Veteran players led Oregon volleyball in its 2024 season which extended all the way to the Sweet 16. When the Ducks’ season ultimately ended on Dec. 12, so did the collegiate careers of several of their most formidable players.
Head coach Matt Ulmer will likely recruit some big names from the transfer portal this offseason, but if there’s anything the final stretch of the season proved, it’s that Oregon has several young players ready to step into the spotlight.
Noemie Glover was one of the Ducks’ leaders in its NCAA Tournament run. In only her sophomore season, Glover was third on the team in blocks per set, third in block assists and fourth in total kills.
With Oregon graduating big contributors in Michelle Ohwobete and Onye Ofoegbu, it’ll require Glover’s role to increase next season.
Glover showed she’s up to the task, as she played her best volleyball at the end of the season. She recorded double-digit kills in seven of the last nine matches of the season, including a season-high 15 kills to go along with six blocks against a ranked Purdue.
Another key cog in the Ducks’ future is setter Cristin Cline. She redshirted the 2023 season while she learned from former All-American setter Hannah Pukis.
Cline stepped into the starting lineup in 2024 and guided Oregon’s attack. She averaged over 10 assists per set and recorded 23 service aces over the course of the season.
The Ducks’ are also expected to return their setter’s favorite target: star outside hitter Mimi Colyer.
Having Colyer back for her senior season will give Oregon some continuity with lineup changes on the horizon. She’s been the team’s leader in kills for each of the past three seasons.
The program has come close the past three years but has yet to secure an elusive Final Four berth under Ulmer’s tenure. With the Ducks having one season of the Cline-Colyer connection under their belt and the rise of Glover’s production, the potential for another deep tournament run hasn’t gone anywhere.