University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, November 7
Brookings, S.D. / Frost Arena
7:00 p.m. Central
at
South Dakota State
St. Thomas makes final road trip at South Dakota State, Kansas City
11/6/2024 9:38:00 AM | Volleyball
Tommies look to hand Jackrabbits first loss, season sweep to Roos
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The final road trip of 2024 will be a challenge for St. Thomas volleyball as it prepares to face undefeated South Dakota State on Nov. 7 and Kansas City on Nov. 9. The Tommies hope to even the season series and snap the Jackrabbit's 22-game winning streak and to come away with a season sweep of the Roos.
Live Stats: Thursday at South Dakota State / Saturday at Kansas City
Watch: Summit League Network
Series History
St. Thomas is still in search of wins against two Summit League opponents since making the transition in 2021 with South Dakota State being one of those teams. The Tommies are 0-7 all-time against the Jackrabbits and secured the program's first win over Kansas City earlier this season, improving its all-time record to 1-6.
St. Thomas volleyball put up a strong fight against undefeated South Dakota State on Oct. 19, ultimately falling in four sets (25-16, 25-20, 25-20, 25-18). Ellie Gustafson led the Tommies with 13 kills, while Lauren Galvin recorded her third consecutive double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. The Tommies started strong by taking the first set but couldn't maintain momentum as SDSU improved its hitting percentage throughout the match.
St. Thomas volleyball earned a second consecutive sweep of the weekend with a 3-0 victory over Kansas City (25-17, 25-17, 25-22) at Schoenecker Arena, marking the program's first-ever win against the Roos. The Tommies relied on a balanced offensive effort, led by Megan Wetter's 11 kills at a .333 hitting percentage, while Tezra Rudzitis added 10 kills at .400 and Lauren Galvin contributed eight kills at .389. St. Thomas maintained control in each set, building momentum with early leads and staving off a late push from Kansas City in the third set. This weekend's victories mark a significant achievement for St. Thomas as they swept two reigning Summit League co-champions.
Toms On a Roll
St. Thomas volleyball is on a roll with wins in 14 of the last 21 matches and six of the last 10, including back-to-back match sweeps at South Dakota and at home against Kansas City Oct. 3 and 5. The Tommies' 14 wins set a new program Division I single-season record and is third most in the Summit League this season. The Purple's six league wins also set a new DI benchmark.
St. Thomas volleyball claimed its first-ever victory over Denver with a 3-1 win (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 25-11) at Schoenecker Arena. The Tommies continued their impressive season, having already defeated 2023 Summit League co-champions Kansas City and South Dakota. Tezra Rudzitis led the offense with 12 kills on a .435 hitting percentage, while Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy each recorded double-doubles. Despite early deficits in multiple sets, St. Thomas rallied with key runs and strong blocking, particularly from Kealy and Megan Wetter, to secure the victory.
St. Thomas volleyball was defeated in straight sets by Omaha (23-25, 22-25, 19-25) on Nov. 2. Junior setter Morgan Kealy led the way for the Tommies, recording her 16th double-double of the season with 24 assists and 11 digs. The Tommies fought hard in each set, taking an early 9-4 lead in the first and battling back in both the second and third sets, but Omaha managed to pull ahead in critical moments to secure the win.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends of the court while combining for 30 double doubles through 24 St. Thomas matches this season. The trio has also combined for 54 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 another with 11 kills and 11 digs during the win at Green Bay before tying a career high 22 kills as part of her 17th career double-double at Denver.
Kealy is consistently producing double-doubles with 14 over the last 19 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. Her team-high 13 kills and 10 digs helped the Tommies to a road sweep over South Dakota for her ninth career double-double.
Meet Us at the Net
Megan Wetter continues to serve as the Tommies' top attack stuffer as she ranks tied for eighth in the Summit League with 0.98 block per set. She has led St. Thomas in blocks 14 times and holds the league's fifth-most single-match blocks this season with nine against Valparaiso. Wetter also ranks fourth in the league with a .325 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, before setting a career high seven at Denver, and has led the Tommies in blocks in 13 matches. Schmotzer ranks 13th 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 36th overall and first in the Summit League with 16.62 per set. Voegele ranks tied for 34th nationally and leads the league with 4.80 digs per set. Her 30 digs against Valparaiso is tied for second 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, 864 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 22 matches, both ranking among the top 10 of the Summit League in kills per set. Rudzitis is eighth with 3.10 per set and 10th with 3.38 points per set while Galvin is ninth with 2.92 kills per set and 12th with 3.29 points per set. Rudzitis is also eighth in the league with a .278 hitting percentage and has led the team in kills in 11 matches.
