Michelle Blaeser

Head Coach

Alma Maters: Minnesota State '90 / University of Minnesota '93
Phone: 320-308-3140
E-mail: mgblaeser@stcloudstate.edu

Visit Coach Blaeser's bio page...

 

Marci Alofa Peniata

Assistant Coach

St. Cloud State University's assistant volleyball coach Marci Peniata completed her first season as assistant coach at SCSU this past fall (2010).  She, along with first year head coach Michelle Blaeser, helped lead the Huskies to their best season in six years with a 14-14 overall mark (9-11 NSIC).

Peniata also garnered the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 Award in February of 2011.

"I am honored to be a recipient of the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award," said Peniata. "I love working in this profession. I have a passion for coaching volleyball and I am thankful that I am able to impact the lives of student-athletes here at St. Cloud State." 

Prior to Peniata's appointment at St. Cloud State, effective July 1, 2010, Peniata spent the previous three seasons (2007, 2008, 2009) as the second assistant coach for the Ball State University women’s volleyball team. Before her tenure at Ball State, Peniata was a four-year member of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s volleyball team.

In Peniata’s three seasons with the Cardinals, she helped lead the Ball State back court to top-five rankings in the final Mid-American Conference dig rankings each season. In 2007, the Cardinals finished fifth with 14.57 digs per set, while the back court improved two spots in 2008, ranking third with 15.43 digs per set. Peniata recently graduated with her master’s in physical education and sport administration from Ball State in May of 2010.

Peniata, who earned her bachelor’s degree in business in 2007, finished her career at Minnesota (2003-06) ranked second on the school’s all-time career digs list at 1,401. After leading the Big Ten with a 5.22 digs-per-game average her senior season, Peniata earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention accolades, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was a First-Team All-Big Ten honoree. She was also a four-time Scholar Athlete and garnered the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolades three times during her collegiate stint.

Prior to her collegiate career, Peniata was a two-time AAU All-American (2001 & 2002) for the Kaepa Northern Lights Club, while being named an All-American at the 2000 Junior National Championships (16-Open) and picking up the “Best Setter” award at the 2002 National Junior Championships.

During her prep career at Armstrong High School in Plymouth, Minn., Peniata was an All-American and All-State player as a junior and senior. During her senior campaign, she led her team to an undefeated (29-0) record, while collecting 31 kills and 28 digs in the team’s state championship victory over Eagan High School. As a junior, she collected a school-record 53 kills in one match.

A native of Plymouth, Minn., Peniata is the daughter of Kelly and Patty Peniata. She has an infant son, nine siblings, with three older sisters and one younger sister who played collegiate volleyball, along with five brothers.

Kari Turkowski

Graduate Assistant Coach

A familiar face to the St. Cloud State University athletic department, Kari Turkowski joins the Husky Volleyball coaching staff for the first time as a graduate assistant coach in the fall of 2011. A three-sport standout athlete for the Huskies, Turkowski “Turk” played volleyball for the Cardinal and Black from 2000-03. The 5-8 lefty dished out 2,816 set assists in a Husky uniform, which currently ranks fourth all-time at St. Cloud State. Twice she landed on the All-North Central Conference squad and her 857 career digs rank tenth at SCSU. Turkowski completed her volleyball career with 698 kills, 113 serving aces and 137 total blocks in 384 sets played.

Following her standout volleyball tenure, Turkowski joined the St. Cloud State Division I women’s hockey roster for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. She appeared in 27 games for the Huskies and recorded two points (1g, 1a). She was also a member of the Husky Track & Field squad before graduating in December of 2005 with a bachelor of science in accounting.

Since 2006, Turkowski has been employed with Larson Allen as a senior tax accountant. She also brings to St. Cloud State over ten years of prep volleyball coaching experience. The daughter of Wayne and Addie Turkowski and long-time girlfriend of Chris Garner, the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey equipment manager, Turkowski plans to pursue a master of science in emotional, physical and aging health with a pre-medicine undergraduate degree at St. Cloud State. She currently resides in nearby Richmond, Minn. 

Other Staff

Equipment Managers: Kay Czarnetzki, Bartt Gevens
Athletic Trainers: Julie Alexander (Head ATC), Shannon Curtin (Graduate Assistant)
Athletic Media Relations Contact: Celest Stang (crstang@stcloudstate.edu)

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