MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris volleyball team will open the 2025 season by competing in the College of St. Benedict Tournament.
 
The Cougars are set to play three matches over two days, beginning with the host, College of St. Benedict (CSB), on Friday at 7 p.m. They'll then face (RV) Nebraska Wesleyan University and Luther College on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
 
All matches this weekend can be streamed on the UMAC Sports Network or by clicking here. To follow the live stats, click here.
 
In the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Preseason Coaches Poll, the Cougars were picked to finish third. Head Coach Joe Sussenguth enters his eighth season at the helm, assisted by Shannon Schmidt and new Assistant Coach Ryker Linn. Minnesota Morris welcomes seven first-year athletes and returns three UMAC All-Conference players: Mary Cate Ziembiec, Anna Molstad, and Tori Scheler.
 
Last season, UMM finished third in the conference with an 11-3 UMAC record and a 16-11 overall mark. The Cougars qualified for the UMAC Playoffs for the 16th consecutive season. Ziembiec, Molstad, and Scheler all recorded triple-digit kills last season, with Ziembiec leading the way with 221. Scheler also led the team in blocks, totaling 72.
 
St. Benedict is coming off a 15-12 season. Nicole Hess begins her 16th year as head coach for the Bennies. Offensively, CSB was led by Kali Jones with 318 kills last season. Defensively, Chaeli Haupert led the squad with 415 digs.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan received votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Preseason Poll. The Prairie Wolves posted a 21-9 record and went 5-3 in the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) in 2024. Head Coach Rayna Cain enters her 13th season and returns two of the team's top three attackers in Kobie Patten and Molly Ramirez. Defensively, Raegen Holle led NWU with 470 digs.
 
In 2024, Luther College had a 5-24 record and was 1-7 in the A-R-C. Arturo Diaz was named the Interim Head Coach after serving as the assistant coach since 2022. The Norse graduated their leading scorer and top defender. Ruby Gerhard was second on the team with 158 kills and returns for her sophomore season.