Preview in Pictures: The 2024 Villanova Volleyball Team

Villanova enters the 2024 campaign off the 23rd BIG EAST Tournament appearance in program history to cap off a 2023 where the Wildcats went 17-14 and fell in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals. 18th-year head coach Josh Steinbach returns 12 student-athletes from last year's team and welcomes one graduate transfer and a strong six-member freshmen class as the program looks to return to a top spot in the conference.

SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO SEE PROFILES OF EACH OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 2024 VILLANOVA WILDCATS

 

 

Riley Homer (#6) - Graduate Student, Outside Hitter, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Riley Homer
Riley Homer is Villanova's lone current 1,000 point scorer with 903 total kills through 2023.
Riley Homer
Homer earned All-BIG EAST Team in her freshman campaign of 2020.
Riley Homer
Homer totaled 150 kills and 54 blocks as VU's starting right side hitter last year.
Riley Homer Senior Night
Homer is an accomplished student-athlete with eight AD's Honor Roll laurels.

 

 

Taylor Jakubowski (#12) - Graduate Student, Setter, Lake in the Hills, Ill.
Taylor Jakubowski
Taylor Jakubowski is a setter and transfer from Seton Hall who will use her fifth year at VU.
Taylor Jakubowski 3
Jakubowski ranks 10th all-time at Seton Hall for career assists with 1,797 in her four years.
Taylor Jakubowski 2
Jakubowski contributed 919 digs at SHU with a 2020 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team nod.
Taylor Jakubowski & Riley Homer
Jakubowski will serve as a team captain, making her a five-year collegiate captain.

 

 

Elizabeth Feczko (#1) - Senior, Libero/Defensive Specialist, Wexford, Pa.
Elizabeth Feczko
Elizabeth Feczko is a veteran of 309 sets and will serve as a captain in senior year.
Elizabeth Feczko
Feczko led the team in digs with 422 (3.61 per set) as the starting libero in 2022.
Elizabeth Feczko
Feczko has totaled 47 career aces with 19 in her sophomore season and 17 in 2023.
Elizabeth Feczko
Feczko earned Athletic Director's Honor Roll in each of her semesters at VU.

 

 

Ellery Gray (#2) - Senior, Setter, Lexington, Ky.
Ellery Gray
Ellery Gray has totaled 81 assists and 10 kills between her sophomore and junior years.
Ellery Gray
Gray totaled 11 blocks in 2022 with nine kills and nine digs as well as a career-high in assists.
Ellery Gray
Gray put up a career-high 24 assists against Marquette in November as a sophomore.
Elizabeth & Ellery
Gray is a two-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team with one AD's Honor Roll.

 

 

Rose Crist (#8) - Senior, Outside Hitter, Noblesville, Ind.
Rose Crist
Rose Crist earned All-BIG EAST Freshman Team in 2021 with eight double-digit kill matches.
Rose Crist
Crist finished first on the team in kills as a sophomore with 292 terminations on the year.
Rose Crist
Crist picked up All-Tournament Team honors at the Villanova Classic in 2022.
Rose Crist
Crist was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week in September of her second season.

 

 

Ozzie Ozonoh (#14) - Senior, Middle Blocker, Redlands, Calif.
Ozzie Ozonoh
Ozzie Ozonoh has played in five career sets with six total kills and four blocks as a Wildcat.
Ozzie Ozonoh
Ozonoh registered a kill in back-to-back matches in the 2023 Villanova Classic.
Ozzie Ozonoh
Ozonoh played in three sets as a freshman with a trio of kills and blocks against Bryant.
Dani & Ozzie
Ozonoh is an accomplished student-athlete with BIG EAST All-Academic honors every year.

 

 

Dani Ortiz (#15) - Senior, Defensive Specialist, Coral Gables, Fla.
Dani Ortiz
Dani Ortiz served as Villanova's top serving specialist in 2023 with 12 aces on the year.
Dani Ortiz
Ortiz has appeared in 100 sets and 35 matches during her first three years on the Main Line.
Dani Ortiz
Ortiz has totaled at least one dig in 23 different appearances during her career.
Dani Ortiz
Ortiz is a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection and multi-time AD's Honor Roll.

 

 

Tara Garvey (#5) - Junior, Outside Hitter, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Tara Garvey
Tara Garvey racked up 161 kills in her first two years with 143 as a true freshman.
Tara Garvey
Garvey put up seven double-digit kill performances in 202 with a season-high 20.
Tara Garvey
Garvey has totaled 21 total blocks as a Wildcat with rejections in 13 matches.
Tara Garvey
Garvey was a four-sport athlete in high school, including a team MVP in basketball.

 

 

Faith Tyson (#19) - Junior, Setter, La Jolla, Calif.
Faith Tyson
Faith Tyson has appeared in six matches and 17 sets as a serving sub for Villanova.
Faith Tyson
Tyson earned her first career ace as part of a two-ace day at Providence.
Faith Tyson
Tyson contributed two assists and a pair of digs against Connecticut in November.
Faith Tyson
Tyson played in all three sets of the BIG EAST Quarterfinals against St. John's.

