MANKATO, Minn. — The Minnesota State Mavericks volleyball team (10-0, 2-0 NSIC) wraps up its home stand on Tuesday, Sept. 23, when it hosts No. 16-ranked St. Cloud (7-3, 2-0 NSIC) at 6 p.m. in the Taylor Center. The Mavericks then hit the road for a pair of conference matchups, traveling to Wachs Arena to face No. 15 Northern State (8-2, 0-2 NSIC) on Friday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. The team will conclude the road swing with a first-ever meeting against Jamestown (5-4, 0-2 NSIC) on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. at Harold Newman Arena in Jamestown, N.D.

About the Mavericks
Minnesota State (RV) enters week two of conference play, riding momentum from back-to-back dominant home sweeps over the University of Mary and Minot State. The Mavericks improved to 10-0 overall and 2-0 in NSIC play with their weekend victories inside the Taylor Center.

MSU led the NSIC last week in several key statistical categories, showcasing a balance of offensive firepower and defensive consistency. Junior setter Jadyn Lester directs the Maverick offense and ranked first in the conference last week with 13.0 assists per set, while sophomore Ellie Kline anchors the back row, leading the NSIC with 5.5 digs per set last week. 

Offensively, the Mavericks are paced by Avery Rosenberg, who led the NSIC last week with 4.67 kills per set, and Avery Klein, who has maintained a hitting percentage above .525 in both weekend matches. Mary Satori provides a dual impact with her scoring and service pressure, leading the whole NSIC with 1.33 aces per set. Freshman Jaelyn LaPlante has been a great addition to the outside hitting role, sharing last week's NSIC lead in hitting percentage at .583 and adding seven kills against Minot State.

At the net, Minnesota State continues to demonstrate strong front-row play, with Rosenberg and Klein contributing to blocks and key swings. Defensively, the Mavericks' back row, anchored by Kline, allows for quick transitions and keeps the offense running efficiently.

Head Coach Corey Phelps, in his fifth season, continues to guide a program off to its best start yet.

About the Huskies
The Huskies enter the season as the defending NSIC Regular Season and Tournament champions. They were also selected to finish first in the 2025 NSIC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. St. Cloud State is currently 7–3 overall and 2–0 in NSIC play, opening conference competition last week with sweeps of Minot State and the University of Mary. Earlier in the season, the Huskies competed in the Best Western/Kelly Inn of St. Cloud UP North Tournament, finishing 3–1. They recorded straight-set victories over Adelphi (N.Y.), Northern Michigan, and Michigan Tech, with their only loss coming in four sets against then-No. 17 Barry (Fla.).

Redshirt senior middle blocker Ella Thompson, the reigning AVCA Second Team All-American, has been recognized as the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year. In just ten games, Thompson has already tallied 107 kills and 23 blocks, leading the team in kills. Setter Braya LaPlant has been instrumental in running the offense, recording 301 assists and averaging 10.38 per game. Meanwhile, Laurin Hamann and Mollie Hobson have made their mark on the service line, combining for 24 aces and providing a significant boost to the team's scoring.

Chad Braegelmann is in his 25th season as a collegiate head coach, his 11th with the Huskies. After the 2024 season, his collegiate head coaching record is 472-269. 

Historically, Minnesota State holds an advantage over St. Cloud State, as the Mavericks lead the overall series 33-26. When facing the Huskies at home, MSU holds a 14-11 record all-time. The last time the two teams met in Nov. 2024, Minnesota State fell in three sets. 

About the Wolves
The Northern State Wolves have struggled to start NSIC play, dropping their first two conference matches in 3–1 sets at Winona State and No. 14 Concordia St. Paul. Last season, the Wolves went 21–7 overall and 12–6 in the Northern Sun, advancing to the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament.

Sophomore outside hitter Linnea Nesheim leads the team with 129 kills this season. Her most impressive performance came in Northern State's 3–2 victory over Augustana, where she posted 17 kills and totaled 19.5 points. The Wolves starting setter, Ava Nilsson, ranks highest in the NSIC in assists, averaging 12.06 assists per set. 

As a team, the Wolves are averaging 1.7 aces, 15.3 digs, 14.1 kills, and 2.1 blocks per set. Northern State is coached by Brent Aldridge, who is in his 15th season and has compiled a 264–115 record over his previous 14 campaigns.

In the lone contest against the Wolves last season, the Mavericks lost in three sets. Overall, the team has a 17-18 record against Northern State but holds an 8-5 advantage when facing the team on home soil. In this contest, MSU looks to even out the record with NSU. 

About the Jimmies
This past weekend, Jamestown made its debut in NSIC competition as the program traveled for its first conference matches. The Jimmies fell in three straight sets to No. 14 Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, Sept. 19, before dropping a three-sets-to-one decision at Winona State inside McCown Gymnasium.

Overall, Jamestown sits at 5-4 on the season after being picked to finish 11th in the NSIC Preseason Poll. Junior outside hitter Corbyn Menz paces the Jimmies offensively with 82 kills and a 2.56 kills-per-set average. On the defensive side, junior Momoka Minamiya ranks among the NSIC's top ten with 129 total digs, averaging 4.03 per set.

The Jimmies are led by head coach Jon Hegerle, now in his 17th season guiding the program.

Minnesota State and Jamestown are meeting for the first time in program history, as the Jimmies enter their inaugural year as NSIC members.