The Brock Badgers women’s volleyball team has silenced all doubters as they finished the first half of the season with an outstanding 9-1 record heading into winter break.
After three of their most important players graduated at the end of the 2024-25 season, the Badgers entered this year with some major question marks surrounding their roster. Shoes had to be filled, and Head Coach Steve Delaney was going to have to make some major adjustments if he wanted his team to succeed.
It’s safe to say they did.
The Badgers haven’t missed a beat to start the season, racking up win after win in impressive fashion. Accompanied by some of the most passionate fans in the OUA, the Badgers continue to dismantle opponents at home under Delaney’s tenure with the team, accumulating only one loss at the Bob Davis Gymnasium thus far. However, it’s been on the road where the team has been the most impressive, riding an undefeated streak in enemy territory through their first 10 games. It all started in October against Queen’s, where the Badgers took both games of the weekend series in five sets each, putting the league on notice.
From there, the Badgers would meet Western at home, splitting the series (3-2, 0-3), which saw the Badgers show some signs of weakness in the latter. However, any second-guessing was thrown out the window, as Brock would proceed to ride a six-game win streak into the break, highlighted by three consecutive sweeps over Waterloo, Trent and McMaster. In that stretch, the Badgers only dropped one set, demonstrating their otherworldly consistency and ability to work teams down with their depth.
Additionally, the Badgers have centered their identity around the use of different players, rather than catering to an individual player. Delaney has emphasized the next woman up mentality within his roster, implementing numerous players from his depth chart into scenarios. So far this season, Brock has only two players in the top five for major statistical categories, coming from two of their leaders in Emily Foest (service aces per set) and Mackenna Knox (assists per set). For a team that’s only lost a single game, it’s unusual to have so many players left out of the top five in specific stats. The team’s value comes from the consistency of talent from the starting lineup all the way to the bench. In each game, expect a new player to have a big performance, as countless Badgers have stepped up when the team needed it the most.
With that being said, Brock’s individual player performance has been nothing short of fantastic to begin the season. In the absence of some of their best players from last year’s team, this squad has seen some of its best moments from individual play.
Emily Foest, the team’s only fifth year, has been playing like her career is on the line. The outside hitter has culminated countless outstanding performances thus far, often leading the team in kills with her fierce power. Where she’s been just as impressive, however, is serving the ball. As previously mentioned, the Fonthill native is third in the OUA with 0.58 aces per set, dicing teams up with eagle-like accuracy. She also sits eighth in total kills, with 96 and 14th for kills per set with 2.67, remaining one of the most feared hitters across all teams. In her final year with the team, Foest looks to bring one more OUA title to Brock as a send-off to an already outstanding university career.
Brock’s success can’t be talked about without the mention of the second year middle Charlotte Ross. After senior Gigi Markotic went down with a gruesome leg injury to start the 2024-25 season, first-year Ross was called upon to fill her role. Since then, Ross has made her mark as one of the best middles in all of the OUA, with her power and alien-like blocking ability. Opposing teams are never safe around the net when Ross is looming, constantly causing havoc with her length and intimidating height in close quarters. Ross continues to improve game by game, and if she keeps playing to the level she is now, expect Brock to make a serious run when the playoffs roll around.
Another middle that’s had a lasting impact so far is Emma Baruchelli. Having shown her value since putting on a Badgers uniform, Baruchelli continues to impress with her inhuman jumping ability and defensive presence around the net. The Trento, Italy native has become a fan favourite, with natural charisma and a hitting ability that can energize a crowd in an instant. Baruchelli is a vital piece to this Badgers team, and so far this season, she’s been playing out of her mind. The middle constantly makes the right play, feeding off her teammates’ energy as she often caps off some great setups around the net.
Madison Tuck has been another bright spot for the Badgers this year as she took over the starting right-side position from all-time points leader Sadie Dick. Tuck’s relentless work ethic and strict leadership have been on full display thus far. Her will to win has led to much praise from Delaney, who values Tuck at the highest level. Her knack for the ball seems to get her in the right spot almost every possession, leading to some of the nastiest kills the league has seen this season. This has been her best season so far as a member of the Badgers, climbing up the ranks amongst the team’s best players as each season goes on. Barring any serious injury or bad luck, Tuck’s season has all-star written all over it. Whether it’s off the court or on, her tenacious effort has been a major contributor to the team’s masterful start to the year.
Finally, Mackenna Knox must be mentioned when talking about the Badgers’ success this year. The Badger’s setter acts as the glue to this team, playing her role to a tee as not only a hustle player, but as an extremely gifted volleyball mind. Knox is a wizard with the ball as demonstrated so far this season. She often makes plays out of nothing, setting up her teammates with precision that almost nobody else possesses. She plays to her strengths and almost always has a smile on her face while doing it. It looks as though she’s toying with her opponents sometimes, playing with the utmost confidence. Knox is looking to make it back to the all-star team and repeat the success she had in the second half of last year’s season.
The first half of the season saw the Brock Badgers get to work. Capped off by great play from their depth players and outstanding work from their starters, Delaney had his team ready from the first game of the season. Things are only looking up for the Badgers after the break. Their series against the Windsor Lancers in mid-February is the only time they play a team above the .500 mark for the remainder of the season.