Preview in Pictures: The 2025 Villanova Volleyball Team

Villanova enters the 2025 campaign coming off a second straight BIG EAST Tournament berth and the program's first postseason victory since 2015 to advance to a BIG EAST semifinal and cap off a year where the Wildcats went 17-14 overall and 9-9 in league play. 19th-year head coach Josh Steinbach returns 10 student-athletes from last year's team and welcomes six newcomers (four freshmen, two grad transfers) as the program looks to return to the now-shrunken conference playoffs.

SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO SEE PROFILES OF EACH OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 2025 VILLANOVA WILDCATS

 

 

Emma Vu (#5) - Graduate Student, Setter, Allen, Texas
Emma Vu
Emma Vu joins the Wildcats after three seasons as a setter at Iona.
Emma Vu
Vu accumulated over 800 assists and nearly 300 digs with the Gaels.
Emma Vu
Vu put forth a career-high with 5.28 assists per set and 32 aces as a senior.
Emma Vu
Vu graduated magna cum laude with a BBA in marketing as a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.

 

 

Ava Mehrten (#22) - Graduate Student, Opposite Hitter, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Ava Mehrten
Ava Mehrten comes to the Main Line following a four-year career at Cal-Berkeley.
Ava Mehrten
Mehrten totaled 136 kills and 94 blocks in her time with the Bears, including 51 stuffs in 2024.
Ava Mehrten
Mehrten was named a Tournament MVP in 2023 after nine blocks and 19 kills against Nevada.
Ava Mehrten
Mehrten was a back-to-back NCVA champion in high school, winning in 2018 and 2019.

 

 

Abby Harrell (#10) - Junior, Outside Hitter, Ellensburg, Wash.
Abby Harrell
Abby Harrell is a two-time all-league selection who earned Freshman of the Year in 2023.
Abby Harrell
Harrell has led the team in kills during both of her seasons, totaling 743 in just two years.
Abby Harrell
Harrell has contributed 15 double-doubles as a Wildcat, eclipsing 500 digs in her second year.
Abby Harrell
Harrell is an accomplished student-athlete who earned Academic All-Area as a sophomore.

 

 

Sophia Stalcup (#20) – Junior, Opposite Hitter, Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
Sophia Stalcup
Sophia Stalcup is a versatile front row option who adds height as a 6-foot-3 right side hitter.
Sophia Stalcup
Stalcup played in two sets in 2024, contributing her first kills against Loyola Maryland.
Sophia Stalcup
Stalcup led her high school team in blocks as a senior, picking up all-league honors.
Sophia Stalcup
Stalcup is a four-time member of the AD's Honor Roll, earning mention each time eligible.

 

 

Annika Veurink (#25) - Junior, Middle Blocker, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Annika Veurink
Annika Veurink has played in seven matches, recording six kills and three blocks.
Annika Veurink
Veurink appeared in three matches in 2024, putting up two kills at No. 5 Creighton.
Annika Veurink
Veurink tallied a termination in three different matches in her freshman campaign.
Annika Veurink
Veurink was an AVCA High School All-American and a PrepVolleyball AA Hon. Mention.

 

 

Marly Smith (#29) - Junior, Outside Hitter, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Marly Smith
Marly Smith is a veteran of 28 matches as a Wildcat, tallying over 20 kills in each season.
Marly Smith
Smith totaled a career-high four aces along with six digs against Rhode Island last year.
Marly Smith
Smith was a difference-maker as a freshman, named All-Tournament at the Villanova Classic.
Marly Smith
Smith comes from an athletic family with both parents and brother playing Division I sports.

 

 

Campbell McKinnon (#0) - Sophomore, Middle Blocker, Collierville, Tenn.
Campbell McKinnon
Campbell McKinnon burst onto the scene with a BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection in 2024.
Campbell & Taylor L Block
McKinnon led the team in blocks with 111 last year, tops on the squad in 17 matches.
Campbell McKinnon
McKinnon was named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team after 11 blocks vs. UConn.
Campbell McKinnon
McKinnon started in all 31 matches as a freshman, playing in all 113 sets.

