Volleyball Picked Third in Preseason BIG-EAST Poll; Three Huskies Make Preseason Team

NEW YORK- Following a powerful 2024 marketing campaign, UConn girls’s volleyball was chosen third within the 2025 preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the convention introduced in a launch on Thursday. UConn obtained 80 factors within the ballot, ending behind defending champion Creighton (100) and Marquette (85). Three Huskies had been chosen to the preseason All-BIG EAST Team, tied for essentially the most alternatives from a single group (Creighton & St. John’s).

After a breakout freshman season that noticed her earn Freshman of the Year honors and make the All-BIG EAST Team, sophomore libero/defensive specialist McKenna Brand (Lucas, TX.) was chosen to the preseason All-BIG EAST group. Brand led the Huskies with 516 digs (4.13/set), with a season-high 31 digs within the BIG EAST Tournament towards Villanova. Brand completed 4^th within the convention in digs, contributing the two^nd most in convention play. Brand was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on November 18^th and BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on November 25^th, a key a part of UConn’s 2024 resurgence.

Senior outdoors hitter Emma Werkmeister (Victor, N.Y.) earned preseason All-BIG EAST honors following a standout junior season. Werkmeister obtained 2024 All-BIG EAST honors and was named an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention. Werkmeister completed with 311 kills on the season, main the Huskies with 3.42 terminations per set, and dominated the service line with a team-leading 51 service aces. Werkmeister poured in a career-high 29 kills in UConn’s reverse sweep win over Colgate and chipped in a season-high 7 aces in a win over Brown.

Graduate pupil setter Doga Kutlu (Ankara, Turkey) rounds out the trio of Huskies on the preseason All-BIG EAST Team. A unanimous 2024 BIG-EAST Selection, Kutlu returns to Storrs after conducting the UConn offense. Kutlu led the group with 1,263 assists (10.10/set), and completed second in digs 410 (3.28/set) and aces (44). Kutlu had a season-high 54 assists towards UAlbany and a season-high 32 digs in a win over Villanova, essentially the most digs in a single recreation by any BIG EAST participant in 2024.

The Huskies kick off their 2025 season on the Bearcat Classic in Binghamton, N.Y. towards Lehigh on Friday, August 29^th.