches of the non-conference schedule, going 8-1 over that stretch. The Tommies' eight wins set a new program Division I single-season record and is tied for the second most in the Summit League this season.
The lone blemish during the streak came at No. 19 Minnesota as St. Thomas fell in three sets (20-25, 16-25, 21-25). Morgan Kealy recorded her fourth double-double of the season as the Purple made late charges against the Gophers.
St. Thomas won its second straight non-conference tournament title Sept. 13-14 following wins over Illinois State, Iowa and Milwaukee at the Panther Invitational in Milwaukee, Wis. The matches were the start of a five-match winning streak for the program as St. Thomas followed with wins against Chicago State and at Green Bay at the Capital Credit Union Classic for its third straight perfect tournament.
Welcome to 2024
Head Coach Thanh Pham leads Tommie Volleyball into action for the 22nd season overall and fourth in NCAA Division I play. Joining Pham on the sidelines is assistant coaches Joy Tietz in her fourth season (14th overall at St. Thomas) and Malissa LeClaire and Kevin Rivas in their third seasons. St. Thomas comes off a 7-20 campaign in 2023, including a 3-13 mark in the Summit League. Both win totals marked the most by the program since joining the DI ranks.
The Purple bring back 18 student-athletes from a season ago and introduce one newcomer in true freshman outside hitter Maddy Benka. Besides Benka and Schmotzer, all 18 Tommie returners saw action in 2023.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends of the court while combining for 16 double doubles through 14 St. Thomas matches this season. The trio has also combined for 41 career double-doubles.
Galvin recorded back-to-back double-doubles Sept. 6-7 to close out the Tommie Invitational with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valpo and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She added her 16th career double-double and fourth of the season with 11 kills and 11 digs during the win at Green Bay.
Kealy is consistently producing double-doubles with seven over the last nine matches, dating back to Sept. 7 against Northern Illinois. As part of her double-double Sept. 14 at Milwaukee, Kealy topped the 1,000 career assist mark to become the first Tommie to do so during the DI era. Before being snapped Sept. 28 at UNO, Kealy produced four straight double-doubles with at least 42 assists in each match.
Like Kealy, Gustafson had a three-match streak of double-doubles, recording at least 11 kills in each match for 3.42 kills per set. She recorded a career high 17 digs in the 3-1 win over Chicago State and totaled 15 kills against each Milwaukee and Green Bay before the streak ended Sept. 26 against NDSU.
Meet Us at the Net
Megan Wetter continues to serve as the Tommies' top attack stuffer as she ranks sixth in the Summit League with 1.02 blocks per set. She has led St. Thomas in blocks 10 times and holds the league's fourth-most single-match blocks this season with nine against Valparaiso. Wetter also ranks fifth in the league with a .291 hitting percentage.
At the season-opening CEFCU Invitational, redshirt freshman Addie Schmotzer flashed her potential on the defensive end while leading the team with 11.0 total blocks. She began her collegiate career with six block assists against Southern Indiana, tying a career high six blocks in two other matches, and has led the Tommies in blocks in seven matches. Schmotzer ranks 12th in the Summit League with 0.83 blocks per set.
Can You Dig It?
Voegele and the defense of the Tommies has the team near the top nationally in digs, ranking 13th overall and first in the Summit League with 17.83 per set. Voegele ranks ninth nationally and leads the league with 5.19 digs per set after totaling 6.11 digs per set during the perfect Capital Credit Union Classic on Sept. 20. Her 30 digs against Valparaiso is tied for the most by a player in the Summit League this season. Voegele became the first Tommie in the DI era to record 1,000 career digs, 686 coming in the Purple and Gray, doing so Sept. 7 in a 3-1 win over Northern Illinois,
Lead the Attack
Galvin and Rudzitis have powered the offense through the first 14 matches, both ranking among the top 10 of the Summit League in kills per set. Rudzitis is seventh with 3.19 per set and eighth with 3.46 points per set while Galvin is eighth with 2.96 kills per set and 10th with 3.37 points per set. Rudzitis is also 12th in the league with a .267 hitting percentage, including a .315 hitting percentage over the past seven matches, and has led the Tommies in kills a team-best seven times this season, including four of the last six.
Adding to the offensive attack is Gustafson who is 21st in the Summit League with 2.36 kills per set and 24th with 2.67 points per set. She has led the Tommies in kills during three matches, tying Rudzitis against Iowa and Milwaukee. Gustafson has also been reliable on the defensive end as she is ninth in the league with 2.85 digs per set, recording double-doubles in three of the last five matches.
