The college volleyball season is nearing its halfway point, conference races are heating up, crowds are getting bigger and stars are shining on the court.
Add in some newcomers and established stars, and here's a look at the most impressive players on the court this season.
Olivia Babcock 6-foot-4 sophomore opposite hitter | Pitt Panthers
Being on the No. 1 team in the country means being surrounded by a lot of great players.
But sophomore Olivia Babcock has become a supernova for the Panthers with an impressive start to the season. The Panthers are ranked No. 1 in the nation, and Babcock, along with teammate Torrey Stafford, are a big reason why.
Babcock leads the team with 4.39 kills per set, leads the team in aces with 42 on the season (her statistic of 0.78 aces per set is the second-highest in the NCAA), and is second on the team with 1.24 blocks per set. It becomes.
The Los Angeles native was named the AVCA Freshman Player of the Year last season and has lived up to expectations as a sophomore and has a habit of coming up big in important games. Babcock had 17 kills in a 3-0 win over the No. 5 Stanford Cardinal on Sunday and now has double-digit kills in 13 games this season. Get ready to see more of her in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, as Pitt looks to be a big threat to get back to the Final Four.
Jess Murzik | 6'1'' super senior outside hitter | Penn State Nittany Lions
Keystone State resident Jess Murzik continues her breakout season last season, leading the Big Ten in kills per set with 4.72, good for eighth-most in the NCAA.
The former Wolverine committed to PSU in 2023 and also led the Nittany Lions in kills last season, earning All-America Second Team honors. The veteran outside hitter is hitting just under .300 on the season and had two 29-kill outbursts in a four-set win against Michigan State and a thrilling five-set match against the Ohio State Buckeyes. It is recorded.
Lexi Almodovar | 5'8'' 5th year senior outside hitter | Dayton Flyers
Another swinger in the top 10 in kills per set in the country is Lexi Almodovar. She became Dayton's star outside hitter, posting a season batting average of .313 while recording 4.66 kills per set.
Almodovar ranks 20th on the Dayton Flyers' stat sheet. She has the second most digs, third most aces, and also chipped in with 31 blocks, including six solo blocks, which is incredible to watch. Dayton's only loss this season was against Marquette in September, but the Flyers hope to make a spoiler play in the NCAA Tournament from the A-10. Almodóvar will be a big reason for that.
Elena Scott 5'9'' Senior Libero | Louisville Cardinals
Elena Scott is a patrolman in the back row for the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals. Scott, himself a Louisville native, is one of the best liberos in the country, averaging 4.68 digs per set and has been huge for the Cards in some big matches.
In the season opener, Scott hit 22 in a win over the Wisconsin Badgers, 20 in a win over in-state rival Kentucky, and 23 in a five-set thriller win over Creighton.
When the lights shine brightest, Scott advances for the cards. She will be key for Louisville, and she and the Cards have two more games this season against the No. 1 Pitt Panthers, which could go a long way toward crowning the ACC champion.
Raven Colvin | 6-foot-1 senior middle blocker | Purdue Boilermaker
The Boilermakers have great outside hitters in Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine, but it's not just the outside hitters that I want to praise here; Raven Colvin is a middle blocker who deserves praise.
Colvin leads the Big Ten in blocks and blocks per set and is a real asset for the No. 10 Purdue Boilermakers. She had three games this season with double-digit blocks, including 11 in a five-set loss to Nebraska.
Colvin is a big threat for Purdue on offense as well. She leads the team with 27 service aces and ranks third on the team behind the aforementioned outside hitter with 2.61 kills per set.
Andy Jackson | 6-foot-3 sophomore middle blocker | Nebraska Cornhuskers
Another team with plenty of options is Nebraska, but Andy Jackson has been reliable in terms of kills.
Jackson leads the NCAA with a .480 batting average against targets and is a solid option in a loaded Husker offense. Jackson is third on the team in kills per set with 2.70 and second in blocks per set with 1.09 behind Bekah Aric.
Jackson is a big reason why Nebraska has a perfect record in the Big Ten Conference so far, and she will be key to the Huskers' pursuit of another national title.
Mary Schroll | 5-foot-8 fifth-year libero | Arizona State Sun Devils
The Arizona State University Sun Devils are on track to make their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Hometown kid Mary Schroll is a big reason why.
The libero transferred from Loyola Marymount to his hometown of Tempe in 2023 and was a big factor in ASU's turnaround.
Schroll, whose Sun Devils are off to an 18-2 start and ranked No. 13, is statistically the best libero in the Big 12 this season, with a league-leading 5.11 digs per set and an All-American. That's enough to rank 11th. ASU hopes to continue her strong start this season, and she also has 20 aces this year.
