PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The 2025 Rutgers volleyball season gets underway this weekend as the Scarlet Knights make their way to Buffalo, New York, to meet up with Marist, Liberty and host Buffalo.
- Rutgers welcomes back nine letterwinners while five transfers and a pair of true freshmen load the 2025 roster.
- Among the returnees is sophomore Natalie Robinson, who in her first year in Scarlet, set RU's single-season blocking record with 123 stops at the net. Entering the year, Robinson is the rally-era career leader in blocks per set at 1.23.
- At the line, senior Lexi Visintine is back after coming up two aces shy of setting the single season record and leading the Scarlet Knights with 37 a year ago.
- Junior Zora Hardison is the top returnee in terms of putting RU on the scoreboard. The junior collected 2.72 k/s with a .227 attack percentage along with 89 blocks last season.
- Defensively, junior libero Kenzie Dyrstad is back after collecting a team-leading 2.97 d/s.
- RU's top two setters also return in senior Aly Borellis at 6.25 a/s and sophomore Lily Bolen at 3.11 a/s to go along with 31 aces.
#1 Zora Hardison - MB - Jr.
- Second on the roster in blocks with 79 total and 10 solo, averaging 0.97 per set in 2024
- Finished season fifth among Rutgers sophomore blocks (89)
- Led Rutgers in blocks in 11 matches, including five or more blocks in five contests
- Totaled 158 kills, with five double-digit kill matches, averaging 1.72 per set and swinging .227
#2 Ema Grubanov - OH - R-Fr.
- Redshirted 2024 season
- Member of Serbian Cadet National Team
- Three-time state junior vice-champion
- Two-time junior and cadet regional champion
#3 Kenzie Dyrstad - L/DS - Jr.
- Finished 2024 fifth in sophomore digs with 309 and averaged 2.97 per set
- Career high 20 digs in Big Ten opener with Iowa back on Sept. 26, 2024
- Set a new career mark in aces with four at Michigan in the Big Ten road opener on Sept. 29, 2024
- Totaled 15 matches in double-figure digs
#5 Aly Borellis - S - Sr.
- Led Rutgers in assists with 519, averaging 6.25 per set in 2024
- Led the Scarlet Knights in helpers in 20 matches with double-figure assists in 24 contests
- Ranked eighth in Rutgers junior assists (519)
- Moved into the Rutgers career assist top 10 in her first season "On The Banks"
#8 Lexi Visintine - OH/DS - Sr.
- Led Rutgers in aces with 37, averaging 0.41 per set, marking the most aces by a Scarlet Knight in a season since 2013 and the second most aces in a rally-era season in 2024
- Ranks third in Rutgers junior aces (37)
- Led RU with five aces in a straight-set victory against UMES, marking the eighth most in a match and second most in a three-set match by a Scarlet Knight in the rally era, setting a new career high on Sept. 20, 2024
- Registered two double-doubles against Little Rock (Sept. 6) and Iowa (Sept. 26)
#9 Natalie Robinson - MB - So.
- Led Rutgers with a rally-era season leading 123 total blocks and marking the most by a Scarlet Knight since 2003 last season
- Recorded by most blocks by any Rutgers freshman in history
- Topped the stat sheet with 13 solo blocks, ranking seventh in rally-era season records
- Tied the rally-era season block assists record with 110, marking the most since 2018
- Led the Scarlet Knights in blocks in 20 matches, registering five or more stops in 11 contests
- Hit over .400 in nine matches
#11 Lily Bolen - S - So.
- Appeared in 30 matches in 91 sets with 12 starts, registering 283 assists, averaging 3.11 per set and 31 aces in 2024
- Served up 31 aces to rank sixth among Rutgers freshmen
- Led Rutgers in assists in 10 matches with 13 contests in double-digit assists
- Led RU in aces 12 times, including four matches with three more points from the service line
#15 Alleigh Dutton - L/DS - So.
