CHICAGO – Villanova volleyball hits the road this weekend for a Midwestern BIG EAST swing, traveling to face the DePaul Blue Demons and the Marquette Golden Eagles.
 
The Wildcats (9-6, 2-2 BIG EAST) will open the weekend against the Blue Demons on Friday at 8 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. CDT) inside McGrath-Phillips Arena in Chicago. The Wildcats will conclude their road trip on Saturday when they head to Milwaukee to take on Marquette inside the Al McGuire Center. The match will begin at 6 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. CDT).
 
MIDWEST MISSION
After dropping their first two BIG EAST matches on the road, the Wildcats bounced back in a major way last weekend, sweeping both Providence and UConn inside Jake Nevin Fieldhouse. Villanova enters the weekend looking to carry that home momentum onto the road and secure their first away conference victories of the year. The 'Cats are paced by the highly efficient middle blocker Campbell McKinnon (186 kills, .378 hitting percentage, 58 blocks) and the two-way play of setter Alyssa Nelson (390 assists, 133 digs, 16 aces).
 
DEMON DETAILS

• DePaul holds an 11-4 overall record this season under head coach Marie Zidek. The Blue Demons opened 2026 with a historic 11-3 mark and a 3-0 start in BIG EAST play before having their momentum halted in a four-set road loss to Creighton last time out.
• The Blue Demons were predicted to finish fifth in the BIG EAST preseason poll this year after finishing the 2025 season at 14-13.
• DPU is led by Preseason All-BIG EAST Team selection Kendall Timme (195 kills, 16 aces). Leonor Polezzi (473 assists), libero Nora Mannion (173 digs), and middle blocker Jade Dudley-Epps (55 blocks) round out the statistical leaders for the Windy City foes.
• Villanova holds a 19-10 all-time record against DePaul, including a 10-5 mark in Chicago. The Blue Demons took the last meeting in four sets (3-1) on Oct. 24, 2025, with the 'Cats seeking their first win over DePaul since October 2024.

 
MARQUETTE MATTERS

• Marquette enters the weekend with an 8-6 overall record and a 3-1 mark in conference play under head coach Tom Mendoza. The Golden Eagles recently picked up a five-set victory over Creighton, with their lone BIG EAST loss coming against DePaul.
• The Golden Eagles were picked to finish third in the conference this season after going 18-11 a season ago, making it to the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Championship where they ultimately fell to Louisville in five sets.
• MARQ is led by outside hitter Carson Tyler (239 kills, 29 aces), setter Luanna Markus (514 assists), defensive specialist Emi Juric (177 digs), and middle blocker Molly Welge (68 blocks).
• Villanova holds a 5-27 all-time record against Marquette, including a 3-13 mark on the road. The Wildcats snapped a 14-match losing streak against the Golden Eagles with a 3-1 victory in their most recent meeting on Oct. 25, 2025.

 
Streaming for both matches will be available on ESPN+ and will feature stats courtesy of StatBroadcast.
 
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