University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, September 13
Milwaukee, Wis. / Klotsche Center
11:00 a.m. Central
vs
Illinois State
Volleyball back to action September 13-14 at Panther Invitational
9/12/2024 12:28:00 PM | Volleyball
Match NotesWatch (Friday)Watch (Saturday)Live Stats vs. Illinois StateLive Stats vs. IowaLive Stats vs. Milwaukee
St. Thomas to play Illinois State, Iowa and Milwaukee at Klotsche Center
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Tommie Volleyball is back in action September 13-14 at the Panther Invitational in Milwaukee, Wis. St. Thomas begins the tournament Friday with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. against Illinois State and 4 p.m. against Iowa and finishes Saturday at 4 p.m. against Milwaukee.
All matches will feature Live Stats HERE while the matches against Illinois State and Iowa will be streamed on YouTube HERE and on ESPN+ HERE against Milwaukee.
A Cross-Town Battle
St. Thomas returned to Maturi Pavilion Tuesday, Sept. 10 for the second time in four years to take on cross-town program Minnesota, ranked No. 19 in the AVCA poll. Sophomore Morgan Kealy recorded her second consecutive double-double, finishing with 20 assists and 10 digs, to lead the Tommies during the three-set match (20-25, 16-25, 21-25).
Junior Megan Wetter surpassed the 100-career block mark with her lone stuff of the night. After totaling three blocks during her injury-shortened freshman season, Wetter totaled 71 last season and 26 in 2024, including 18 during the Tommie Invitational Sept. 5-7. Senior Lauren Galvin led the Tommies in kills for the fifth match this season, coming away with nine followed by junior Tezra Rudzitis with eight against the Gophers. Galvin hit .182 from the floor with three errors along with seven digs and one service ace.
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.
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.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Galvin and sophomore setter Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends while combining for seven double doubles through seven St. Thomas matches this season.
Galvin recorded back-to-back double-doubles, now at 15 through her career, to close out the Tommie Invitational with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valpo and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. Kealy also finished the Tommie Invitational with a double-double against Northern Illinois, racking up 40 assists and 10 digs. She followed up with another double-double, the 12th in her career, Tuesday against Minnesota with 20 assists and 10 digs. Kealy led all Tommies last season with eight double-doubles.
First Glimpse at Schmotzer
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 and totaled eight block assists and three solo blocks on the weekend. Schmotzer added 12 kills on a .178 hitting percentage for 19.0 points.
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.
Can You Dig It?
Ella Voegele wasted no time making an impression as the Tommies' libero a season ago. The Plymouth, Minn., native and transfer from UNC Greensboro, set St. Thomas DI single-season records with 432 digs and 4.36 digs per set (72nd in NCAA DI). She also set the program's DI single-match record with 33 digs in four sets at Oral Roberts (Nov. 12), also setting the top mark for digs per set (8.25) and earning the program's first ever Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week. Voegele was second in the Summit League in digs per set and ended the year as a selection to the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.
Fresh Contributors
Kealy and outside hitter Ellie Gustafson were immediate contributors during their freshman campaigns. Kealy set the Tommies' most DI single-season assists (668) and assists per set (7.11), including four of the program's top five single-match assist totals during the DI era, and totaled the fifth most digs per set (2.37) and sixth most digs (223). She began and ended her freshman season with 40+ assist matches, recording 43 during her collegiate debut at UIC (Aug. 25) and 42 to wrap up 2023 at Oral Roberts (Nov. 12).
Gustafson paced the team and set the program's third most single season kills (240) and fourth most kills per set (2.64), points per set (2.92), and digs per set (2.80) during the DI era. She finished 12th in the Summit League in kills per set, 13th in digs per set and 16th in points per set. Gustafson set career highs of 18 kills against Northern Illinois (Nov. 9) and 23 digs at Oral Roberts.
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 --
All matches will feature Live Stats HERE while the matches against Illinois State and Iowa will be streamed on YouTube HERE and on ESPN+ HERE against Milwaukee.
A Cross-Town Battle
St. Thomas returned to Maturi Pavilion Tuesday, Sept. 10 for the second time in four years to take on cross-town program Minnesota, ranked No. 19 in the AVCA poll. Sophomore Morgan Kealy recorded her second consecutive double-double, finishing with 20 assists and 10 digs, to lead the Tommies during the three-set match (20-25, 16-25, 21-25).
Junior Megan Wetter surpassed the 100-career block mark with her lone stuff of the night. After totaling three blocks during her injury-shortened freshman season, Wetter totaled 71 last season and 26 in 2024, including 18 during the Tommie Invitational Sept. 5-7. Senior Lauren Galvin led the Tommies in kills for the fifth match this season, coming away with nine followed by junior Tezra Rudzitis with eight against the Gophers. Galvin hit .182 from the floor with three errors along with seven digs and one service ace.
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.
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.
Seeing Double-Double(s)
Galvin and sophomore setter Morgan Kealy have been productive on both ends while combining for seven double doubles through seven St. Thomas matches this season.
Galvin recorded back-to-back double-doubles, now at 15 through her career, to close out the Tommie Invitational with 18 kills and 14 digs against Valpo and 15 kills and 10 digs against NIU. Kealy also finished the Tommie Invitational with a double-double against Northern Illinois, racking up 40 assists and 10 digs. She followed up with another double-double, the 12th in her career, Tuesday against Minnesota with 20 assists and 10 digs. Kealy led all Tommies last season with eight double-doubles.
First Glimpse at Schmotzer
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 and totaled eight block assists and three solo blocks on the weekend. Schmotzer added 12 kills on a .178 hitting percentage for 19.0 points.
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.
Can You Dig It?
Ella Voegele wasted no time making an impression as the Tommies' libero a season ago. The Plymouth, Minn., native and transfer from UNC Greensboro, set St. Thomas DI single-season records with 432 digs and 4.36 digs per set (72nd in NCAA DI). She also set the program's DI single-match record with 33 digs in four sets at Oral Roberts (Nov. 12), also setting the top mark for digs per set (8.25) and earning the program's first ever Summit League Defensive Peak Performer of the Week. Voegele was second in the Summit League in digs per set and ended the year as a selection to the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.
Fresh Contributors
Kealy and outside hitter Ellie Gustafson were immediate contributors during their freshman campaigns. Kealy set the Tommies' most DI single-season assists (668) and assists per set (7.11), including four of the program's top five single-match assist totals during the DI era, and totaled the fifth most digs per set (2.37) and sixth most digs (223). She began and ended her freshman season with 40+ assist matches, recording 43 during her collegiate debut at UIC (Aug. 25) and 42 to wrap up 2023 at Oral Roberts (Nov. 12).
Gustafson paced the team and set the program's third most single season kills (240) and fourth most kills per set (2.64), points per set (2.92), and digs per set (2.80) during the DI era. She finished 12th in the Summit League in kills per set, 13th in digs per set and 16th in points per set. Gustafson set career highs of 18 kills against Northern Illinois (Nov. 9) and 23 digs at Oral Roberts.
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 --
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