THE OPENING SERVE: Tuesday night will feature a top 15 showdown between the University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State University. The No. 15 Bulldogs conclude its non-conference slate traveling to St. Cloud, Minn. to square off against the No. 8 Huskies. The action begins at 6:00 p.m. at Halenbeck Hall. 

SCOUTING REPORT ON ST.CLOUD STATE: The Huskies are 9-2 overall and 4-0 in the NSIC. St. Cloud State is ranked eighth in the AVCA poll and was selected to finish third in the conference preseason poll. SCSU defeated Bemidji State in straight sets in its last match on Saturday. The Huskies are led by outside hitter Kenzie Foley, the preseason NSIC Player of the Year. Foley, the reigning AVCA Player of the Year, averages 4.66 kills/set, which ranks sixth in the Division II, and hits .262 on the season. She also has 3.46 digs/set, which is second on the team behind Keely Kurschner and her 3.98 digs/set. Emma Berran paces the Husky attack with 10.80 assists/set. Hannah Bruskiewicz is the clubhouse leader at the net averaging 0.80 blocks/set. Ella Thompson is second in the NSIC and 19th in the nation hitting at a .410 clip. For the season, SCSU sixth in the nation in kills/set (14.66), 10th in assists/set (13.34 and 10th in hitting percentage (.284).

THE SERIES: Here is how UMD has fared against its opponents all time in program history dating back to 1976.
 

TEAM	ALL-TIME RECORD	LAST MEETING
vs. SCSU	77-36	W, 3-1 (Oct. 12, 2023)

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and the other two teams stack up with their records this season and their ranking in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll.
 

TEAM	RECORD	AVCA RANKING
UMD	7-2	15th
BSU	5-3	NR

DOG EAT DOG: The Bulldogs have won the last three clashes against the Huskies including two of them in enemy territory. UMD won a pair of five-set matches before dispatching SCSU in four in St. Cloud last season.

NON-CONFERENCE PERFECTION: The Bulldogs are attempting to run the non-conference slate by going undefeated with a win on Tuesday. UMD is 7-0 in non-conference action this season and looking for its first unbeaten season for the second time in the last three seasons.

LAST SIDE OUT: The Bulldogs wrangled a five-set victory on the road against Bemidji State last Thursday. The Beavers dropped the first two sets before rattling off set wins in the third and the fourth to force a decisive  fifth set. UMD prevailed to nab its first NSIC win of the season. Graduate outside hitter Cianna Selbitschka racked up 20 kills and 10 digs, for her fifth double-double of the season. Her 20 kills was the most by a Bulldog this season. Senior setter Maddi Kealy also grabbed her third double-double of the season on 30 assists, a new career high, and 12 digs. 

GOING THE DISTANCE: The last three matches have gone all the way, needing five sets to reach a decision and the Bulldogs have played in four five-set matches in their first 10 matchups. UMD is 2-2 in those five-set thrillers including last time out versus Bemidji State.

BATTLE OF ENDURANCE: The last time the Bulldogs played in four consecutive five-set matches was during the 2017 season. UMD went 3-1 during that stretch with all four matches against ranked opponents.

Nov. 11         No. 22 Wayne State        W, 3-2
Nov. 15        No. 14 Winona State        W, 3-2
Nov. 18        No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul    L, 2-3
Nov. 30        No. 11 Northern State         W, 3-2

DOUBLE 1K CLUB: Graduate outside hitter Cianna Selbitschka etched another milestone to her name against Southern Nazarene earlier this season as she recorded her 1,000th career dig. Selbitschka became just the 11th Bulldog to eclipse 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in their Bulldog career. Kate Berg was the last to reach the honor back in 2021.

CLIMBING THE RANKS: Graduate outside hitter Cianna Selbitschka became the 23rd Bulldog to register 1,000 career kills on Oct. 25, 2023. Selbitschka paced UMD in the kills category for a second consecutive season and is racing up the charts for most kills in program history. The North Branch, Minn., native currently sits 13th with 1,229 kills. She passed April Hansen (2007-11), who had 1,134 kills, for the sole possession of 13th on opening weekend. Next on the list is Kari Wolford (2004-07) at 12th place in Bulldog history with 1,250 kills (21 away).

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Graduate outside hitter Cianna Selbitschka is also climbing the charts among active leaders in the Division II landscape. For her career, Selbitschka is 17th in kills/set (3.54), 18th in kills (1,229), and 64th in digs (1,104).

CAN YOU DIG IT: Graduate defensive specialist Kaylyn Madison is 35th among active Division II players with 1,289 digs.

CLIMBING THE RANKS II: Graduate defensive specialist Kaylyn Madison has amassed 1,289 digs during her collegiate career including a season-high 499 just last season. The native of Eagan, Minn., hopped into the top 10 in program history for digs in a career passing Callie Zwettler (2001-04), who scooped up 1,265 digs during her tenure, for sole possession of the No. 10 spot. Next on the ladder is former teammate Sydney Lanoue, who piled up 1,321 digs.

SERVICE WITH A SMILE: The Bulldogs are averaging 1.85 aces/set this season which currently ranks third in the NSIC.

POCKET ACES: Graduate defensive specialist Kaylyn Madison and freshman setter Ava Jones are ranked in the top five among the conference in aces per set. They both rank fifth among all NSIC players at 0.49 aces/set. Jones also ranks ninth among all Division II freshmen in the category as well. 

BOMBS AWAY: The UMD offense is currently 18th in the nation in hitting percentage.The Bulldogs are hitting .259 after 10 matches, good for fourth in the NSIC, and have hit above .300 on six occasions this season. Barry University holds the top slot at .340. In the five set win over Texas A&M-Kingsville, the Bulldogs hit .355 for the match, the second-best hitting percentage in a five set match this season.

BOOS' CLUES: The long-standing bench boss patrolling the UMD sidelines returns for his 23rd year. Jim Boos has placed himself into the upper echelon as the all-time winningest coach for the volleyball program, notching 562 victories along the way. The 2004 AVCA National Coach of the Year has made 19 NCAA Tournament appearances and is 13th among active Division II coaches in terms of wins. Boos is seventh among active Division II coaches with the most wins at one institution. Only three other active Division II coaches have a higher winning percentage (.821) with at least five accrued seasons. 

NATIONAL SURVEY SAYS!: The American Volleyball Coaches Association had the Bulldogs 15th in the newest edition of the Division II poll, remaining steady from last week's poll. Tampa University remains No. 1 for the fourth week in a row with 1,168 points and 43 out of the possible 47 first-place votes. Metropolitan State University Denver (1) and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (3) each received first-place votes. 

ON TAP: The Bulldogs will host its first weekend home series starting Friday night. UMD welcomes No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State University to Romano Gymnasium Friday, Oct. 4 with the first serve at 6:00 p.m. The following day the University of Sioux Falls comes to town with action of that NSIC matchup beginning at 2:00 p.m.