Stepping into Seton Hall's Walsh Gymnasium is not an uncommon activity for Villanova volleyball players, as the arena was constructed in 1941 and has served as the longtime home of the Pirate volleyball program.
But this past Saturday afternoon, there was a Wildcat who had once made it a daily routine – just not as a member of the Villanova program all those times.
Graduate setter Taylor Jakubowski spent four years walking through those doors and donning a Pirate uniform in these matchups, yet in Villanova's BIG EAST road opener last weekend she stepped onto the other side of that floor wearing an opposing uniform for the first time.
"It was definitely strange, it was weird to go back and be on a different side of the court in different colors," Jakubowski said. "But seeing my best friend and my college roommate (who both still play at Seton Hall) made everything better. Right when the bus pulled up, they were there and gave me a hug which helped me out."
The 5-foot-8 Illinois native has been a force on the floor for the Wildcats in 2024, leading Villanova in digs (passing 1,000 in her career two weekends ago) and ranking second in assists through 13 contests including a double-double in the win over her alma mater. And yet not even a year ago, she was a rival of the 'Cats, tallying 18 helpers at Jake Nevin Field House last October against VU.
Jakubowski started out at Seton Hall during the 2020 season shortened by COVID and nearly left at the end of her sophomore year when the head coach left. But she stuck it out and served as a four-year contributor for the Pirates. By then, she was faced with another decision: stay or go.
"After the COVID year, my mom and I decided I was taking my fifth year to get my MBA," Jakubowski said. "I didn't know if I was going to take it at Seton Hall or transfer, but after my junior year I made the switch in my head that I wasn't going to stay, I needed a new experience."
Towards the end of her senior season, Jakubowski entered the transfer portal and her name came across then-Villanova recruiting coordinator Jackie Scott's desk. The staff already knew the Wildcats needed another setter to pair in a 6-2 with incoming freshman Alyssa Nelson, and Jakubowski checked all the boxes.
"When Taylor's name came up in the portal toward the end of the season, our staff thought we had to reach out to her immediately since she'll fit with what we're trying to do," head coach Josh Steinbach said. "She's a kid that just plays hard. You can do all kinds of things about on-court technique, but you can't do anything about someone that just gets after it."
Originally planning on heading to a school closer to her hometown near Chicago, Jakubowski fell in love with the Main Line on her visit and joined the Wildcats for the spring semester.
Jakubowski made an instant impact on her teammates, playing with the 'Cats through their offseason scrimmages and European tour before being named a captain for the rare fifth time in her collegiate career.
"I'm just thankful to have been nominated. It's cool to see that people look up to me and that my leadership skills are noticed," Jakubowski said. "I play for my friends so it's nice to see them look up to me. I just want the best for my team always."
Watching the Wildcats in 2024, it's hard to miss Jakubowski. Fans quickly notice No. 12 flying around with her athletic setting style in addition to a vocal and energetic presence.
"I started playing when I was six years old and always grew up being the younger one, so I needed to stand out somehow," Jakubowski said. "My mom's a coach so I've grown up in the sport. It's always been an outlet for me and even when I'm having a hard day, I love being on the court and I want the people around me to love it too."
That energy and passion has seemed to rub off on the rest of the team, especially helping out the six-member class of first-years.
"She's freed the freshmen up to show personality," Steinbach said. "One of the hardest things as a freshman is to loosen up and be yourself. But when you see somebody else that hasn't been here very long doing their thing, it's very easy to be who you want to be and play how you want to play around her."
Jakubowski has formed a special bond with her setting partner Nelson as the two have split time in a 6-2 offense. Jakubowski has tried to impart lessons on the freshman who she thinks "is going to be a star."
"I just texted her on the bus this weekend that I'm so proud of her," Jakubowski said. "She's grown into more of a vocal leader. At first I had to get her to talk but now she's leading on the court. She has great hands and a great IQ. Sometimes it feels like she's teaching me things so we balance each other really well."
It's been a season of interesting coincidences for Jakubowski. In the course of just over a month with her new team, she has played against her alma mater and two former head coaches (Binghamton's Allie Yaeger and SHU's Shannon Thompson) and now returns to her home state of Illinois this coming weekend for a matchup at DePaul.
The fifth-year Jakubowski is working towards an MBA after completing her Bachelor's degree in marketing at SHU, but following graduation in the spring comes another important choice: her career.
"I don't know what path I want to be on yet but I know I want to communicate with people, be on the consumer side and work in the field instead of a desk," Jakubowski said. "And I can't leave this sport yet, I'm not ready for that. So coaching is definitely in the works."
The product of an athletic family with a volleyball-coach mom, Creighton soccer-playing sister, and a DI-baseball player dad and brothers, Jakubowski plans to join her mother as an assistant coach of the 18s team at her volleyball club in the spring while finishing her online coursework.
Looking back on a five-year college career spanning a pair of BIG EAST teams, Jakubowski said it's the people and the little moments that she'll cherish.
"Our bus drives and locker room talks are things that I'll remember for a lifetime," Jakubowski said.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats continue their BIG EAST calendar with a two-match road swing, heading to Jakubowski's home state for a Friday bout at DePaul before traveling to Cincinnati to take on Xavier.
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