The University of Minnesota Duluth Women's Volleyball Team is set to open its 2025 campaign at the McKendree Invitational Sept. 5-6 in Lebanon, Ill. The Bulldogs open the event Friday against Southwestern Oklahoma State University at 11:30 a.m., before taking on host McKendree at 7 p.m. UMD will conclude play in the event Saturday with matches against Purdue Northwest at 11:30 a.m. and against University of Missouri-St. Louis at 4:30 p.m. All matches will be played at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center located inside the Melvin Price Convocation Center (MPCC).
UMD IN SEASON-OPENERS: UMD is 33-2 in season-opening matches and 70-6 on opening weekend dating back to 2006. The Bulldogs have won four-straight opening day matches, with its last loss coming at the hands of Michigan Tech (3-0) in 2001 at the Michigan Tech Tournament in Houghton, Mich.
2024 SEASON RECAP: The Bulldogs concluded the 2024 campaign with a 15-11 overall record and an 8-10 mark in the North Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Eight players capped off their playing careers as the 2024 season came to a close, including right side hitter
Samantha Paulsen. The Chisago Lakes native finished her career ranked in the top-10 in program history for hitting percentage and was a three-time All-NSIC selection. She was also named the NSIC Women's Honor Student-Athlete Award Winner.
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: UMD was picked to finish eighth in the NSIC as voted by the league's head coaches. The Bulldogs received 130 points, seven points ahead of ninth-place selection Minnesota State. St. Cloud State was selected to finish first with 212 points, including eight first-place votes.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Junior right side hitter
Madeline Guetzkow was named UMD's Player to Watch by the NSIC entering the 2025 season. Guetzkow averaged 2.45 points and 2.19 kills per game, and added 47 total blocks, last season, each of which ranked third on the team.
FRESH-FACED BULLDOGS: The Bulldogs enter the year with nine rookies and two redshirt freshmen on their roster. That doesn't mean that UMD is short on experience, however, as it returns junior right side hitter
Madeline Guetzkow, senior middle blocker
Kylie Broten and sophomore setter
Ava Jones, who each saw action in all 26 matches for the Bulldogs a season ago.
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY: The Dawgs graduated nine seniors from its 2024 squad that finished 21-8 overall and 15-1 in Great American Conference play, including AVCA All-America selection outside hitter Lacy Mott. SWOSU captured its first regular-season conference championship in program history and eclipsed 20 wins for just the fourth time. It has seven returning letterwinners from that record-breaking team, while welcoming six freshmen.
SCOUTING McKENDREE UNIVERSITY: McKendree finished the 2024 campaign, its first under head coach Miranda Rodriguez, with an 11-16 overall record and a 6-7 Great Lakes Valley Conference mark. The Bearcats return six letterwinners from last season's team and welcome nine freshmen and three transfers to the squad in 2025.
SCOUTING PURDUE NORTHWEST: The Pride look to bounce back following a 2024 season that saw them post a 9-18 overall record and a 5-11 mark in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action. Purdue Northwest returns 15 letterwinners, two freshmen and a transfer to its 2025 roster.
SCOUTING MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS: The Tritons finished the 2024 campaign with a 19-9 overall record and an 8-5 Great Lakes Valley Conference mark, while making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. They return five all-conference selections from last season's squad, including 2023 GLVP Player of the Year senior setter Caitlin Bishop. The Tritons welcome three rookies to their 2025 squad.
UMD VS. McKENDREE INVITATIONAL OPPONENTS: The Bulldogs are a combined 8-0 all-time vs. their opponents at the McKendree Invitational. Here's the breakdown:
- vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State University: First Meeting
- vs. McKendree University: 1-0 (last meeting, 2012)
- vs. Purdue Northwest: First Meeting
- vs. University of Missouri-St. Louis: 7-0 (last meeting, 2022)
BOOS IN NCAA DII TOP-FIVE: UMD head coach
Jim Boos ranks fifth among active NCAA Division II volleyball coaches and 13th among all active NCAA volleyball coaches with an .811 winning percentage. He enters the 2025 season with 569 wins, which ranks 12th among active DII coaches.
