Bulldogs Journey to Colorado for Royce Cappis Invitational

The University of Minnesota Duluth (4-0, 0-0 NSIC) volleyball group travels to Pueblo, Colo., to take part within the inaugural Royce Cappis Invitational hosted by CSU-Pueblo at Massari Arena. The Bulldogs will open the occasion in opposition to Fort Lewis College Friday at 10 a.m. CST, earlier than taking over the host ThunderWolves at 2:30 p.m. CST. UMD will conclude the match Saturday with matches in opposition to Adelphi at 9 a.m. CST and Florida Tech at 3:45 p.m. CST.

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs went 4-0 on the UP North Tournament hosted by Northern Michigan at Vandement Arena in Marquette, Mich. They opened the occasion with a five-set win over Michigan Tech, earlier than sweeping Cal State East Bay Friday morning. They beat the host Wildcats in 4 units on Friday evening and wrapped the match with a sweep of Tiffin on Saturday morning. Freshman Kenzie Kiminski led UMD in kills in three of the 4 matches, which included a double-double with 22 kills and 12 digs in opposition to the Huskies within the season opener. 

IN THE POLLS: After opening the season undefeated, UMD is receiving 47 votes within the Aug. 31 AVCA-Taraflex Division II Women’s Volleyball Poll, up 38 votes from its standing within the Preseason Poll. The Bulldogs final appeared within the Top 25 final season on Nov. 3, 2025 at No. 25.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Freshman Kenzie Kiminski and junior Ava Jones had been named to the UP North All-Tournament Team. Kiminski was one of many Bulldogs’ prime offensive weapons all through the weekend, main the group with 3.53 kills and three.97 factors per set, whereas including 2.07 digs and 0.73 blocks per set. Jones was equally instrumental in UMD’s 4-0 begin, directing an offense that hit .269 over the 4 matches. The junior averaged 11.47 assists per set and completed the weekend with 172 assists, 27 digs, 10 service aces and 6 complete blocks.  

RACKING UP DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Through 4 matches the Bulldogs have already racked up six double-doubles on the season, together with three from senior Madeline Guetzkow, two from sophomore Brietta Tims and one from freshman Kenzie Kiminski in her collegiate debut. 

COUNTDOWN TO 2K: Ava Jones enters the Royce Cappis Invitational simply 165 assists away from 2,000 assists for her profession. She is averaging 11.47 assists per set in 2026, a mark that ranks No. 9 in NCAA Division II and No. 3 within the NSIC. Her 172 complete assists additionally ranks tenth nationally.   

MILESTONE NO. 500: Senior Madison Reed secured the five hundredth dig of her profession in UMD’s four-set win over Northern Michigan on Aug. 28. The libero posted a season-high 22 digs within the match and now enters this weekend with 527 for her profession.   

CLOSING IN ON WIN 600: Head coach Jim Boos is in his twenty fifth season on the helm of the UMD volleyball group and garners a 591-143 profession document. The skipper is simply 9 wins away from securing milestone win No. 600 and changing into simply the eleventh lively NCAA Division II ladies’s volleyball head coach to win 600 video games. His .805 profession profitable share ranks fifth amongst lively DII head coaches. 

SCOUTING FORT LEWIS: The Skyhawks enter the Royce Cappis Invitational with a 1-3 document following play on the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational in San Angelo, Texas to open the 2026 season. Fort Lewis was swept by UT Permain Basin and No. 21 Angelo State, earlier than selecting up a sweep vs. East Central. It closed out the match with a four-set loss to MSU Moorhead. Jordan DeJesus leads the Skyhawks offensively with a 2.62 kills-per-set common, whereas Alex Daugherty has a team-best 61 digs and 7 service aces. 

SCOUTING CSU PUEBLO: The ThunderWolves additionally posted a 1-3 document on the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational in San Angelo, Texas to open the 2026 season. A five-set win over East Central began their season, however three-straight losses to MSU-Moorhead, Texas Permian Basin and No. 21 Angelo State concluded their weekend. Lilly Zwart and Chinaru Pao had been every named to the All-Tournament Team, with Zwart averaging 2.94 kills per set and 15 complete blocks. Pao averaged a team-high 3.94 digs per set and added 11 assists. 

SCOUTING ADELPHI: The Panthers hosted the Paws Up Classic to kick off their 2026 season, taking over a pair of top-10 groups in No. 2 Tampa and No. 9 Wayne State. Adelphi was swept in each matches, earlier than bouncing again with a 3-1 win over Georgian Court University. It wrapped the occasion with a three-set loss to American International College. Madeleine Chaapel led the best way for the Panthers offensively with 2.82 kills per set and Ada Isik had a team-leading 4.23 digs per set over the 4 matches. 

SCOUTING FLORIDA TECH: The Panthers enter the weekend with a 1-2 document following play on the Embry-Riddle Bahama House Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla. They opened the season with a sweep of Edward Waters University, earlier than falling in back-to-back four-set matches to St. Edward’s University and No. 16 Missouri Western. Cordelia Kearns led the group with 4.27 kills per set on the occasion, whereas Brooke Menke notched 3.73 digs per set. Three gamers averaged 1.09 blocks per set in Scarlett Kimbrell, Isabelle Clark and Olivia Bush. 

UMD VS. ROYCE CAPPIS INVITATIONAL OPPONENTS: The Bulldogs are a mixed 66-25 all-time vs. their opponents on the UP North Tournament. Here’s the breakdown:

vs. Fort Lewis: First Meeting

vs. CSU-Pueblo: First Meeting

vs. Adelphi: 2-0 (final assembly, 2025)

vs. Florida Tech: 0-1 (final assembly, 1977)