ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – For the second straight season, the (RV) College of Saint Benedict volleyball team is dancing at the NCAA DIII Tournament. The Bennies, fresh off a MIAC Tournament title and a late-season surge, open the NCAA Division III Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 20, with an 11:30 a.m., regional showdown against a familiar foe: No. 21 WashU in Oshkosh, Wis.

A Familiar Opponent on a National Stage
Saint Benedict (21–6) enters its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance riding a wave of momentum. A year ago, WashU, then ranked No. 11, defeated the Bennies in the opening round in Whitewater. Historically, WashU has dominated the series, holding a 9–1 edge, but CSB recorded a five-set victory on Sept. 15, 2023.

In the latest AVCA DIII Poll, CSB climbed into receiving-votes territory with eight points, while WashU (22–8) moved from No. 17 to No. 21.

The Bennies enter a deep and competitive regional. No. 22 Dubuque meets Cornell at 2 p.m. Thursday, Edgewood (RV) faces No. 25 Gustavus at 4:30 p.m., and host No. 3 UW–Oshkosh closes the day against Greenville. Winners advance to Friday's semifinals, with CSB or WashU set to face the Dubuque/Cornell winner at 4:30 p.m. The regional title match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m.

Scouting WashU
Under longtime head coach Vanessa Walby, WashU arrives in Oshkosh after falling in the UAA Championship match to Carnegie Mellon. The Bears average 12.9 kills per set and hit .219 as a team, supported by 16.5 digs and 2.0 blocks per set.
Offensively, they lean on Leah Oyewole, who delivers 3.77 kills per set and has topped 420 kills this season. Anna Freeman adds more than three kills per set. Defensively, Eva Bolling anchors the block with a team-best 105 blocks (0.91/set), while Nia Jones contributes 0.87 per set.

Bennies head into NCAA Tourney on six-game win streak
Confidence—and grit—have defined CSB's postseason push. Head coach Nicole Hess, now with 293 wins at Saint Benedict (357 overall), watched her squad close the regular season with six straight victories before tearing through the MIAC Tournament.

The Bennies swept Augsburg in the opening round, outlasted No. 23 Gustavus in a five-set road battle, and then engineered one of the season's most dramatic comebacks: a reverse sweep of top-seeded St. Olaf to capture the program's fourth MIAC Tournament crown (2009, 2017, 2024, 2025).

Historically, CSB brings name-brand postseason pedigree—23 NCAA Tournament wins, Elite Eight runs in 2019 and 2008, a 1990 Final Four appearance, and eight trips to the Sweet 16.

Impact Players and Key Numbers
CSB continues to showcase balanced firepower and standout individual performances:

MIAC Rankings

• 1st – Blocks per set (1.85)
• 1st – Service aces per set (2.30)
• 3rd – Points per set (15.91)
• 3rd – Digs per set (17.39)
• 5th – Hitting percentage (.169)
• 6th – Assists per set (10.77)
• 6th – Kills per set (11.75)

Key Contributors
• Kali Jones (Jr., OH) – One of the MIAC's most versatile athletes, ranking fifth in points (3.38/set) and top 12 in kills, digs, and aces. She brings 826 career kills, 924 digs, and 114 aces, plus 34 career double-doubles.
• Chaeli Haupert (Sr., L) – CSB's defensive anchor with 1,320 career digs (8th all-time). Ranks fourth in the MIAC in digs (4.34/set) and logged a career-high 32 digs in the MIAC title match.
• Izzy Torve (So., S) – A steady distributor and strong server, ranking sixth in the MIAC in aces (0.45/set). She recorded back-to-back double-doubles in the MIAC Tournament.
• Mackenzie Knofczynski (Sr., MB) – The MIAC's blocks leader (1.01/set) with 101 on the season. Adds 1.82 kills/set, 18 aces, and has topped 830 career kills and 349 blocks.
• McKenna Moehrle (Sr., MH) – A veteran presence with 106 kills this season and 141 career blocks, including 15 during the MIAC Tournament run.
• Keira McManus (Fr., OH) – A breakout first-year talent averaging 2.37 kills/set. Recorded 33 kills and eight blocks across the MIAC Tournament, including a career-high 19 kills vs. Concordia.

Honors Piling Up
This postseason has brought a wave of recognition to the Bennies.

• Jones and Knofczynski earned First Team All-MIAC honors.
• Haupert, Andries, and Moehrle were named to the MIAC All-Playoff Team.
• Andries and Kate Stadum collected MIAC Elite 22 honors on Nov. 19.
• McManus earned MIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 10.