- Appeared in 65 matches, averaging 1.42 d/s in 2024
- Season-high 10 digs at Maryland (Oct. 5) and vs. Michigan State (Nov. 8)
- Helped the defense with nine digs in straight-set victory over UMES in the nonconference final (Sep.20)
- Served up pair of aces in Big Ten opener with Iowa (Sept. 26) and victory over Northwestern (Nov. 23)
#17 Avery Jesewitz - OH - So.
- Appeared in all 31 contests in 97 sets with 19 starts
- Totaled 182 kills, averaging 1.88 per set, and 42 blocks, averaging 0.84 per frame
- Led Rutgers in kills in three matches and blocks in two contests
- Recorded season-high 11 kills in matches with Little Rock (Sept. 6), Binghamton (Sept. 12) and Michigan State (Nov. 8)
#0 Aspen Maxwell - OH - So.
- Transfer from Missouri
- Earned first-team all-district honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior at Summer Creek HS
- Awarded the District 21-6A MVP after compiling 500 plus kills in her senior season
- Reached 1,000 career kills as a senior and 100 career blocks as a sophomore
#6 - Jenna DeLaMater - L/DS - Jr.
- Transfer from Central Arkansas
- Played in 27 matches, including collecting 93 digs and averaging 1.58 d/s as a freshman
- Two-time First Team All-Conference, as well as an all-state and all-state tournament honoree at Cabot HS
- 2021-2022 JVA watch list
#10 Kaila Kalama-Bajet - S - Fr.
- No. 2 setter in state of Hawaii
- First Team OIA and Second Team All-Hawaii as a senior
- All-ILH First Tean and All-Hawaii Third Team as a junior
- All-Hawaii Honorable mention as a sophomore
#16 Imani Howell - MB - Fr.
- Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association (GVCA) AA Player of the Year
- Member of the Hebron Volleyball Class AAAAA-A Team of the Year
- GHSA A-AAA Private State Champion
- Went 40-0 against in-state programs and dropped only seven sets in 40 matches, ending the season on a 22-game winning streak, including winning 38 of their last 40 sets dating back to Sept. 21
#20 Mira McCool - MB - R-Fr.
- Transfer from Georgia Tech
- Two-Time Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches Association Class 6A All-State Team at Hoover HS
- Led Hoover HS to its third straight Area Championship as a senior
- Collected over 500 career kills and posted 382 kills, 128 digs and 35 blocks as a junior
#22 Tara Garvey - OH - Sr.
- Transfer from Villanova
- Played in 18 matches during her junior campaign, totaling 113 kills and 22 blocks
- Totaled 250 kills and 40 blocks in her three seasons as a Wildcat
- Mom played volleyball at Tennessee
#24 Lauren Wilcock - L/DS- Sr.
- Played beach volleyball at South Carolina and Washington before returning to her home state of New Jersey
- 2022 CCSA All-Freshman Team
- AVCA National and Pac-12 Pair of the Week: (April 1 - 7)
- As a senior in 2024, captured the fourth most wins in a single season (23), second most wins by a pair in a single season (21) and fifth most wins by a pair in a career (21)
- The Red Foxes finished the 2024 campaign at 3-25 overall and 3-15 in the MAAC.
- Returning on the attack is junior Sara Dasic, who led the team with 3.19 k/s. Dasic is also the top returnee at the service line with 26 aces a year ago and on defense at 2.15 d/s. However, Marist will be looking for a new Red Fox to set up the attack after the graduation of libero Jamison White, who led her squad with 7.99 a/s. Additionally, White led the team at 3.30 d/s.
- Marist also graduated its top blocker, Alyssa White, who collected 57.0 total blocks. The Red Foxes' top returnee at the net is sophomore Sarah Bumstead, who put up 44.0 total stops in her first collegiate season.
- The Flames wrapped up the 2024 season at 13-18 overall and 7-22 in the MAC
- Liberty graduated its top two attackers from last season with sophomore Paige Overcash checking in as the top returnee on the offense at 2.33 k/s. Classmate Charli Crowsson and junior Charli Morris are back after setting up the attack to the tune of 5.03 and 4.33 assists per set, respectively.
- Defensively, the top two Flames in digs and top three in blocks from a year ago graduated. Sophomore Amelia Tomlinson is the top returnee in digs, having averaged 1.41 d/s last year, while at the net, Morris also checks in as the top returning blocker with 67 rejections last year.
