SOUTH BEND, IND. – After splitting last weekend’s Catholic Challenge to open the season, the Notre Dame volleyball team returns to the court Friday evening when the Irish host Illinois. Both teams are 1-1 on the season.
Notre Dame won last Friday’s season opener in five sets against Santa Clara. The Irish came back from a fifth set deficit to secure the victory. Morgan Gaerte notched a career-high 21 kills, while Maya Evens logged 25 digs in her collegiate debut. Both players were named to the Catholic Challenge All-Tournament team following Sunday’s match against Villanova.
Illinois opened up the 2025 season in Cedar Falls, Iowa, dropping to South Dakota State in four sets before taking down Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee 3-1. The Illini have hit .264 on attacks so far this season.
Friday’s match is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. It’s the third of a four-game homestand to open up the season for the Irish.
HISTORY VS. ILLINOIS
- This is the eighth meeting between the Irish and the Illini with Illinois leading the overall series 5-2. However, Notre has won the last two meetings, including a 3-0 sweep in 2023 at the Irish Invitational.
- The 2023 matchup was the first one in nearly 30 years, dating back to 1993. The Irish swept the Illini in 2023 25-21, 25-19, 25-22.
IT’S A BLOCK PARTY IN SOUTH BEND
- Notre Dame recorded 32.0 blocks combined during the first two games of the season, the most in the rally scoring era (2008).
- The Irish opened up with 19.0 blocks in the win over Santa Clara and 13.0 against Villanova. The 19.0 blocks is a single-game record in the rally scoring era for the Irish
- MB Grace Langer tallied a career-best 11.0 in the win over Santa Clara and 6.0 against Villanova. Her 17.0 total blocks this season are the second-most in the ACC so far this year
FRESH FACES
- The Irish welcome five freshmen to the team, bringing the Irish to a roster size of 20.
- The freshman class consists of Maya Baker (S), Maya Evens (DS/L), Mae Kordas (OH/O), Chichi Nnaji (OH), Sophia Thornburg (OH).
- Baker, who was a two-time Max Preps All-American, leads the team with 42 assists and is second on the team with 22 digs so far in 2025.
- The Irish pair a duo of former high school teammates in the incoming freshman class. Maya Evens and Mae Kordas both played together at Cathedral Catholic High School in Carlsbad, California. The duo was part of two Open State Championships (2022, 2024).
- Evens started both games for the Irish at libero and leads the team with 48 digs early in the season. She also has nine assists.
- Chichi Nnaji and Sophia Thornburg were high school teammates in Dallas, Texas at the Ursuline Academy of Dallas. Thornburg was named to the Prep Volleyball Top 100 National List for the Class of 2025 while Nnaji spent time working with the USAV National Team Development Program.
- Nnaji has made an early impact in a short time. She is second on the team with 19 kills, 14 total blocks and 26.5 points.
- The Irish added one player from the portal, outside hitter Sydney Helmers from Texas. She was a member of the 2023 National Champion team as a freshman for the Longhorns. The junior played in nine sets last weekend and tallied 13 kills.
KEY RETURNERS
- The Irish return 14 to the roster; 5 outside hitters, 3 defensive specialist/liberos, 3 middle blockers, 2 setters and 1 opposite.
- Morgan Gaerte returns coming off a freshman campaign that included 185 kills (3.14 kills per set) in 16 matches.
- Notre Dame returns all three middle blockers; Mallory Bohl, Anna Bjork and Grace Langer for their sophomore seasons. Bjork totaled 135 kills and 102 blocks (15 solo) as an intimidating presence in the middle. Langer played in all 29 matches last year and tallied 98 kills and 85 blocks while Bohl notched 65.5 points during the 2024 season.
PRESEASON ALL-ACC MORGAN GAERTE
- Morgan Gaerte was named to the 2025 Preseason All-ACC Volleyball Team on July 31st. The sophomore outside hitter is one of only 18 conference players to receive the accolade.
- Hailing from Angola, Indiana, a mere 78 miles east of South Bend, Gaerte logged back-to-back 20+ kill games last weekend, including a career-high 21 in the victory over Santa Clara. Her 41 kills so far this season are in the top-5 of the conference
- As a freshman in 2024, Gaerte played in 16 matches, totaling 185 kills, 61 digs, 37 blocks and eight aces. She tallied nine games with double-digit kills, including a career-high 18 in a five-set match against Georgia Tech. Gaerte led the team with 3.14 kills per set a season ago.