After a season where Northwestern finished 5-23 and subsequently lost Alexa Rousseau, one of the most prolific setters in program history, and Kennedy Hill, a junior who emerged as a star at the middle blocker position, it was fair for fans to speculate that the team might be headed for more of the same struggles.
Wow, were they wrong.
In just 11 matches, the ‘Cats have nearly doubled their win total from a season ago, sitting at 9-2 with only one match to go before Big Ten play begins. And for those
who have listened to Tim Nollan speak, he is not shy to say that the Big Ten is, without a doubt, the toughest conference in the country. But with Northwestern’s only losses being a five-set thriller against then-No. 20 Baylor and a sweep against a St. Thomas team that is likely to contend for a tournament bid, the ‘Cats look poised to compete against some strong teams.
But what has changed that made for such a turnaround in just the second season of Tim Nollan’s tenure in Evanston?
1. The recruiting timeline
Nollan was hired by Northwestern in February of 2024 and had to adjust seamlessly on a compressed timeline before the 2024 season began. On Big Ten Volleyball media days ahead of this season, Nollan said that, at that time in 2024, the roster had just been finalized. Contrastingly, this season saw a team that was practicing together all summer long. Additionally, this increased familiarity with the program and increased time to gather new players meant that Nollan wound up with quite the recruiting class. And so far, the new faces have performed.
Bella Bullington has been the most surprising new face. The offense this season looked to be quite deep, and I speculated preseason that it may be hard for many of the new faces to find time on the floor. However, Bullington’s ability to be one of the premier threats in this Wildcats’ offense, combined with record-setting efficiency at the tournament up in Buffalo, she has been one of the key parts to a strong attack. Combine this with the ever-hyped Ayah Elnady, one of the Big 12’s best for the past few seasons, and the ‘Cats are covered on the corners.
Up the middle has also featured new faces for the departed Hill and Sophia Summers. Between South Carolina transfer Campbell Paris, Colorado transfer Bella Simkus and first-year Kayla Kauffman, Northwestern has found a way to retain a strong blocking game.
Last season, the recruiting timeline was jumbled, and it showed in many of the strongest members of the Northwestern team being returning faces. But everywhere fans look this season, there is a new face that is coordinated and integrated into the team, a testament to the new timeline.
2. A patient and tactical offense
Northwestern’s offense last season had its fair share of highs and lows. The potential of the team was clear in many of the hits that Rylen Reid, Buse Hazan and Kathryn Randorf delivered, but this season has seen a leap, especially in Reid’s game.
In one volley against St. Thomas Thursday, Reid challenged Libero Ella Voegele twice with powerful hits to the back row, but after two consecutive digs, Reid delicately plopped a ball in the perfect place on a crowded floor for a point. These plays feel like the moments that fans simply did not see just a year ago.
And this improvement is not only via Rylen Reid, but also through the new additions and those capitalizing on opportunity when their name is called. After a rough start to the season in terms of efficiency and power, Elnady has managed to rebound against teams like St. Thomas, with a strong showing despite the loss. Returners like Lily Wagner have looked much stronger, with her hitting percentage rising to nearly double what it was last season.
3. Increased Depth
I think this point can be summed up simply by the notion that Buse Hazan, Northwestern’s kills leader in 2024, has hardly seen playing time this season because of the offensive depth. Last season, Nollan relied on the versatility of players like Alexa Rousseau, who both set and hit. This season, that sort of rotational versatility has largely become a thing of the past, with three middle blockers and a plethora of outside and opposite hitters to boot.
But that’s not all. Defensively, last season, Drew Wright was the only player to wear the libero jersey, with Gigi Navarrete as the only other defensive specialist on the team. Lauren Dignan joined the ‘Cats this season and, despite her youth, has made her presence known early, especially under bright lights. Despite her limited playing time against many early-season opponents, in NU’s thrilling reverse sweep of Valparaiso, she notched 20 digs. This was a match where NU had its back against the wall repeatedly and needed stops. Dignan provided exactly that, taking a Northwestern back row from two protectors in the rotation to three.
While Thursday night’s contest was far from ideal for an otherwise strong Wildcats team, they have nonetheless improved exponentially on their nonconference performance a year ago. The real test starts Wednesday against Indiana, and from there, Tim Nollan’s squad will hardly have a break.
