Coming off back-to-back sweeps on the West Coast, Maryland volleyball faces its third straight ranked opponent at home before traveling to Evanston, Illinois, for a one-game road trip.
The Friday night
matchup against No. 24 Indiana will be the Terps’ final game in the Big Ten Discover In-Season Volleyball Challenge. The Terps are 1-3 in tournament games, with its sole win coming over Rutgers earlier this month. Maryland remains winless against conference opponents away from College Park entering the second half of Big Ten play, a streak it will look to break Sunday when facing Northwestern.
First serve will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the Xfinity Center Pavilion and Sunday’s game will start at 2 p.m. at the Welsh-Ryan Arena. Both games will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
No. 24 Indiana Hoosiers (16-4, 7-3 Big Ten)
2024 record: 15–15, 8–12 Big Ten
Head coach Steve Aird’s 2025 season has been his most successful in Bloomington so far. In his eighth year, the team is ranked fourth in the Big Ten.
If his team continues their course this season it will be Aird’s fourth straight campaign leading the Hoosiers to a .500 record or better. With a win Friday, Indiana would tie last season’s conference win total and improve the team’s current .800 winning percentage.
Aird won two national championships as an assistant coach with Penn State before leading Maryland for four seasons prior to Adam Hughes. Known at Indiana for his recruiting efforts, including a top-15 2025 class, Aird continues to bring new energy to a rising Hoosiers program.
Players to watch
Avry Tatum, senior opposite hitter, No. 13 – Tatum continues to improve every season. Her senior campaign is no exception, hitting .358 and averaging more than three kills per set. Her consistency on the right pin has been key to Indiana’s success.
Ella Boersema, sophomore middle blocker, No. 27 – Boersema has taken a leap in her second season of Big Ten volleyball. She leads the conference in blocks per set and is hitting .375 on the season while carrying a new load for the Hoosiers at the net.
Strength
Pin offense. Indiana is the only team in the Big Ten with three hitters in the top 20 in kills per set, including Tatum and outside tandem Jaidyn Jager and Candela Alonso-Corcelles. Setter Teodora Kričković has already earned Freshman and Setter of the Week honors this season, as she continues to help the Hoosiers produce.
Weakness
Serve receive. Indiana ranks last in the Big Ten behind Maryland in reception percentage. Against Minnesota, one of Indiana’s three conference losses, imposing serving was able to minimize its offense.
Three things to watch
1. Line up changes. Outside hitter Olivia Ruy’s productive pair of games in LA could place her in the rotation for ranked matchups moving forward. Against UCLA, Hughes elected for a double libero lineup to improve serve receiving, as Maryland continues to lead the conference in receiving errors. Time will tell if this solution continues?
2. Aces vs. errors. Maryland will look to apply pressure from the service line. Ajack Malual’s ability to spot serve could be vital; the senior rightside ranks third in the conference in aces.
3. Big Ten Discover Challenge. October’s conclusion marks the end of the first Big Ten in-season tournament. As most teams play their fifth and final game this week, Maryland ranks towards the bottom with a 1–3 record. Nebraska and Purdue lead the challenge at 4–0.
Northwestern Wildcats (13-9, 3-7 Big Ten)
2024 record: 5–23, 3–17 Big Ten
Head coach Tim Nollan’s second season at Northwestern has the Wildcats ranked towards the bottom of a strong Big Ten conference.
After a season to adjust, Nollan has matched last year’s conference win totals in 10 fewer games. His Wildcats managed to steal a set against ranked Penn State and Minnesota despite ultimately losing.
Nollan was hired after exceeding expectations at Grand Canyon over eight seasons. In 2024, the Wildcats saw big recessions, from a .500 team in the previous season to .179 under Nollan. Nollan succeeded Shane Davis, who was at the helm for eight seasons and was suspended in 2021 for a hazing incident.
Players to watch
Ayah Elnady, graduate student outside hitter, No. 11 – Elnady leads the Wildcats in total kills and digs this season. As a Jayhawk in 2024, she led the offense to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. A constant double-double threat, she provides critical play on both sides of the ball along with playoff pedigree.
Isabella Bullington, freshman outside hitter, No. 22 – A true freshman, Bullington has provided instant offense for the Wildcats all season. Coming off the best game of her young career against Indiana, where she recorded 18 kills and hit .556, the Wildcats will look to lean on her for production.
Strength
Service game. The Wildcats have the highest aces-to-errors ratio in the Big Ten. They will provide pressure from the line without giving away free points. They trail only Rutgers in total service aces within the conference.
Weakness
Consistent production. Northwestern ranks third-worst in points per set in Big Ten matches at 15.11. Despite stealing sets against stronger opponents like Indiana, Minnesota and Penn State, it struggles to maintain competitive play and has lost control in these matches.
Three things to watch
1. Veteran matchup. Ajack Malual and Ayah Elnady are the engines for their respective teams. Their two-way play provides steady contributions key to team success. This matchup could come down to who has a greater impact on the game.
2. Serve pass game. Maryland continues to hurt itself with relieving errors. Facing a team like Northwestern could be a unique challenge for a team leading the Big Ten in this metric.
3. Defensive battle. Both teams struggle to terminate the ball at times, Northwestern ranks among the bottom six in kill percentage in the conference, and Maryland places last. If the offenses are struggling, battles at the net and back row could decide the game.
