STORRS, Conn.- Winners of their last four, UConn volleyball (16-2, 4-2 BIG EAST) returns home this weekend for two crucial matches against conference foes Villanova and St. John's at the UConn Volleyball Center. The Huskies swept Providence and Butler last week, despite being without kill leader Emma Werkmeister. In the two victories, Hanna Tylska led the balanced scoring attack with 21 kills, with Taylor Pannell contributed 17 kills. Pannell anchored the UConn defense with 7 blocks in the two wins. Doga Kutlu controlled the offensive attack with 51 assists (8.50/set). 

Villanova Snapshot (11-6, 4-2 BIG EAST) 

After getting off to a 4-0 start in conference play, Villanova comes into Storrs looking to snap a two-match losing skid after falling to Creighton and Marquette. Last season the Wildcats secured a BIG EAST Tournament berth, falling to St. John's in the first round. Villanova finished 17-14 and 8-10 in conference play, splitting the two matchups with UConn with both squads winning on their home court.

Players to Watch:

Nova is led by Outside Hitter Abby Harrell, a preseason BIG-EAST all-conference selection. The sophomore tops the Wildcats with 191 kills on the season (3.77 pts/set) and 18 service aces. Freshman Setter Alyssa Nelson leads the Cats with 328 assists and 134 digs on the season. Middle Blocker Ozzie Ozonoh holds down the Villanova defensive effort with 54 blocks. Since conference play began, Ozonoh ranks second in the BIG EAST in hitting % (.433). 

Coach: Villanova's head coach is Josh Steinbach, who is in his 18^th season leading the Wildcats. Steinbach has the most wins in the history of the program with 269. During his time with the Wildcats, the program has made three semifinal appearances and has earned one BIG EAST runner-up, along with a NCAA Tournament appearance. 

St. John's Snapshot (13-7, 2-4 BIG EAST)

Like Villanova, St. John's is looking to get back in the win column after losing their last four conference matches. Before Saturday, St. John's will face off against Providence on the road Friday night. The Red Storm picked up two BIG EAST wins at the end of September, taking down Seton Hall and Georgetown. In 2023, St. John's had a very strong season, going 24-11 (13-5 in BIG EAST play). The Red Storm made it all the way to the BIG EAST Championship, losing to top seed Creighton. St. John's played in the postseason, securing a NIVC bid and winning their first match against Howard, with their season ending to South Florida in five sets. 

Players to Watch:

S/RS Erin Jones, a unanimous selection to the preseason all-conference team, runs the Red Storm attack with a team-leading 271 kills. Jones has made her presence felt across the board, ranking second on the team in assists (113), first in aces (31), and second in digs (200). OH Giorgia Walther is second for St. John's in kills (234), taking home offensive player of the week on 9/30, with 33 total kills in the two Red Storm BIG EAST wins. Ludovica Zola is a key contributor for the Red Storm defense, number one on the team with 68 blocks.

Coach: St John's is led by Hall of Famer Joanne Persico, who is in her 30^th season in Queens. Persico has 569 wins and is the all-time winningest head coach at a single BIG EAST program. Under Persico's leadership, St. John's has been a consistent powerhouse, securing three NCAA Tournament Appearances, most recently in 2019, and four BIG EAST Regular Season Championships, most recently 2020. Last season, Persico and her coaching staff won BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year after her second consecutive 20-win season at the helm for the Red Storm. 

How to Watch: Friday's match will be on Flo Sports, and Saturday's match will be on SNY. Follow along with in-game updates for UConn Volleyball on Instagram, X, and Facebook.