 

 

Taylor Lewis (#4) - Sophomore, Outside/Opposite Hitter, Indianapolis, Ind.
Taylor Lewis
Taylor Lewis finished top five on the team for both kills and blocks as a freshman.
Taylor Lewis
Lewis put forth four-straight double-digit kill outings, leading the squad with 16 vs. DePaul.
Taylor Lewis
Lewis is an accomplished student-athlete, earning four presidential scholar honors.
Taylor Lewis
Lewis was named the 11th best prospect in the state of Indiana coming out of high school.

 

 

Alyssa Nelson (#7) - Sophomore, Setter, Wildwood, Mo.
Alyssa Nelson
Alyssa Nelson paced the 'Cats in assists during her first season, totaling over 600 helpers.
Alyssa Nelson
Nelson registered eight double-doubles on the year, accumulating more than 230 digs.
Alyssa Nelson
Nelson put up 27 assists and a career-best 20 digs in the five-set BIG EAST Tournament win.
Alyssa, Campbell & Cat
Nelson was a 2023 AVCA All-American and the Metro Player of the Year as a high school junior.

 

 

Cat Young (#9) - Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Flower Mound, Texas
Cat Young
Cat Young was a valuable hitter as a freshman, ranking in the team's top five for four stats.
Cat Young
Young earned All-Tournament at the Yale Invitational with 29 kills and 24 total digs.
Cat Young
Young put up her first career double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs versus Binghamton.
Cat Young
Young was named an AVCA Best and Brightest Student-Athlete First Team in 2023.

 

 

Lola Buck-Taylor (#13) - Sophomore, Def. Specialist/Libero, Tampa, Fla.
Lola Buck-Taylor
Lola Buck-Taylor appeared in 24 matches in her first year, totaling over 100 digs and 30 assists.
Lola Buck-Taylor
Buck-Taylor tallied double-digit digs in a pair of matches, including 14 at DePaul.
Lola Buck-Taylor
Buck-Taylor made her collegiate debut against Santa Clara, seeing time as the libero.
Excited Lola Buck-Taylor
Buck-Taylor comes from an athletic family with both parents playing Division I sports.

 

 

Margot Randall (#23) - Sophomore, Middle Blocker, Leawood, Kan.
Margot Randall
Margot Randall redshirted her true freshman season with the Wildcats.
Margot, Soph, Annika
Randall earned a pair of All-District First Team nods in her high school career.
Margot Randall
Randall totaled more than 400 kills and 180 solo blocks as a scholastic.
High Fives
Randall comes from a Villanova family, as her dad and two uncles all played VU sports.

 

 

Ava Harris (#2) - Freshman, Setter, Angola, Ind.
Ava Harris
Ava Harris was a four-time all-conference selection with over 2,750 assists in high school.
Ava Harris
Harris participated in the USA Volleyball National Team program from 2020-23.
Ava Harris
Harris also earned four varsity letters in tennis as an all-conference #1 doubles player.
Ava Harris
Harris comes from a volleyball family with her dad, mom, aunt and sister all playing in college.

 

 

Marikate Ritterbusch (#8) - Freshman, Def. Specialist/Libero, Palatine, Ill.
Marikate Ritterbusch
Marikate Ritterbusch was a key defender on a three-time state runner-up team.
Marikate Ritterbusch
Ritterbusch has been named to the AVCA Phenom and JVA Girls Watch Lists in her career.
Marikate Ritterbusch
Ritterbusch earned her team's Sportsmanship Award and was an AAU Academic AA.
Marikate Ritterbusch
Ritterbusch is an accomplished student as a member of the NHS and an AP Scholar.

 

 

Mina Diggs (#21) - Freshman, Def. Specialist/Libero, University Heights, Ohio
Mina Diggs
Mina Diggs was a member of the 2024 USAV 17 National runner-up team with her club.
Mina Diggs
Diggs was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2024 USAV Nationals.
Mina Diggs
Diggs also competed in both softball and track, earning a pair of varsity letters in both sports.
Mina Diggs
Diggs earned the Spanish 1 academic award during her high school career.

 

 

Reagan McGivern (#44) - Freshman, Middle Blocker, Topeka, Kan.
Reagan McGivern
Reagan McGivern was a four-year varsity starter and AVCA Phenom Watchlist member.
Reagan McGivern
McGivern earned an invitation to the UA Next All-America Camp in her high school career.
Reagan McGivern
McGivern is a four-time member of the KVA All-Academic First Team and Superior Honors.
Reagan McGivern
McGivern participated in four state titles with her school winning the 5A states in 2023.