The First Perfect Non-Conference Tournament
The 2024 Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament was a success as the home team came away with a perfect 3-0 record, claiming the tournament title. It's the first tournament title and first three match winning streak during the DI era.
St. Thomas opened its weekend with a sweep over Tarleton State coming off a stellar offensive attack. The Tommies hit .295 on the offensive end with only 11 errors, the best hitting percentage since Oct. 15, 2022, and the fewest errors since Nov. 12, 2022.
The Tommies carried the momentum over to its match against Valparaiso, winning the first two sets. The Beacons came back to win sets three and four but, the Toms made a late surge and scored four of the final five points to win the fifth set.
Galvin and junior Tezra Rudzitis powered the offense and combined for 32 kills to help St. Thomas to a 3-1 win over NIU. Rudzitis tied a career high 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
Summit League Peak Performers of the Week
Senior outside hitter Lauren Galvin and junior defensive specialist/libero Ella Voegele, the St. Thomas Players to Watch as announced by the Summit League in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, became the first Tommie duo to sweep Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honors following its 3-0 weekend at the Tommie Invitational.
Galvin, from Woodbury, Minn., returned to Schoenecker Arena for the first time since Nov. 19, 2022, to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. She led St. Thomas with 4.0 kills per set and 4.5 points per set while hitting .242 from the floor. Galvin recorded two double doubles over the weekend with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valparaiso and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She also totaled 15 kills with no errors for a .417 hitting percentage in a sweep over Tarleton State.
Voegele, hailing from Plymouth, Minn., earned her second career Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honor after surpassing the 1,000-career dig mark at the Tommie Invitational. She led the Tommies with 5.92 digs per set and recorded the program's second 30-dig match since joining DI, nothing 30 in the 3-2 win over Valpo.
Summit League Network
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.
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' 2024 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Tickets: Saturday vs. UMKC
Live Stats: Thursday at South Dakota / Saturday vs. UMKC
Watch: Summit League Network
Series History
St. Thomas has yet to beat either South Dakota or Kansas City, combing for an 0-12 record against the Summit League duo. In total, the Tommies have two set wins between the 12 matches, both coming against the Coyotes in St. Paul.
During last season's match against USD in Vermillion, junior Tezra Rudzitis led the Purple with nine kills on a .217 hitting percentage while sophomore Ellie Gustafson followed with five kills along with 12 digs.
Senior Libby Mattila led St. Thomas against Kansas City at home last season as she finished with a team high nine kills along with nine digs. Rudzitis finished with seven kills while junior Megan Wetter led with five total blocks.
Toms On a Roll
St. Thomas volleyball was on a roll over its final nine matches of the non-conference schedule, going 8-1 over that stretch. The Tommies' eight wins set a new program Division I single-season record and is tied for the second most in the Summit League this season.
The lone blemish during the streak came at No. 19 Minnesota as St. Thomas fell in three sets (20-25, 16-25, 21-25). Morgan Kealy recorded her fourth double-double of the season as the Purple made late charges against the Gophers.
St. Thomas won its second straight non-conference tournament title Sept. 13-14 following wins over Illinois State, Iowa and Milwaukee at the Panther Invitational in Milwaukee, Wis. The matches were the start of a five-match winning streak for the program as St. Thomas followed with wins against Chicago State and at Green Bay at the Capital Credit Union Classic for its third straight perfect tournament.
Welcome to 2024
Head Coach Thanh Pham leads Tommie Volleyball into action for the 22nd season overall and fourth in NCAA Division I play. Joining Pham on the sidelines is assistant coaches Joy Tietz in her fourth season (14th overall at St. Thomas) and Malissa LeClaire and Kevin Rivas in their third seasons. St. Thomas comes off a 7-20 campaign in 2023, including a 3-13 mark in the Summit League. Both win totals marked the most by the program since joining the DI ranks.
The Purple bring back 18 student-athletes from a season ago and introduce one newcomer in true freshman outside hitter Maddy Benka. Besides Benka and Schmotzer, all 18 Tommie returners saw action in 2023.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends of the court while combining for 16 double doubles through 14 St. Thomas matches this season. The trio has also combined for 41 career double-doubles.
Galvin recorded back-to-back double-doubles Sept. 6-7 to close out the Tommie Invitational with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valpo and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She added her 16th career double-double and fourth of the season with 11 kills and 11 digs during the win at Green Bay.
