ST JOSEPH, Minn. --After opening the season 7-4, the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team (7-4, 0-0 MIAC) will host Augsburg (7-4, 0-0 MIAC) in the Bennies' home MIAC opener at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Sept 20 at Claire Lynch Hall.

The event is part of the Inauguration Week for President Brian Bruess of CSB/SJU. On Wednesday, the CSB program will host a "White Out", offer rally towels, popcorn and caramel apples for first 300 people to attend, photo ops, balloons, fun events and President Bruess will be a guest coach for the Bennies, among the various activities on a fun night at Claire Lynch Hall. The Inauguration of President Bruess will be held at 2 p.m., on Sept. 22 at the Abbey and University Church at Saint John's University.

After the game on Wednesday night, CSB volleyball will travel to face Saint Catherine in St. Paul, at 5 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Butler Center.
 
Quick Review - Season
The Bennies were 1-2 last weekend in the UW-Whitewater Invite. CSB fell to No. 10 UW-Whitewater, 1-3, on Friday, Sept. 15. Later that day, they defeated by No. 7 Washington in St. Louis in five sets, 3-2. On Saturday (Sept. 16), CSB was defeated by No. 3 UW-Oshkosh in three straight sets. The Bennies opened up their season with a 3-1 record at the Puget Sound Premiere hosted in Tacoma, Washington. The Bennies then hosted UW-Eau Claire for their home opener and fell, 3-1. On Sept. 8-9, the Bennies went 3-0 in the UW-River Falls Tournament. 

CSB Honors and Notes 
To far this season, Mackenzie McDonald, who leads CSB and ranks fifth in the MIAC with 198 digs (4.30/set), has earned selection to the Puget Sound Premiere All-Tourney and the UW-River Falls All-Tourney Team. Kali Jones, who ranks 15th in the MIAC and leads CSB with 113 kills (2.46/set) and 378 attacks while recording three double doubles, was named to the UW-River Falls All Tourney Team. Sophomore middle blocker Mackenzie Knofczynski, who has recorded 100 kills (2.17/set) and is hitting .294 while registering a team-high 45 blocks, was named to the UW-Whitewater All-Tourney Team.

This week, junior setter Audrey Spolidoro earned MIAC Volleyball Specialist of the Week honors - her first weekly conference honor. She averaged 9.75 assists per set and had a career-game-best 62 set assists in a win over then No. 7 Washington University-St. Louis. During three matches against a trio of nationally ranked teams, Spolidoro shined with 117 assists, two double-doubles, four kills, 20 attacks, two service aces and six block assists this past weekend. Spolidoro, who surpassed 1,900 set assists in her career and sits at 1,911, ranks fifth in the MIAC with 8.15 assists per set.  She has 28 career double doubles.

By the Numbers
CSB ranks 20th in NCAA DIII and third in the MIAC with 86.5 total team blocks as Knofczynski is 16th in DIII with 45 total blocks. The Bennies are 36th in DIII in total kills with 510 and 41st in total digs with 705. McDonald ranks 33rd nationally and second in the MIAC with 198 total digs. In total assists, Spolidoro sits 18th in DIII with 375.

In league play, CSB is seventh in hitting percentage at .170 with 510 kills on 1,662 attacks. CSB has the fourth most kills and third most attacks in the MIAC. The Bennies also rank ninth in assists with 451 or 9.80 as a team. In addition CSB is third in the MIAC with 1.88 blocks per set and rank ninth with 1.85 service aces per set.
 
About the Auggies:
Augsburg University went 3-0 last weekend in the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Invitational as they defeated University of Minnesota Morris (3-2), Martin Luther College (3-0), and Simpson College (3-1).  The Auggies will be led by head coach Jane Becker who will be entering her 13th season. Becker has a 207-98 record at Augsburg, and a 74-36 MIAC conference record. Augsburg is led by Bri Van Well who has recorded 111 kills, 16 digs, one service error and a hitting percentage of .264. GK Lemonds leads the team in blocks with 15 block assists and four solo blocks for a total of 19.
 
Series Notes:
The Bennies have an overall record of 34-7 against Augsburg University. CSB has a 16-1 record at home inside of the friendly confines of Claire Lynch Hall.  In 2022, the Bennies defeated the then No. 20 Auggies, 3-0, on October 8 in Saint Joseph, Minn.
 
CSB led by Head Coach Nicole Hess
CSB Head Coach Nicole Hess has a career mark of 311-255, including 247-122 at Saint Ben's with a 93-39 MIAC record. With Hess at the helm, CSB has won 20 or more games five times with a best of 29 in 2012. In that period, CSB has finished third or better in the MIAC seven times, including second four times. In program history, the Bennies have 21 seasons of 20 wins or more and 16 seasons of at least 25 wins (30 wins three times). She ranks second all-time in wins at CSB with her 246 trailing only Carol Howe-Veenstra, who was 366-150 in her career at CSB including 176-36 in the MIAC.