- The Bulls played to a 16-16 overall mark and 12-6 MAC record in 2024 and were selected fifth in the 2025 MAC Preseason Poll.
- Among the top returnees is junior Manoela Forlin, a Preseason All-MAC honoree. She was a 2023 All-MAC Freshman Team recipient and finished the 2024 campaign with a team second-best 302 kills to go along with 28 aces, 148 digs and 33 blocks.
- Offensively, Buffalo will also be looking at a new primary setter after the graduation of Mandy Leigh, who led her squad with 9.38 a/s.
- The Bulls also graduated their two top blockers in Leigh and her sister, Abby. Redshirt junior Tehya Shaw returns to the net after picking up 41 blocks last season. Buffalo will also be looking to replace Maria Futey and Katrin Trebichavska on defense, who topped the stat sheet in digs at 4.03 and 2.81 per set, respectively. Top returnee in digs is sophomore Keira Kleidon at 2.00 d/s as a rookie.
- In Caitlin Schweihofer's first season, played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19, the Scarlet Knights tripled its conference win total en route to capturing numerous program firsts. Among the team's first were its first-ever All-Big Ten honoree and Big Ten series sweeps. The Scarlet Knights won their first-ever Big Ten home opener, earned victories over Indiana and Michigan State for the first time in history, captured two series sweeps against Maryland and Michigan State, picked up set victories against No. 4 Nebraska and No. 10 Purdue and pushed No. 19 Ohio State to five sets and match point. RU established new team, season and match records for aces and reset program Big Ten game bests in kills, attempts, attack percentage and assists, as well as individual conference superlatives in attack percentage, assists and digs.
- Returning to fall ball for the 2021 season only three and a half months after the conclusion of the Big Ten-only 2020 season, Rutgers continued to make strides going 8-3 for its best nonconference record since 2012. During the season the Scarlet Knights battled eight Top 25 teams during Big Ten play, a conference that sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament, including the year's national champion. Rutgers captured set wins over No. 8 Purdue and No. 15 Penn State and took Illinois to five sets in front of a national audience on BTN. Inna Balyko wrapped up her career fifth all-time in assists and ninth all-time in block assists, while Kamila Cieslik became the rally era leader in matches played (132) and Beka Kojadinovic concluded her career as the rally era leader in aces.
- More success continued in 2022 as the Scarlet Knights opened the year at 3-0 for the first time since 1998 and battled eight Top 25 teams during Big Ten play and eight teams that advanced to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. During the nonconference schedule, four Scarlet Knights were named to All-Tournament squads while altogether Rutgers had 11 entries among the rally-era season leaders list.
- Another step up the ladder occurred in 2023 as the Scarlet Knights earned their first-ever All-Big Ten attacker, captured their first-ever top 25 victory, collected the most overall wins and best nonconference record since 2012, improved set wins by 45% over the previous season and set a school record in attendance. RU placed 12 entries into the rally-era individual season top 10 records and 13 entries into the rally-era team top 10 records while collecting the most sets played, kills, assists, assists per set, digs and solo blocks by a team in conference play since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
- Last season, a youthful Scarlet Knight squad continued to rewrite the Rutgers record book, putting up several notable career and season numbers as the Big Ten expanded to the West Coast. On the attack, Alissa Kinkela, the squad's first-ever All-Big Ten attacker from 2023 and an Australian Olympic hopeful, cracked the top 10 all-time in career kills, the second most rally-era career kills and the third most rally-era career kills per set. Following the season, Kinkela signed to play professionally in South Korea. In addition to Kinkela's mark in the record book, Rutgers put nine entries into the rally-era individual season top 10 records, with a new benchmark set for blocks in a rally-era season from rookie Natalie Robinson. Additionally, Robinson leads RU's career blocks per set category after only one season "On The Banks". At the same time, junior Lexi Visintine was just two aces shy of setting a new season standard in the category.
- Rutgers is back on the road, traveling to Fairfield, Connecticut, to take on Dartmouth, host Sacred Heart and LIU.
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