Adding to the offensive attack is Wetter who is 16th in the Summit League with 2.50 kills per set and 13th with 3.28 points per set. She has led the Tommies in kills during five matches and has hit at least .294 from the floor in 11 of the last 12 matches.
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.
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 --
Live Stats: Thursday at South Dakota State / Saturday at Kansas City
Watch: Summit League Network
Series History
St. Thomas is still in search of wins against two Summit League opponents since making the transition in 2021 with South Dakota State being one of those teams. The Tommies are 0-7 all-time against the Jackrabbits and secured the program's first win over Kansas City earlier this season, improving its all-time record to 1-6.
St. Thomas volleyball put up a strong fight against undefeated South Dakota State on Oct. 19, ultimately falling in four sets (25-16, 25-20, 25-20, 25-18). Ellie Gustafson led the Tommies with 13 kills, while Lauren Galvin recorded her third consecutive double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. The Tommies started strong by taking the first set but couldn't maintain momentum as SDSU improved its hitting percentage throughout the match.
St. Thomas volleyball earned a second consecutive sweep of the weekend with a 3-0 victory over Kansas City (25-17, 25-17, 25-22) at Schoenecker Arena, marking the program's first-ever win against the Roos. The Tommies relied on a balanced offensive effort, led by Megan Wetter's 11 kills at a .333 hitting percentage, while Tezra Rudzitis added 10 kills at .400 and Lauren Galvin contributed eight kills at .389. St. Thomas maintained control in each set, building momentum with early leads and staving off a late push from Kansas City in the third set. This weekend's victories mark a significant achievement for St. Thomas as they swept two reigning Summit League co-champions.
Toms On a Roll
St. Thomas volleyball is on a roll with wins in 14 of the last 21 matches and six of the last 10, including back-to-back match sweeps at South Dakota and at home against Kansas City Oct. 3 and 5. The Tommies' 14 wins set a new program Division I single-season record and is third most in the Summit League this season. The Purple's six league wins also set a new DI benchmark.
St. Thomas volleyball claimed its first-ever victory over Denver with a 3-1 win (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 25-11) at Schoenecker Arena. The Tommies continued their impressive season, having already defeated 2023 Summit League co-champions Kansas City and South Dakota. Tezra Rudzitis led the offense with 12 kills on a .435 hitting percentage, while Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy each recorded double-doubles. Despite early deficits in multiple sets, St. Thomas rallied with key runs and strong blocking, particularly from Kealy and Megan Wetter, to secure the victory.
St. Thomas volleyball was defeated in straight sets by Omaha (23-25, 22-25, 19-25) on Nov. 2. Junior setter Morgan Kealy led the way for the Tommies, recording her 16th double-double of the season with 24 assists and 11 digs. The Tommies fought hard in each set, taking an early 9-4 lead in the first and battling back in both the second and third sets, but Omaha managed to pull ahead in critical moments to secure the win.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Lauren Galvin, Ellie Gustafson and Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends of the court while combining for 30 double doubles through 24 St. Thomas matches this season. The trio has also combined for 54 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 another with 11 kills and 11 digs during the win at Green Bay before tying a career high 22 kills as part of her 17th career double-double at Denver.
Kealy is consistently producing double-doubles with 14 over the last 19 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. Her team-high 13 kills and 10 digs helped the Tommies to a road sweep over South Dakota for her ninth career double-double.
Meet Us at the Net
Megan Wetter continues to serve as the Tommies' top attack stuffer as she ranks tied for eighth in the Summit League with 0.98 block per set. She has led St. Thomas in blocks 14 times and holds the league's fifth-most single-match blocks this season with nine against Valparaiso. Wetter also ranks fourth in the league with a .325 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, before setting a career high seven at Denver, and has led the Tommies in blocks in 13 matches. Schmotzer ranks 13th 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 36th overall and first in the Summit League with 16.62 per set. Voegele ranks tied for 34th nationally and leads the league with 4.80 digs per set. Her 30 digs against Valparaiso is tied for second 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, 864 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 22 matches, both ranking among the top 10 of the Summit League in kills per set. Rudzitis is eighth with 3.10 per set and 10th with 3.38 points per set while Galvin is ninth with 2.92 kills per set and 12th with 3.29 points per set. Rudzitis is also eighth in the league with a .278 hitting percentage and has led the team in kills in 11 matches.
Adding to the offensive attack is Wetter who is 16th in the Summit League with 2.50 kills per set and 13th with 3.28 points per set. She has led the Tommies in kills during five matches and has hit at least .294 from the floor in 11 of the last 12 matches.
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.
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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