Kealy is consistently producing double-doubles with seven over the last nine matches, dating back to Sept. 7 against Northern Illinois. As part of her double-double Sept. 14 at Milwaukee, Kealy topped the 1,000 career assist mark to become the first Tommie to do so during the DI era. Before being snapped Sept. 28 at UNO, Kealy produced four straight double-doubles with at least 42 assists in each match.
Like Kealy, Gustafson had a three-match streak of double-doubles, recording at least 11 kills in each match for 3.42 kills per set. She recorded a career high 17 digs in the 3-1 win over Chicago State and totaled 15 kills against each Milwaukee and Green Bay before the streak ended Sept. 26 against NDSU.
Meet Us at the Net
Megan Wetter continues to serve as the Tommies' top attack stuffer as she ranks sixth in the Summit League with 1.02 blocks per set. She has led St. Thomas in blocks 10 times and holds the league's fourth-most single-match blocks this season with nine against Valparaiso. Wetter also ranks fifth in the league with a .291 hitting percentage.
At the season-opening CEFCU Invitational, redshirt freshman Addie Schmotzer flashed her potential on the defensive end while leading the team with 11.0 total blocks. She began her collegiate career with six block assists against Southern Indiana, tying a career high six blocks in two other matches, and has led the Tommies in blocks in seven matches. Schmotzer ranks 12th in the Summit League with 0.83 blocks per set.
Can You Dig It?
Voegele and the defense of the Tommies has the team near the top nationally in digs, ranking 13th overall and first in the Summit League with 17.83 per set. Voegele ranks ninth nationally and leads the league with 5.19 digs per set after totaling 6.11 digs per set during the perfect Capital Credit Union Classic on Sept. 20. Her 30 digs against Valparaiso is tied for the most by a player in the Summit League this season. Voegele became the first Tommie in the DI era to record 1,000 career digs, 686 coming in the Purple and Gray, doing so Sept. 7 in a 3-1 win over Northern Illinois,
Lead the Attack
Galvin and Rudzitis have powered the offense through the first 14 matches, both ranking among the top 10 of the Summit League in kills per set. Rudzitis is seventh with 3.19 per set and eighth with 3.46 points per set while Galvin is eighth with 2.96 kills per set and 10th with 3.37 points per set. Rudzitis is also 12th in the league with a .267 hitting percentage, including a .315 hitting percentage over the past seven matches, and has led the Tommies in kills a team-best seven times this season, including four of the last six.
Adding to the offensive attack is Gustafson who is 21st in the Summit League with 2.36 kills per set and 24th with 2.67 points per set. She has led the Tommies in kills during three matches, tying Rudzitis against Iowa and Milwaukee. Gustafson has also been reliable on the defensive end as she is ninth in the league with 2.85 digs per set, recording double-doubles in three of the last five matches.
The First Perfect Non-Conference Tournament
The 2024 Tommie Invitational Volleyball Tournament was a success as the home team came away with a perfect 3-0 record, claiming the tournament title. It's the first tournament title and first three match winning streak during the DI era.
St. Thomas opened its weekend with a sweep over Tarleton State coming off a stellar offensive attack. The Tommies hit .295 on the offensive end with only 11 errors, the best hitting percentage since Oct. 15, 2022, and the fewest errors since Nov. 12, 2022.
The Tommies carried the momentum over to its match against Valparaiso, winning the first two sets. The Beacons came back to win sets three and four but, the Toms made a late surge and scored four of the final five points to win the fifth set.
Galvin and junior Tezra Rudzitis powered the offense and combined for 32 kills to help St. Thomas to a 3-1 win over NIU. Rudzitis tied a career high 17 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
Summit League Peak Performers of the Week
Senior outside hitter Lauren Galvin and junior defensive specialist/libero Ella Voegele, the St. Thomas Players to Watch as announced by the Summit League in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, became the first Tommie duo to sweep Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honors following its 3-0 weekend at the Tommie Invitational.
Galvin, from Woodbury, Minn., returned to Schoenecker Arena for the first time since Nov. 19, 2022, to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. She led St. Thomas with 4.0 kills per set and 4.5 points per set while hitting .242 from the floor. Galvin recorded two double doubles over the weekend with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valparaiso and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. She also totaled 15 kills with no errors for a .417 hitting percentage in a sweep over Tarleton State.
Voegele, hailing from Plymouth, Minn., earned her second career Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week honor after surpassing the 1,000-career dig mark at the Tommie Invitational. She led the Tommies with 5.92 digs per set and recorded the program's second 30-dig match since joining DI, nothing 30 in the 3-2 win over Valpo.
Summit League Network
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.
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' 2024 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Players Mentioned
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