Minnesota State University Moorhead Women's Volleyball

Kari Thompson begins her fourth season as MSUM's head volleyball coach in the fall of 2026. She was elevated to the post in April of 2023 after being MSUM's top assistant coach for two seasons.  Moorhead volleyball continued its upward trend under Thompson's leadership in 2025. The Dragons secured a five-win improvement from 2024, going 14-15 overall. MSUM also won seven NSIC matches, a three-win improvement from the 2024 season. The 14 wins by Moorhead in 2025 is the highest total since the 2015 campaign. MSUM began the season a perfect 5-0, marking the first time since 2017 a Dragon team began the year with five straight victories.  2024 saw the Dragons go 9-17 with senior middle blocker Abby Thompson earning All-NSIC Second Team honors. In 2023, Thompson and the Dragons finished the year with a 7-20 record while senior outside hitter Bridget Witzmann was named an All-NSIC Second Team performer.  "Kari registers high in our Dragon core values. Her grit will serve us well and we have been fortunate to have Kari on our staff the past couple of seasons," said MSUM athletic director Chad Markuson. "She has played a significant role in the upward trajectory of our program. I am excited to have her continue to grow our volleyball program. I am looking forward to her leadership both on the volleyball court, but also within the athletic department." A native of Amherst, Wis., Thompson brings 18 years of NCAA volleyball coaching and playing experience to MSUM. Thompson served as the head volleyball coach at North Dakota State from 2010-17 compiling a 102-98 record. She led NDSU to two Summit League tournament championships and to two NCAA appearances. She coached 12 All-Summit League selections. From 2006-10 she was an assistant at NDSU. After her time at NDSU, Thompson served as the head coach at Southern Illinois from 2017-18.  Thompson was a three-year volleyball player at Division I Wisconsin-Green Bay, earning three letters.  Thompson graduated from Wisconsin Green Bay in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and the arts. She earned a Master’s of science in health, nutrition and exercise science in 2018 from North Dakota State.

Chloe Solum is in her third season as an assistant coach for MSUM. She was elevated to full-time assistant in June of 2023.  Solum offers forth a wealth of volleyball experience both on the court and on the sidelines. Prior to coming to Moorhead, Solum spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach at Central Washington University. Hired in 2008, Solum was elevated to Head Assistant Coach of the Wildcats in 2017. In her role at Central Washington, Solum was the program's recruiting and travel coordinator as well as handling event planning, community service projects, camps, fundraising and social media duties.  Throughout her tenure in Ellensburg, Solum helped coach 50 all-conference players, 17 all-region performers and 16 All-Americans. In 2013, Solum was honored with the AVCA's Thirty Under 30 award, an honor that was also once bestowed upon head coach Kari Thompson. The Thirty Under 30 award was established by the AVCA to honor thirty of the up-and-coming volleyball coaches 30 years old or younger in the sport at all levels of the game. Solum spent her playing career as North Dakota State University, playing for the Bison from 2003 until 2006. A native of Mankato, Minnesota, Solum racked up 647 career digs (2.04 digs per set) in 317 career sets played at NDSU. Solum also registered 566 career kills in 96 matches played. Playing under Thompson (an assistant coach at the time) for the Bison in 2006, Solum had the best season of her collegiate career with 310 digs, 335 kills and 80 blocks in 113 sets played that season.

Monica Vega is in her first season as an assistant volleyball coach with the Dragons. Vega returns to the program after a standout career from 2014 until 2018.  The Ada, Minn., native's coaching experience began as a student-athlete at MSUM, serving as a coach at Dragon summer volleyball camps. From there, Vega would serve as a youth coach and camp facilitator for Midwest Elite Volleyball, a role she held until 2019. Vega would also coach club volleyball with Red River Infinity, serving as the 13u coach in 2018 and 2019. Throughout her time at MSUM, Vega also held a Youth Support Assistant role with Churches United.  Vega earned her Bachelor of Social Work from MSUM and would later earn a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University. Vega has also served as a graduate fellow for both the Office of Early Childhood Education and the School of Social Work at Arizona State University. Upon graduating from MSUM, Vega was a Program Manager/Supportive Housing Case Manager for Native American Connections.  Her career as a student-athlete at MSUM still stands up as one of the most impressive in Dragon volleyball history. Vega was a member of MSUM's Student-Athlete Advisory Comittee (SAAC) from 2016 until 2019. As a player, Vega was a three-year stalwart for the Dragons at libero, earning All-NSIC Second Team selection as a senior in 2018. This came after she played and started in 27 matches for the Dragons, tallying 491 digs on the year for a 5.01 digs per set clip. Vega completed her career with the third-most digs in program history, racking up 1,837. She was also an NSIC All-Academic Team honoree in 2018. Vega was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award in 2019 as well.