Photo by The University of Texas Athletics/University Images via Getty Images
These are the must-know incoming freshman in women’s college volleyball
Typically in sports, you’re always hoping to lean on the veterans of your team. Their experience gained when facing against the best of the best is always important — even more so when in college, with the amount of talent and competitiveness we see across the women’s volleyball landscape.
But when you’ve got it, you’ve got it in volleyball. It’s not uncommon for some of the top players to be four-year starters and make a huge impact to their squads in their first year.
We’re looking at some of the best incoming freshman who might have the most immediate impact for their schools next season.
Ayden Ames | 6-foot-4 Middle Blocker | Prosper, Texas | Texas
En route to a dominant national championship win in 2023 — beating Wisconsin 3-1 in the semifinals before sweeping Nebraska in straight sets for a second straight natty — one of the Longhorns’ focal points was middle blocker Asjia O’Neal.
The All-American made the Final Four All-Tournament team as a senior, and her graduation left a massive middle blocker-shaped hole in Texas’s rotation; two other middles Marianna Singleterry and and Nya Bunton were not featured much last season.
Enter Ayden Ames.
Ames was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in her senior high school season, playing as an outside or middle blocker. Ames amassed 575 kills over her senior season, averaging 4.8 per set, while posting a .399 hitting percentage and .500 kill percentage. She also shined on defense, recording 165 blocks and 481 digs (4.0 per set).
That versatility and dominance will be huge for Texas, as they look for a three-peat this season. Ames will likely play a starring role in the Lone Star State.
Lainee Pyles | 6-foot-2 Outside Hitter | Keller, Texas | LSU
Bri Watson | 6-foot-1 Outside Hitter | Flower Mound, Texas | LSU
This pair of Texans hopping across the state line to Baton Rouge have been teammates before.
Lainee Pyles and Bri Watson, two outside hitters, won a national title with their club team, the incredibly named Madfrog Volleyball Club. Pyles played for Fossil Ridge High School and was named district MVP for her play on the high school front. Watson also earned a laundry list of accolades in high school and was named as a 2023 AVCA Girls High School All-American Honorable Mention.
The Tigers are looking for more firepower, and the pair of players could provide that. Last year, outside hitter Jurnee Robinson posted 3.871 kills per set as a freshman, but only one other player hit above 2.00 kills per set.
Maybe Pyles and Watson — who were both named in VolleyballMag’s Fab 50 for 2024 — can bring a similar spark to LSU who are looking for a much better campaign from last year where they finished 11-17.
Ava Falduto | 5-foot-7 Libero | Elmhurst, Illinois | Penn State
Izzy Starck | 6-foot-1 Setter | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Penn State
Did I go back-to-back on a pair of teammates…yes. BUT, I promise there is a good reason here.
Ava Falduto and Izzy Starck are two highly touted freshmen — like, top 5 ranked in the nation highly touted — who will play crucial positions for the Nittany Lions in a loaded Big Ten next season.
Starck, a Colorado Springs, Colo.-native who finished her high school career in Florida, will be taking over for setter Mac Podraza, who was All-Big Ten first team in her final season last year. Starck joins her sister Anjelina Starck on PSU’s roster, so maybe they can have some sibling telepathy as setter and hitter.
Meanwhile, Falduto was named to first-team all-state and first-team all-conference teams in Illinois in her final season at IC Catholic Prep. Falduto also has played with the US youth national teams for volleyball.
I am SO beyond excited and grateful to announce that I have verbally committed to Penn State to continue my academic and volleyball career!! The BIGGEST thank you to my parents, family, teammates, coaches, and every single person that I have met on this journey. WE ARE!!! pic.twitter.com/XaPtHHXylI
— Ava Falduto (@AvaFalduto) June 19, 2022
Why am I combining these two players together here? Because they both decided to enroll early at Penn State, so they have had time around the team, which is especially important for Starck coming in as a setter.
Fans of the Nittany Lions will be hoping these two can help propel one of the volleyball blue bloods back into a deep NCAA tournament run or conference title. Penn State hasn’t won a Big Ten title or reached the Final Four since 2017.
Charlie Fuerbringer | 5-foot-11 Setter | Manhattan Beach, California | Wisconsin
Although the Wisconsin Badgers are known a lot for their firepower and incredibly tall middle blockers, you also need to successful setter to set up those players.
For nine years in a row with Lauren Carlini and Sydney Hilley, Wisconsin knew it was getting top class service every night. After Hilley, the Badgers zigged while others zagged, using a 6-2 rotation that featured two setters.
That might not be the case anymore with Charlie Fuerbringer coming to the program.
With the departure of two senior setters in MJ Hammill and Izzy Ashburn, the Badgers had to nail the line of succession, and Fuerbringer seems to be the next in line of great Badger setters. Ranked the top setter and second best overall prospect, Fuerbringer was a Gold Medalist for the USA U19 National Team at the 2023 World Championships.
The Badgers added another freshman setter and a graduate transfer in Carly Anderson from the University of Montana, but the keys of the offense are expected to be handed off to Fuerbringer. Can she drive the Badgers’ Porsche 911 offense? (sidenote: I know very little about cars, but I know this is a fancy and famous one. Leave all car comments below please)
Zoey Burgess | 6-foot-4 Middle Blocker | Alpine, Utah | Kansas
A program recently on the rise, Kansas seems to have picked a gem from out West in Zoey Burgess.
The 6-foot-4 middle blocker led her high school, Lone Peak, with 279 kills and 65 blocks while also hitting .419. On top of the traditional middle blocker duties, Burgess also notched 45 aces and 97 digs on the year en route to a state championship and individual plaudits, being named the 2023 Deseret News Ms. Volleyball.
She, and another highly ranked freshman in 6-foot-1 outside hitter Grace Nelson, will look to keep building up the Jayhawk program that is picking back up under its head coach Ray Bechard. The Jayhawks had 24 wins last year — the highest total since 2016 when they won the Big 12 title.
In a new era in the conference, can Burgess and the rest of a six-player freshman class continue Kansas’s rise and bring a title back to Lawrence?
Bianca Garibaldi | 5-foot-11 Middle Blocker | Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina | Pitt
Before some more roster digging, I was going to add a different Pitt middle blocker in Ryla Jones. The 6-foot-4 middle blocker from Oakton, Virginia is one of the top recruits in the country and should help the Panthers immensely early on.
Then I saw that they also signed a 5-foot-11 middle blocker, which sure isn’t something you see every day.
Bianca Garibaldi has been a fixture for Argentina’s youth national volleyball teams. She also played for the sports club River Plate, a Buenos Aires-based club more known for its men’s soccer team before signing with Pitt.
If River Plate rings a bell, the club is probably most known for its rivalry with fellow Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors, which is one of the most intense rivalries in the world. If there is one percent of the fan atmosphere in the volleyball matches between the two, Garibaldi will be ready for anything.
Additionally, the Argentine middle blocker — and Jones — has been on campus training with the Panthers since the spring semester, which could mean she is more ready for the spotlight come the fall.
