Heading into the 2025 season, head coach Salima Rockwell recruited a strong class of freshmen and used the transfer portal to her advantage to craft a strong lineup full of rising stars and well-tested veterans. Her most impactful recruit was junior outside hitter Sydney Helmers, who had spent the past two years at Texas and was on the 2023 national championship-winning squad. As soon as Helmers stepped foot in South Bend, she had an instant impact as a 6-rotation starting outside. She proved how much Rockwell trusted Helmers with digging against some of America’s best hitters but also to score at the net when the University of Notre Dame needed it the most. Ultimately, Helmers would play in 23 matches, earn 229 kills, get 157 digs, post 36 blocks and serve 25 service aces. Her impressive statistics hint at how, in her senior year, she will be the most reliable and go-to player for the Irish.
In addition to transferring Helmers, Rockwell brought in five freshmen: Maya Evens, Sophia Thornburg, Mae Kordas, Chichi Nnaji and Maya Baker. Thornburg did not play her freshman year due to injury and is redshirting, but the rest of her class saw court action. Evens would become the starting libero for the Irish, leading the team with an impressive 283 digs, while Baker would become the starting setter, leading the team with an astounding 549 assists. Kordas would make six starts on the season at both outside and opposite while totaling 112 kills and 39 blocks. Nnaji would make 13 starts on the outside and would total 121 kills and 65 blocks, both freshmen showing how their impacts at the net for the Irish will only grow and set a high ceiling for the Irish to meet.
Although Notre Dame went 1-1 while hosting the Catholic Challenge, where it beat Santa Clara and lost to Villanova, it also faced two more home losses before securing its second win of the season at Colorado State on Sep. 12. One of its home losses was to Illinois, where the obvious standout was sophomore outside hitter Morgan Gaerte. In its five-set match, Gaerte was coming off a minimum of 20-kill performance at the Catholic Challenge but got a record-breaking 34 kills against the Illini, which broke Kathy Cunningham’s record of 33 from the 1987 season. Not only did 34 kills shatter the program’s high for kills per match, but Gaerte’s 75 kills throughout the first three games of the season were the most in Irish history. For Gaerte, this was only the beginning, and by the end of the season, she would lead the team with 497 kills and 36 service aces, while ranking third in the entire ACC for both kills per set at 4.64 and points scored at 575.
The momentum from their nonconference schedule carried the Irish through ACC play, where they ultimately boasted a 9-11 record in one of the toughest conferences in volleyball, one that sent seven teams to the NCAA Tournament at the end of the year. The Irish offense was extremely efficient, and their on-net defense was strong, which allowed them to walk away with wins against Boston College, California, Virginia and Virginia Tech. However, unforced service errors and the struggle for a back-row anchor plagued the Irish and would be the ultimate difference maker.
Despite these struggles, the Irish refused to be an easy win for teams in the middle of October such as No. 6 Pitt, No. 8 SMU and No. 21 North Carolina. Although the Irish didn’t win any of these matchups, the team forced some of the nation’s best programs into uncomfortable situations and high-pressure rallies, which forced these ACC powerhouses to earn their points rather than steamrolling the Irish.
The rest of its schedule finished with tough losses against both unranked and ranked teams, but ultimately Notre Dame finished 12-16 on the season, winning its final game at home against Wake Forest.
Following the conclusion of a mediocre Irish season, Gaerte announced she would be transferring to the University of Kentucky, the runners-up of the 2025 National Championship. Her loss will undoubtedly be felt on the backend of the Irish court, but Helmers’ performance all season long is a reassurance that there will be someone available to fill Gaerte’s shoes.
For the 2026 season, Rockwell has brought in Angie Desamours, Carla Mercado, Isabella Sangha and Portia Zeidler, all of whom have competed at the top national and international levels and will replace some of the graduated Irish talent.
Although the schedule has not been released for the 2026 season, Rockwell’s integration of younger players into the roster last season has truly set the team up for success in a different way than other ACC teams, which are reliant on their seniors and graduate students. For Notre Dame fans, there are sure to be intense matchups throughout the year as Rockwell heads into her fifth season repping the blue and gold.
