VB Opens Postseason Hosting BIG EAST Championship

The Marquette University volleyball team begins the postseason in a familiar place, hosting the 2025 BIG EAST Volleyball Championships this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22-23 at the Al McGuire Center.

MU will open the tournament in the semifinals against No. 12 Creighton (23-5, 16-0 BIG EAST) this Saturday, Nov. 22 for a noon CT first serve. The match will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.

LAST TIME OUT

MU swept the final regular season weekend, downing Butler in straight sets on Nov. 15 before taking down RV Xavier on Nov. 16. Against Butler, the Golden Eagles hit .341 as Hattie Bray dominated with 12 kills on .526 hitting and eight blocks, while Natalie Ring added 11 kills, two aces, and three blocks. MU followed up by snapping Xavier's 13-match win streak behind Ring's 21 kills and nine digs, Bray's 11 kills and five blocks, and Haggard's 33 assists as the team hit .278 and tallied 48 digs.

TOURNEY TIME AT THE AL

Marquette plays host to the 2025 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship this weekend at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wis. The semifinals are set for Saturday, Nov. 22 at 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. CT, airing on ESPN+, with the championship set for Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN2. The field is comprised of top-seeded and No. 12 Creighton, two-seed Xavier, three-seed Villanova, and four-seed Marquette.

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Marquette is 14-16 all-time in the BIG EAST tournament since joining the league in 2005. The Golden Eagles won their first tournament title in 2013 at Creighton. MU has not been lower than the No. 2 seed since 2015 when the Golden Eagles were the No. 4 seed. Marquette is 9-7 in the semifinal round, and has not played Creighton in the semifinals since 2015.

THE DYNAMIC DUO: BRAY AND RING

Natalie Ring and Hattie Bray have been the driving force behind Marquette's success this season. Ring continues to dominate offensively, leading the BIG EAST and ranking among the nation's elite with 439 kills (22nd nationally), while her 4.53 kills per set rank 17th in the NCAA and first in the conference. She also sits atop the BIG EAST in points per set (5.10, 14th nationally). In the middle, Bray provides a steady and elite presence, now a three-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week. She leads the conference in blocks per set (1.22, 67th nationally), ranks fourth in hitting percentage (.373), and has totaled 118 blocks this season.

NATIONAL PROMINENCE

MU picked up a signature win in the regular-season finale, downing Xavier and ending their 13-match winning streak. At the time, Xavier was ranked 22nd in the latest RPI rankings, providing the Golden Eagles with their highest ranked win of the season. MU moved up 11 spots from 44 to 33 with the win, and set the team up to make a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament, and their 14th in the last 15 seasons excluding the 2020 season.

MARQUETTE MISC.

Marquette ranks 3rd in the BIG EAST and 83rd nationally in blocks per set (2.36), while holding opponents to a .192 hitting percentage (3rd BIG EAST).
The Golden Eagles sit 4th in the league in kills per set (13.06) and 5th in hitting percentage (.250).
Setter Isabela Haggard is 3rd in the BIG EAST in assists per set (9.15) and has 878 total assists (5th BIG EAST).
Libero Adriana Studer ranks 6th in the BIG EAST in aces per set (0.41) and has 40 total aces, while adding 363 digs (7th BIG EAST).
MU is 3rd in the BIG EAST in opponent hitting percentage (.192).