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Women's Volleyball 8/26/2026 10:55:00 AM Tyler McDonough, Assistant Director of Sports Communications

Preview: Pack Volleyball Open 2026 Campaign In Texas At Kathleen Brasfield Invitational

SAN ANGELO, Texas – The wait is over, and Pack Volleyball is officially back.

Colorado State University Pueblo opens its 2026 campaign this weekend as the ThunderWolves head to San Angelo, Texas, for four matches at the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational, hosted by Angelo State University.

The Pack will play twice Friday and twice Saturday inside the Junell Center, opening the season Friday at 3 p.m. against East Central University before returning to the court at 7 p.m. against Minnesota State University Moorhead.

CSU Pueblo will then turn its attention toward South Central Region competition Saturday, taking on Lone Star Conference foe UT Permian Basin at noon before closing the weekend with a 6:30 p.m. showdown against host Angelo State.

Pack Looks to Build on Historic First Season Under Bruere

CSU Pueblo enters 2026 with plenty of momentum following one of the most successful seasons in recent program history.

Head Coach Jordan Bruere enters her second season leading her alma mater after making an immediate impact in her first year at the helm. Bruere guided the ThunderWolves to a 20-9 overall record and an 11-3 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play in 2025, while the Pack finished third in the RMAC standings and advanced to the semifinals of the RMAC Tournament.

The ThunderWolves were also a perfect 10-0 inside Massari Arena and opened conference play with seven consecutive victories.

The season culminated with CSU Pueblo earning the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, marking the Pack's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022.

Now, Bruere and the ThunderWolves will look to build on that success with a roster that features a combination of experienced returners and new faces.

CSU Pueblo returns four starters and seven letterwinners from last season's NCAA Tournament squad, but the Pack will have some significant production to replace.

Among the biggest losses are reigning RMAC Player of the Year Caelyn Gunn and All-American middle blocker Golden Finch. Gunn became the first player in program history to earn RMAC Player of the Year honors after leading CSU Pueblo with 405 kills, 3.97 kills per set and 442 points while adding 329 digs.

Finch concluded her collegiate career with an outstanding senior campaign of her own, leading the Pack with a .351 hitting percentage while recording 188 kills and a team-best 102 total blocks.

Both Gunn and Finch earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-America honors following the season.

The Pack also lost experienced outside hitters Taylor Cary and Megan Mattingly from last year's roster, leaving Bruere and her staff with the task of replacing several veteran contributors as CSU Pueblo turns the page to 2026.

Despite those departures, the ThunderWolves bring back several important pieces from last year's run.

Leading that group is senior setter Elena Stankovic, the reigning RMAC Setter of the Year and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. Stankovic directed the Pack offense with 936 assists and 9.75 assists per set last season while adding 222 digs, 93 kills, 36 service aces and 58 total blocks.

Stankovic enters the new season as CSU Pueblo's lone Preseason All-RMAC selection and will once again be tasked with directing the ThunderWolves' attack.

The Pack also returns senior middle blocker Finja Schul, who recorded 180 kills and hit .283 last season while finishing with 93 total blocks. Schul's 18 solo blocks led the ThunderWolves.

Senior right side Lilly Zwart also returns after appearing in 97 sets during the 2025 campaign. The New Zealand native finished the year with 168 kills, 67 total blocks and 203 points and gives the Pack another experienced presence at the net.

CSU Pueblo also brings back Kacee Garcia, Grace Helzer, Delanna Harper and Gabriela Hudson as part of a returning group that helped the ThunderWolves reach the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

That returning core will be joined by several newcomers as Bruere begins her second season in charge of the program.

The ThunderWolves were picked fifth in the 2026 RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 155 points from the league's head coaches.

Scouting East Central

The Pack's 2026 season officially begins Friday afternoon against East Central.

The Tigers finished the 2025 season with a 10-21 overall record and represent the Great American Conference.

East Central is led by Head Coach Danielle Essix and will also be opening its 2026 campaign this weekend in San Angelo.

Friday's 3 p.m. matchup will mark the first opportunity for Bruere's new-look ThunderWolves to take the floor in regular-season competition.

Scouting MSU Moorhead

CSU Pueblo will have a quick turnaround following its season opener as the Pack returns to the court Friday at 7 p.m. against Minnesota State University Moorhead.

The Dragons finished the 2025 season with a 14-15 overall record and compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

MSU Moorhead is led by Head Coach Kari Thompson.

The matchup gives CSU Pueblo an opportunity to see an opponent from outside the South Central Region before the ThunderWolves turn their attention to a pair of regional contests Saturday.

Scouting UT Permian Basin

Saturday begins with the Pack taking on UT Permian Basin at noon.

The Falcons finished last season with an 11-16 overall record and went 9-8 in Lone Star Conference play.

UTPB enters 2026 under new leadership after Melissa Avila was announced as the fourth head coach in program history on March 27.

Avila joined the Falcons after spending the 2025 season at fellow Lone Star Conference member Cameron University as the Aggies' head volleyball coach.

Saturday's meeting will also carry early regional importance, with CSU Pueblo and UT Permian Basin both competing in the NCAA Division II South Central Region.

Scouting Angelo State

The ThunderWolves will save perhaps their toughest test of opening weekend for last when they take on host Angelo State Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

The matchup features two programs that reached the NCAA Division II South Central Regional last season.

Angelo State enters 2026 as the defending Lone Star Conference Tournament Champion after another impressive season under longtime Head Coach Chuck Waddington.

The Rambelles earned the No. 3 seed in last season's South Central Regional and advanced all the way to the regional championship match.

ASU opened NCAA Tournament play with a victory over Lubbock Christian University before defeating Colorado School of Mines to advance to the third round. The Rambelles' season ultimately came to an end against eventual NCAA Division II National Champion MSU Denver.

Waddington enters his 19th season at Angelo State and has built the Rambelles into one of the premier programs in the Lone Star Conference and South Central Region. He has collected more than 400 victories during his tenure in San Angelo and has been named the LSC Coach of the Year four times.

Saturday night's matchup will provide an immediate measuring stick for Bruere and the ThunderWolves as two NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago square off to conclude the opening weekend.