The Golden Eagles are going dancing for the 15th year in a row, when the NCAA tournament has a full field. Only this time, it’s under the direction of head coach Tom Mendoza.
After earning an at-large bid on Sunday night, Marquette faces off against 7th-seeded Western Kentucky. Although the pressures of the big stage may have an impact, both teams already faced each other back in September, when the Golden Eagles swept the Hilltoppers 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-19) in their home-opener.
LET’S DANCE
The Golden Eagles face Western Kentucky this Friday, December 5 in Louisville, KY in the 2025 NCAA DI Women’s Volleyball Championship!#WeAreMarquette | #MarquetteVB pic.twitter.com/m2vBJ3qrzQ
— Marquette Volleyball (@MarquetteVB) November 30, 2025
“They’ve gotten better as a team over the last three months, just like we have,” Marquette head coach Tom Mendoza said before leaving for Louisville.
“It’s good that we have some familiarity, but we’re going to have to play well this time and adjust to what they’re going to change from last time we played.”
Here’s what you need to know about both teams:
The Golden Eagles
Despite losing 3-0 to Creighton in the Big East tournament semifinals, a game in which Ava Martin dominated with 24 kills, Marquette left the match with a sense of confidence.
“We reduced sets, and we had multiple set points, and we didn’t play bad,” Mendoza said. “We were just a play or two short of finishing off some of those sets.
“We’re playing good volleyball right now. Hopefully that we take that on the bus and the plane with us to Louisville.”
Looking to make its 9th appearance in the second round, all eyes naturally point to Marquette’s late-year offensive improvements.
After losing seven players who were essential in previous NCAA tournaments, names like Natalie Ring and Hattie Bray — two unanimous All-Big East honorees — will have to be rolling off the tongue of the PA announcer if the Marquette wants a chance to advance to the next round.
Ring leads the team with 452 kills, swinging at .269 percent from the outside. Meanwhile, Bray has managed to put up a strong defensive wall with 1.2 blocks per game and 120 total.
Co-Big East freshman of the year Isabela Haggard, the third Golden Eagle to receive all-conference honors, has also been key in 2025, ranking third in the conference 9.15 assists per set.
“Especially with [Bray] and [Ring] having the same setter for a few years, there’s a little bit of an adjustment for everybody,” Mendoza said. “We’re not asking her to be a previous player. We want Bella to be Bella, and we want her to learn how to be successful as her.
“And she’s done a great job of being herself, but also understanding what it takes to lead a group through a season.”
They’ve faced difficult and ranked teams. They’ve seen change. They’ve fought inconsistencies all year long. Now, they face their toughest test under the brightest of lights on the dance floor.
“We know if we play within ourself and play good volleyball, we’re capable of beating anybody,” Mendoza said. ‘And if we don’t do that, we’re capable of losing to anybody.”
The Hilltoppers
For a team that only returned four starters from its 2024 roster, a 10-game win streak and 15-1 conference record allowed Western Kentucky to get its name called to go dancing.
In her second collegiate season, sophomore outside hitter Alivia Skidmore will be who Marquette’s front row defense will need to be eyeing the entire match. Skidmore leads the Hilltoppers with 362 kills this season.
In the back row, sophomore defensive specialist Tayler Baron will be the one giving Western Kentucky the opportunities to make plays out of her own digs. Baron is also the most efficient at the serving line, collecting 33 digs on the season.
“They play different style than a lot of the teams we face, so I think it’s good for us to have seen that,” Mendoza said.
How to follow
Watch: ESPN+ will feature the broadcast at 3 p.m. CST
Live updates: Follow @MatthewBaltzMU and @MUWireSports on Twitter/X.
This article was written by Raquel Ruiz. She can be reached at raquel.ruiz@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @RaquelRuizMU.