Marquette University Athletics
Volleyball Q&A: Ella Foti
8/7/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Foti turned in an outstanding 2022 on the right side after starting her career as a setter
Ella Foti turned in a BIG EAST Conference All-Freshman Team season as a redshirt freshman right-side hitter in 2022. The native of Madison, Wisconsin played in all 33 matches last year after converting from the setter position and hit .306 with 2.21 kills per set.
Q: What is your favorite part about playing volleyball?
Foti:. My favorite part about volleyball is being able to compete.
Q: What are a few goals for yourself and/or your team in the upcoming season?Â
Foti:Â Some personal goals of mine are transitioning to more of a leadership role on the team, as well as continuing to strengthen my volleyball skills. For the team, I know our goal is to break into the top 10 sometime this year and get back to the NCAA tournament and try to make it further.
Q: There have been many obstacles throughout high school and the beginning of your college career in volleyball, how have you managed to stay optimistic and motivated through it all?Â
Foti: There have been a lot of obstacles I have had to overcome throughout my career, but each one of these obstacles has been a lesson for me. What brings me the most joy in life is competing in whatever I do. So, if there is an obstacle in front of me, I'm going to find a way around it, or even through it. I've also learned to never take anything for granted when it comes to volleyball because I have spent so much of my life, in recent years, not being able to participate in it.
Q: You've started the non-profit Milotso with your family, what has been the most rewarding experience from that program so far?
Foti:Â The most rewarding experience of this program is 100% the relationships that we have made with young people that we have met throughout our volunteering.
Q: Being a three-time team captain at your high school, how have you taken the leadership and transformed it to fit the Marquette team?Â
Foti: I have tried to continue leading my team not only on the court but off the court too with things like Milotso. Growing up I learned that an attribute that everyone comes to respect is hard work. So that is something that I try to model every day in my life for my team.
Q: Coming into Marquette after graduating high school early, how did the team and the Marquette community help you adjust to the new atmosphere?Â
Foti:Â When I came to Marquette in January 2021, it was very much COVID time still, but I was welcomed with open arms. I have been truly blessed to be surrounded by all the amazing people that have come into my life at Marquette.
Q: Do you have or do your teammates have a nickname for you?Â
Foti: This is a funny question because recently I have been getting more and more nicknames. Since there's now another Ella (Holmstrom), most of my team and coachescall me by my last name - Foti. However, there are many versions that they have come to call me. The main ones are Foti, Fot, Fotizzle, Fotilicious, Fotilospher, and one of my teammates calls me Eller.
Q: You had a pretty successful season last year; how have you been preparing for the upcoming season?Â
Foti: I've been preparing for this upcoming season by continuing to widen my range of skills, while also continuing to strengthen the skills that I already have.
Q: What is something you learned from playing at Marquette that you didn't know when you started?Â
Foti: Something that I have learned from playing Marquette volleyball is that team chemistry is one of the most important qualities to have when it comes to a successful team..
Q: If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?Â
Foti: The advice I would give to my younger self would be to remind her that volleyball is a big part of her life, but it isn't what defines her. What defines you is the type of person you are and how you make others feel.
Q: What is something interesting you do during your pre-game routine?Â
Foti:Â I'm a big dancer and so everyone knows that before a match I will be dancing at some point.
Q: What are you looking forward to most in the upcoming season?Â
Foti: This season, like every other season, I'm just excited to compete every week with my friends.
Keep up with the Marquette University women's volleyball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).
