Northwestern volleyball is entering year three of the Tim Nollan era, and the team will be looking for reinforcements in all directions as it hopes to take another step toward becoming a legitimate Big Ten contender.
As with any rebuilding program, success hinges on bringing in marquee talent through both the transfer portal and high school recruits. NU did just that, picking up two transfers and securing six signees who will enter Northwestern this fall as incoming first-years.
Here’s a look at the
Wildcats’ newcomers and what each brings to the 2026 squad.
Transfers
Mara Štiglic
Štiglic marked NU’s first transfer pickup, as she joined the ‘Cats after two strong seasons as an outside hitter for Utah State. The rising junior hails from Croatia, where she had a decorated career as one of the country’s youngest prospects. She made her debut at just 13 years old and racked up numerous accolades during her playing career, including silver medals in the 2020 and 2021 U18 National Championships. Štiglic also scored 101 points during the Croatian National Team’s run at the U19 FIVB Women’s World Championships, where they finished in fifth place.
Štiglic brought overseas success to Utah State, and she quickly became one of the team’s premier attackers. She recorded 156 kills her first-year season, ranking second on the team in kills per set. Štiglic also showed marked improvement as a sophomore, leading her team with 431 kills over 32 games while tying for first on the team with an average of 4.08 points per set.
Štiglic brings to NU offensive tenacity and proven experience in spearheading a team’s attack. She should slot right in as a weapon on offense who can potentially make up for recently graduated Ayah Elnady, who was the team’s leader in kills last season.
Cate Schnell
Schnell enters Northwestern as a redshirt junior following three seasons at Tennessee. A graduate of Cathedral Catholic High School, the San Diego native helped lead the Dons to a perfect 42-0 record while contributing to the nation’s top-ranked and California’s No. 1 high school volleyball program. After developing during her first seasons at Tennessee, Schnell broke out her third year as a redshirt sophomore, setting career highs in digs and aces with 16 and 14, respectively. In the strongest game of her collegiate career, Schnell posted six aces and five digs, both personal bests.
If Štiglic serves as a replacement for Elnady’s production, then Schnell could replicate Lauren Carter, who last year recorded a team-high 49 aces — the most ever by a Wildcat in the rally scoring era. While that presents a high bar, Schnell could serve as a formidable serving option who can rack up aces and put opposing passers under constant pressure while utilizing her size and ball control. Her SEC experience may also prove valuable, as she has insight into contentious conference play.
Signees
Kaitlyn Bondar | Graduate of Duchesne Academy in Omaha, Nebraska
During Bondar’s four seasons at Duchesne, she blossomed into a stout facilitator, reaching 1,882 assists during her high school tenure, including 1,000 assists her junior year. She also led the team in aces both her junior and senior seasons, while also recording 543 career digs.
Nollan describes Bondar as a strong setter with good instincts at the service line, someone who can inject youthful energy and be a jack-of-all-trades centerpiece for NU.
Simone Huarte | Graduate of Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California
Huarte was a potent offensive weapon in high school, earning 1,500 varsity kills en route to becoming an All-Conference team member four years in a row. She also captained the team during her upperclassmen years and was named its MVP in 2025 after leading the program to its third conference championship.
Huarte may serve as a pin hitter for the ‘Cats, someone who can utilize her length to generate pace and strength with her attacks.
Hayley Schaaf | Graduate of Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon.
Schaaf set her high school record for career kills with 1,434, while being named an All-State and All-League honoree all four years. She was recognized as Oregon’s No. 1 middle blocker by PrepDig and earned a spot on the 2025 Girls National Championships All-Tournament team.
Schaaf thrives as a kill machine who can play with speed and vision, which could pay dividends for NU’s offense. Nollan notes her as a fantastic attacker who can rack up consecutive points in the blink of an eye.
Clara Schramm | Graduate of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona
Schramm earned Offensive Player of the Year honors at Chaparral, honing her consistency and volume as a pin attacker who averages multiple kills on a high percentage. Her versatility is also noteworthy, as she frequently rotated between multiple positions including outside and right side.
Nollan characterizes Schramm as a dynamic weapon who can hit with range and velocity, while also touting her development as a potent blocker.
Ellie Stiernagle | Graduate of Benet Academy in Wheaton, Illinois
Stiernagle’s strengths as a setter shined at Benet, a school known for being a prominent volleyball academy particularly for setter training. She posted 1,900 career assists, earning second-team All-State and leading her squad to the 2025 conference championship. She also brings family legacy to Northwestern, as her father played football as a Wildcat.
Stiernagle’s elite playmaking skills also come with being able to attack at a high level and block efficiently. Nollan anticipates her having an immediate impact early on.
Maya Stillwell | Graduate of Harvard-Westlake in Sherman Oaks, California
Stillwell’s high school accolades include being a 16U USA Volleyball Junior Nationals Open Division National Champion and earning bronze medals at the USA Volleyball Junior Nationals. Volleyball is a core part of her family, as her father competed with the U.S. national team while playing men’s volleyball at UCLA.
Stillwell’s strongest traits lie in her middle blocking capabilities, someone who can shine as both an attacker and blocker.
