BISMARCK, ND – A pair of top 25 teams visits the University of Mary volleyball team this weekend as UMary opens against #11 St. Cloud State University on Friday, October 31, at 6 pm in the McDowell Activity Center. The Marauders then challenge #24 Minnesota State University, Mankato, on Saturday, November 1,  at 10 am.

FOLLOW LIVE
Fans can watch live or follow live stats at www.GoUMary.com/coverage

VOLLEYBALL TICKET PRICES - ONLINE

• Adult tickets $10 plus fees
• Seniors and Youth (ages 13-18) $5 plus fees
• Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 plus fees.

VOLLEYBALL TICKET PRICES – AT THE GATE

• Adults tickets $15 cash | $15 + fees with credit card
• Seniors and Youth (aged 13-18) $10 cash | $10 + feeds with credit card
• Children 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children ticket prices are $5 cash | $5 + fees with a credit card.

NOTE

• Both cash and credit card payments will be accepted at the UMary ticket gate.
• UMary students, faculty, and staff with their MCard are admitted FREE. Children ages 12 and younger with an adult are admitted FREE. If children 12 and under are unaccompanied by an adult, the admission fee is $5 cash | $5 + fees with a credit card.

THE RECORD
The Marauders are 6-16 and 3-11 in the Northern Sun this season. UMary is 14^th in the conference standings.

HALLOWEEKEND

There will be a fan Halloween costume contest between the second and third sets for both games this weekend. The winner will receive a prize.

LAST TIME OUT

The Marauders fell in three sets to #10 Concordia-St. Paul (25-15, 25-13, 25-19) and Winona State University (25-23, 25-21, 25-16).  

STAT LEADERS

Judith Burke leads the team in kills (265), kills per set (3.35) and total points (288.5). She ranks 8^th in the NSIC in kills, 9^th in kills per set and 11^th in total points.

Maddy Freed has the most assists (404) on the Marauders. Freed ranks 13^th in the conference in total assists, 10^th in assists per set (6.65) and 20^th in serving aces per set (0.32).

Holli Klettheimer has the best hitting percentage (.309) on the Marauders and leads the team in blocks per set (0.82). She ranks 14^th in the NSIC in hitting percentage and 16^th in blocks per set.

Katie Bleeker has a team-best 244 digs and averages 3.09 digs per set.  She ranks 16^th in the NSIC in total digs and 18^th in digs per set.

Dani Highum leads UMary in serving aces (25) and is second on the team in kills (223) and digs (168).

Gabby Caskey holds the most blocks (49) on the team, averaging 0.62 blocks per set.

OPPO RESEARCH – SCSU

SCSU is 17-5 overall and 12-2 in the Northern Sun. Huskies are ranked 11^th in the nation. Senior middle blocker Ella Thompson leads the team with 248 kills on a .330 attack percentage. Sophomore setter Braya LaPlant leads the Huskies in assists (829), averaging 11.36 assists per game. Sophomore libero Laurin Hamann leads SCSU in digs (344).

OPPO RESEARCH – MSU

MSU is 17-5 overall and 9-5 in NSIC. The Mavericks are ranked 24^th in the country. Junior outside hitter Mary Satori holds the most kills on the team with 216. Sophomore setter Jadyn Lester has recorded the most assists (808) on the Mavericks. Senior middle blocker Emily Kern has the most blocks (72) on MSU and leads the conference in blocks per set (1.18).

THE STAFF

Rob Frost enters his first year as the Marauders head volleyball coach. A native of Ohio, Frost spent the 2024 season as an assistant coach at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN. Frost's head coaching résumé includes leading Bethel University (IN) in 2023 to a 26-7 overall record and a 13-5 mark in conference play. The Pilots reached as high as No. 15 in the national poll and qualified for the NAIA national tournament.

Prior to that, he spent eight seasons (2011-18) as the head coach at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) in Belton, TX. There, he guided the Crusaders to three national tournament appearances and five American Southwest Conference (ASC) West Division championships. 

Madeline Caillicoat returns for her second season as an assistant coach for the UMary volleyball program. Last year, Callicoat served as the graduate assistant coach for the Marauders.

RETURNERS

The Marauders bring back 12 returners from last year's team. Returning alongside Freed are Gabby Caskey, Jenna Lansing, Chloe Solheid, Karina Hixon, Judith Burke, Aubrey Flynn, Holli Klettheimer, Dani Highum, Natalie Boehmer, Shea Barron and Bailey Barnes.

NEW FACES

Coach Frost and his staff added five freshmen to the mix for the 2025 season. Abby LeMay, Emma Bixby, Lily Peterson, Myra Newman and Katie Bleeker will each look to make an impact in their first debut college season.

FREED NAMED PLAYER TO WATCH

The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference announced that Maddy Freed was named the Marauders Player to Watch. The senior setter led the Marauders in assists (843), assists per set (9.16) and aces (25). The Lawrence, KS, native also contributed 168 digs and 27 blocks.

MARAUDERS PICKED TO FINISH 14^TH IN THE NSIC

The 2024 NSIC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll projected the Marauders to finish 14^th in the conference for this upcoming season. Last year, UMary took 14^th in the NSIC after finishing the season with a 4-22 record overall and a 2-16 record against Northern Sun competition.

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