 

 

Abby Harrell (#10) - Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Ellensburg, Wash.
Abby Harrell
Abby Harrell became the first Wildcat since 1996 to win BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.
Abby Harrell
Harrell earned five Freshman of the Week awards en route to an All-BIG EAST Team nod.
Abby Harrell
Harrell maintains the ninth-highest kills per set mark (3.30) in Villanova history.
Abby Harrell
Harrell tallied 10 straight double-digit kill matches from Sept. 23-Oct. 25 as a freshman.

 

 

Sophia Stalcup (#20) - Sophomore, Middle Blocker, Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
Sophia Stalcup
Sophia Stalcup provides depth as a middle blocker and right side hitter for the Wildcats.
Sophia Stalcup
Stalcup was a Second Team All-League selection in high school.
Group Shot
Stalcup is the tallest member of Villanova's roster, standing at 6-foot-3.
Stalcup is a member of the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society.

 

 

Annika Veurink (#25) - Sophomore, Middle Blocker, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Annika Veurink
Annika Veurink tallied four kills and a .444 hitting percentage in four sets as a freshman.
Veurink put forth a kill in three different matches, including two against Sacred Heart.
Veurink was a 2022 AVCA HS All-American and a PrepVolleyball Honorable Mention.
Angelle, Annika and Kiera
Veurink is a three-time member of the National Honor Society and AAU National Academic AA.

 

 

Marly Smith (#29) - Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Marly Smith
Marly Smith appeared in 18 matches as a freshman with 33 kills and three blocks.
Marly Smith
Smith contributed a career-high 11 kills on .526 hitting in a start against Sacred Heart.
Marly Smith
Smith notched at least one kill in 10 different matches for the Wildcats.
Marly Smith
Smith comes from an athletic family with both parents and brother playing DI sports.

 

 

Campbell McKinnon (#0) - Freshman, Middle Blocker, Collierville, Tenn.
Campbell McKinnon
Campbell McKinnon was a two-time district MVP and twice a region tournament MVP.
Campbell McKinnon 2
McKinnon racked up 1,464 kills and 363 blocks during her career at Collierville HS.
Campbell McKinnon 4
McKinnon finished as a runner-up at USAV 2021 Nationals and earned fifth place twice.
Campbell McKinnon 3
McKinnon is a member of the national French, Social Studies and Science honor societies.

 

 

Taylor Lewis (#4) - Freshman, Outside Hitter, Indianapolis, Ind.
Taylor Lewis 3
Taylor Lewis was ranked as the 11th prospect in the state of Indiana per PrepDig.
Taylor Lewis
Lewis was a three-time all-city selection with 1,149 total kills in her four years of varsity.
Taylor Lewis 4
Lewis was named to the All-American Watch List in 2023 while earning all-state honors.
Taylor Lewis 2
Lewis also played basketball and doubles tennis in her scholastic career in Indiana.

 

 

Alyssa Nelson (#7), Freshman, Setter, Wildwood, Mo.
Alyssa Nelson
Alyssa Nelson was a 2023 AVCA All-American as a setter out of the state of Missouri.
Alyssa Nelson 4
Nelson earned three all-conference nods with a Metro Player of the Year accolade in 2022.
Alyssa Nelson 2
Nelson set a school record with over 3,000 career assists and 67 helpers in one match.
Alyssa Nelson 3
Nelson was named to the academic all-state team twice as a scholastic.

 

 

Cat Young (#9) - Freshman, Outside Hitter, Flower Mound, Texas
Cat Young 3
Cat Young earned an AVCA Honorable Mention All-America nod in 2023.
Cat Young
Young was a three-time First Team All-District selection during her senior year of high school.
Cat Young
Young was selected to the PrepVolleyball Class of 2024 Top 150 List.
Cat Young 2
Young was named to the AVCA Best & Brightest Student-Athlete.

 

 

Lola Buck-Taylor (#13) - Freshman, Libero/Defensive Specialist, Tampa, Fla.
Lola Buck-Taylor 2
Lola Buck-Taylor earned two all-district selections as a scholastic defensive specialist.
Lola Buck-Taylor 4
Buck-Taylor set a school record for single match digs with 37 in one match.
Lola Buck-Taylor 3
Buck-Taylor was a 2023 AAU national champion and a top 10 finisher in 2022.
Lola Buck-Taylor
Buck-Taylor hails from an athletic family with both parents playing Division I sports.

 

 

Margot Randall (#23) - Freshman, Middle Blocker, Leawood, Kans.
Margot Randall
Margot Randall was a two-time First Team All-District selection as a middle blocker in Kansas.
Margot Randall 3
Randall totaled 181 solo blocks in her scholastic career with three varsity letters in volleyball.
Margot Randall 4
Randall is a complete student-athlete with first honors in three of her four years at St. Teresa's.
Margot Randall 2
Randall comes from a Villanova family with her dad and two uncles playing Villanova sports.