It’s safe to say that arguably one of the greatest dynasties in Brock Badgers history is unfolding right in front of our eyes. After last year’s Quigley Cup championship victory over the McMaster Marauders, the Badgers women’s volleyball team claimed their fourth OUA title in five years.
The team had three all-stars, breezed through the regular season and culminated a bronze medal at nationals, proving to every team in the country that this program keeps getting better year after year.
Now, with the 2026-27 season on the horizon with all the dust having settled from their remarkable season, Head Coach Steve Delaney and his team are back to the drawing board amidst some big turnaround on the team. Let’s take a look at what’s to come for the Brock women’s volleyball team as they aim to capture back-to-back OUA titles and march back into nationals with gold in their sights.
Additions
The Badgers are welcoming some fresh new faces to their roster this year, including University of Oklahoma transfer (and new member of The Brock Press’ team) Jasmine Ellison. The libero is coming to St. Catharines after spending her freshman year as a member of the Sooners, where she was considered for the Freshman Athlete of the Year as well as earning her spot on the 2025 Athlete Honour Roll. Ellison brings NCAA Division I level experience to the table, something that is especially important as a libero making the switch to Canadian volleyball.
Her poise and high volleyball IQ make her stand out among her peers, along with some of the best leadership skills any coach could ask for.
Ellison spoke with The Brock Press about her feelings for the upcoming season and why she picked the Badgers.
“It’s a sense of overall community, and I always have something I can do on campus. Based on my last experience where I was, team culture and also relationships between players and coaches was huge for me. Not only did I find what I wanted academically here at Brock but also based on the culture that I saw on the court,” said Ellison.
The libero is pursuing a career in media, hoping that she can not only fulfill her goals on the court and eventually make it to the pro level, but also pursue a career as a journalist.
She also spoke about her and the team’s expectations after such a successful run in 2026.
“I don’t have many. Of course, we’re striving to win the OUA, but now we have a new goal because we saw how far we went at nationals last year, so we’re not only competing to do better provincially, but now we want to compete on a national level. The roster looks really different this year but it’s the same mindset.”
Ellison brings the Badgers experience and depth to their roster, improving their defense while adding another leader on the court.
Also joining the Badgers is setter Isabella Zylbering. The Cambridge native is coming off a stellar high school career with championship pedigree across the board.
Although it will be difficult to find playing time while sharing a position with OUA First-team all-star Mackenna Knox, the 2026-27 season will be a great chance for Zylbering to learn the pace of university volleyball under the tutelage of such a talented teammate. It will be intriguing to see how she grows as the season goes on but be sure to see some appearances from her in pockets as the season progresses.
Key returning players
Delaney’s core he’s built over his tenure at Brock has been one of the most slept-on recruiting jobs in Canadian university athletics. The talent welcomed into Brock each year is, without a doubt, the most consistent the program has seen in its lifetime. His and his staff’s ability to find gems ahead of each season and build around a core of women is truly a testament to the dedication and effort they’ve put into this team.
That core includes returning all-star Emma Baruchelli and the aforementioned Knox, along with key players like Madison Tuck and Daryan Chadwick.
Knox has built one of the most outstanding resumes in her three seasons with the Badgers, earning numerous awards along the way as the league’s best at her position. Now with a national’s run under her belt, the setter has racked up experience at practically every level imaginable, carrying her team through some stretches of games with infectious energy and the skills of a professional. Her ability to shift a game’s momentum on her own is a major contributor to her team’s success in recent seasons. Her sneaky athleticism at the net and ability to make a play out of almost any ball make her so dominant on the court. If she can stay healthy throughout the entire season, there’s no telling how far the team can get with Knox at the helm.
The other returning all-star for the Badgers is Baruchelli. The Trento, Italy, native enjoyed another remarkable season last year, commanding the net with some of the most vicious kills in all of Ontario volleyball. Her presence around the net as both a hitter and blocker, mixed with elite timing, is what makes opposing teams so scared when facing the Badgers. Similar to Knox, her energy is what drives the Badgers through some sets, as she can go on individual runs of dominance in a flash if you lose focus on her.
She’s become one of the most important players on this team, and now entering her fourth year, the sky’s the limit for Baruchelli, who looks to help guide her team to more success on the big stage.
Alongside Baruchelli were two of the league’s most impressive outside hitters, Tuck and Chadwick. Tuck put together her best season as a Badger after the departure of the then-all-time points leader, Sadie Dick. In Dick’s absence, Tuck ran away with the starting right-side role as she cruised through the regular season and playoffs, making some of the most challenging plays look like a piece of cake. The Georgetown native led her team in kills for countless games, often racking up three to five kills in a row all by herself.
Chadwick earned the team M.V.P at last season’s end, putting together the best campaign of her collegiate career as well. Both outside hitters were at their best with each other on the court, trusting Knox to consistently deliver good sets.
Departures
While most of the core players from last season remain on the team this year, the Badgers also face the challenge of replacing some key players who have moved on for different reasons.
First is Emily Foest. The former outside hitter spent five years in a Badger uniform, earning all-star appearances, a bronze medal at nationals and even passed her teammate Sadie Dick for the all-time points record just last season. The Fonthill product had an outstanding career at Brock but after the 2025-26 season, her time came to move on and graduate.
Foest’s presence on the outside will be missed dearly, along with her high energy and commitment to the program. While the current team looks to have enough depth to fill the position, the overall impact brought by Foest will be missed heading into next season.
Isabella Samadzadeh is another senior who will be missing from the team this year after she, too, finished her final year as one of the team’s most reliable liberos.
Finally, Brianne Whalen leaves the team after a surprising Instagram announcement that she would be stepping away from volleyball. When Whalen played, she was one of the team’s best defensive players.
While these departures are a hit to the team’s depth, the new additions and returning players look to fill any potential holes. Delaney has proven to be one of the best coaches in the country, so don’t be surprised if he’s able to adjust in the matter of a few games.
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The Brock women’s volleyball team looks poised for dominance yet again. Their roster is just as strong as in previous years, with returning players coming in with the utmost confidence after playing on the national stage against Canada’s toughest teams. If things go the way Delaney hopes, we may see yet another OUA title coming to Brock by the end of the season.