STORRS, Conn.- After a disappointing 2023 season that saw UConn volleyball finish tied for last in the BIG EAST with only three conference wins, the Huskies were predicted to finish ninth in the conference in the August preseason poll. Now three months later, they have flipped the script entirely, going 24-6 and 12-6 in BIG EAST play, good for third in the conference.  

How We Got Here:

In 2024, the Huskies have generated exciting moments, with many occurring in the newly renovated UConn Volleyball Center, a building thas was the on-campus ice rink two years ago. The palpable buzz for this program was established early in August. The Huskies took all three matches in the opening weekend of the season, with two sweeps sandwiching a five-set nailbiter against Youngstown State. However, the highlight of the non-conference schedule would come in Hamilton, N.Y., against eventual Patriot League champion Colgate. After falling behind two sets to zero, UConn took the third set, 25-23. The fourth set exhibited the relentless nature of the 2024 squad. The Huskies fell behind 24-18, facing 6 straight match points and staring at their first loss of the young season. Behind Emma Werkmeister's heroics (29 kills) and a collective team effort, UConn went on a 7-0 run, taking the set 28-26 and blitzing Colgate to win the match in five sets. UConn got off to the best start in program history at 12-0, energized by packed crowds and loud student sections at the UVC, including a sellout five-set win over the University of Albany. 

The Huskies got their first taste of defeat as conference play kicked off in late-September, dropping consecutive matches to Marquette and Creighton, both NCAA tournament cornerstones. UConn had their own internal adversity to overcome, losing Werkmeister to an injury in a win over Providence in October. Despite the hardships, UConn was undaunted in their pursuit to right the ship, rattling off six wins in a row, including a victory over Seton Hall in front of their 1994 and 1998 BIG EAST Championship teams, and another five-set heart-pounding win over St. John's in Storrs. 

A combination of veteran leaders, like Doga Kutlu and Taylor Pannell, along with newcomers like transfer Hanna Tylska and freshmen standouts McKenna Brand and Loren Winn all stepped up to fill the void in Werkmeister's absence.  The veterans made their leadership and effort felt this season. Pannell, the longest tenured Husky, won Defensive Player of the Week in the win over St. John's with a staggering 9 block performance. Kutlu reached 1,000 assists in a UConn uniform this season, just part of a standout season that saw the senior from Turkey eclipse that 1,000 assist mark in 2024 alone (1,088).

Once the calendar flipped to November, UConn put themselves in position to control their own destiny to get to Omaha for a chance at the BIG EAST crown, winning two of their first three matches. The Huskies suffered their first and only loss at home to DePaul on Nov. 15th, finishing the home schedule 14-1. Rather than dwelling on the defeat, the Huskies have shined in their last three matches, winning them all in straight sets to finish the regular season 24-6, tying the mark achieved by the 2021 team that made the NIVC Final Four. 

How They Got Here: 

Now, the #3 seed Huskies are back in postseason play, hitting the stage on Wednesday night in Omaha to face against a Villanova team that they have played and defeated twice this season. Villanova, who claimed the last spot in the tournament in a win over Providence, is led by veteran coach Josh Steinbach. Steinbach has the most victories in program history, commanding the Wildcats for 17 seasons. 

Like UConn, the 'Cats have a mix of experienced leadership and young talent, with the likes of veterans like setter Taylor Jakubowski and middle blocker Ozzie Ozonoh, as well as underclassmen, like standout outside hitter Abby Harrell, who was named to the preseason all-conference team after winning 2023 Freshman of the Year. Villanova returns to the BIG EAST Tournament after losing in the first round to St. John's in 2023. 'Nova finished the regular season 16-13, and 9-9 in conference play. For the first time since 2011, the Wildcats started BIG EAST play 4-0. Villanova battled through losing skids throughout the season but won two of their last three matches to snag the #6 seed and set up their third matchup with UConn.

The winner of the matchup between UConn and 'Nova will go onto face #2 seed Marquette in the semifinals on Friday. The other side of the bracket pits #4 seed DePaul against #5 seed St. John's. The winner of that match will try and take down powerhouse and host Creighton, who went undefeated in conference play (18-0). 

How to Watch: All matches until the championship can be found at BEDN/ Flo Sports. Follow for in-game updates for UConn volleyball on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @UConnvball. UConn will hit the floor at 6pm/5pm central on Wednesday night.