Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
VB | 2025 Season in Review
12/2/2025 1:55:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MORAGA, Calif. — With a new head coach and 10 newcomers on the 2025-26 Saint Mary's Volleyball roster, there were quite a few question marks entering this year's campaign. After Rob Browning had been at the helm 20 years, Gaels fans got their first glimpse at a new head coach for the first time since 2005, as Tyler Hildebrand took the reins, and brought in 10 new student-athletes, while retaining 12 from last year's squad. Very early on, Hildebrand demonstrated his willingness to play a fair combination of both returners and newcomers, and while there were some early bumps in the road, but the end of the season his vision was clear; the Gaels would be competitive in every contest and have the early building blocks laid into place to be contenders in the West Coast Conference.
The year began with a road victory against North Dakota, but the celebrations would have to wait, as Saint Mary's would drop each of their next eight, and 10 of their final 11 in non-conference play. That said, it was quite the non-conference gauntlet, as the Gaels did not play a single home match in non-con, and only played three matches in the state of California. Their pre-conference slate featured the likes of NCAA Tournament Teams Rice, Baylor, Utah and Cal Poly, as the Gaels were widely considered to have one of the toughest non-conference slates of any mid-major program. While the record was less than stellar, the Gaels took major strides throughout the early part of the season, going from falling in week one to Bowling Green and North Dakota State, to forcing five against Utah and Cal Poly in their final week before conference.
As if the Gaels weren't away from UCU Pavilion enough, they had their first week of conference on the road as well, taking on Oregon State and Portland. After falling in four to the Beavers in four, and falling behind 2-0 to the Pilots, the Gaels made a key switch that would resonate throughout the season, switching to a 6-2 rotation over a 5-1. They would rally back to force a fifth against Portland, ultimately falling in five, but that switch would maintain throughout the remainder of the season. The Gaels home opening week featured preseason WCC favorites San Diego and defending WCC champs LMU. The Gaels set a program attendance record in their home opener, with 1560 inside UCU Pavilion, and despite falling in three, put up a monumental effort against the Toreros. The Gaels also fell in three close sets to LMU. That was the last of the Saint Mary's losing for quite awhile, as the Gaels would rattle off six straight victories, coming from behind in four of those. Saint Mary's would come within a swing each of downing both Oregon State and San Diego, but ultimately fell in five in each of those contests, ending the winning streak, also falling in five to San Francisco, but would rip off another three game win streak, culminating with a senior day sweep of Washington State, the first win over the Cougars in program history. On the road in SoCal to wrap up the season, the Gaels would take a set each off of LMU and Pepperdine, but ultimately dropped both matches in four, bringing the season to a close.
In year one of the Hildebrand era, the Gaels went 11-18, finishing with one more win than the 2024 campaign, and went 9-9 in conference play, just the fourth time in the last decade that Saint Mary's finished 0.500 or better in conference play. After starting the year at 2-13, the Gaels closed out winning nine of their final 14 contests, demonstrating the massive growth of this team this season, even more impressive when figuring that the Gaels lost more than a few players to injury down the stretch. If the record over that stretch isn't enough to see the growth throughout the season, it's even more notable to look at the statistical improvements. Through the first 15 matches of the year, the Gaels averaged 11.47 kills per set, 11.22 digs per set and 1.41 blocks per set, while hitting at 0.177 and allowing opponents to hit at 0.264. Over the final 14 matches of the year, the Gaels saw massive improvements in all of those numbers, averaging 12.23 kills per set, 13.92 digs per set and 2.61 blocks per set, while hitting at 0.197 and holding opponents to a 0.167 clip.
Individually, Genevieve Bane led the Gaels with 329 kills. It was her second straight 300+ kill season, while she also set a new career-high with 68 blocks in a single season. The redshirt senior graduates with 1153 kills (6th most in program history), 3407 attacks (6th most in program history), 118 aces (t-4th most in program history) and 1384.5 points (7th most in program history). As such, Bane was named first team All-WCC for the second straight year. Freshman Mya Allen joined Bane in the all-conference ranks, earning an honorable mention nod, as well as being named to the all-freshman team. Allen appeared in 71 sets for the Gaels before missing the final eight matches of the year, but still managed to tally 241 kills (2nd on the team), 20 aces, and 112 digs, while averaging a team-best 3.41 kills/set (fifth in the WCC). She was the first Gael to earn an all-freshman nod since Kristen Erland did so in 2021.
Other notable standouts from the year include freshman setter Ivona Lazovic (692 assists, 32 aces, 213 digs), junior libero Alayna Pearson (404 digs, 29 aces) and sophomore middle blocker Tessa Schouten (152 kills, 110 blocks). The Gaels celebrated senior day for Bane along with Katherine Gee (199 digs in two seasons), Mia Paulson, Madi Zorn (769 assists, 52 aces and 273 digs in three seasons), Clarissa Klein (430 kills, 137 blocks in three seasons), Hailee Garcia (1125 assists, 77 aces, and 467 digs in three seasons), Abby Castillon (374 kills, 61 aces, and 595 digs in four seasons). The Gaels also had seven of their 10 freshmen appear in at least one match (Lazovic, Allen, Anaya Thrower, Miley Thunstrom, Layne Dent, Vivian Parker and Anna Hanson) demonstrating the youth of this squad that will hopefully be the foundation for the bright future of Saint Mary's Volleyball.
We'll let Tyler Hildebrand sum things up with his thoughts on the season
#GaelsRise
The year began with a road victory against North Dakota, but the celebrations would have to wait, as Saint Mary's would drop each of their next eight, and 10 of their final 11 in non-conference play. That said, it was quite the non-conference gauntlet, as the Gaels did not play a single home match in non-con, and only played three matches in the state of California. Their pre-conference slate featured the likes of NCAA Tournament Teams Rice, Baylor, Utah and Cal Poly, as the Gaels were widely considered to have one of the toughest non-conference slates of any mid-major program. While the record was less than stellar, the Gaels took major strides throughout the early part of the season, going from falling in week one to Bowling Green and North Dakota State, to forcing five against Utah and Cal Poly in their final week before conference.
As if the Gaels weren't away from UCU Pavilion enough, they had their first week of conference on the road as well, taking on Oregon State and Portland. After falling in four to the Beavers in four, and falling behind 2-0 to the Pilots, the Gaels made a key switch that would resonate throughout the season, switching to a 6-2 rotation over a 5-1. They would rally back to force a fifth against Portland, ultimately falling in five, but that switch would maintain throughout the remainder of the season. The Gaels home opening week featured preseason WCC favorites San Diego and defending WCC champs LMU. The Gaels set a program attendance record in their home opener, with 1560 inside UCU Pavilion, and despite falling in three, put up a monumental effort against the Toreros. The Gaels also fell in three close sets to LMU. That was the last of the Saint Mary's losing for quite awhile, as the Gaels would rattle off six straight victories, coming from behind in four of those. Saint Mary's would come within a swing each of downing both Oregon State and San Diego, but ultimately fell in five in each of those contests, ending the winning streak, also falling in five to San Francisco, but would rip off another three game win streak, culminating with a senior day sweep of Washington State, the first win over the Cougars in program history. On the road in SoCal to wrap up the season, the Gaels would take a set each off of LMU and Pepperdine, but ultimately dropped both matches in four, bringing the season to a close.
In year one of the Hildebrand era, the Gaels went 11-18, finishing with one more win than the 2024 campaign, and went 9-9 in conference play, just the fourth time in the last decade that Saint Mary's finished 0.500 or better in conference play. After starting the year at 2-13, the Gaels closed out winning nine of their final 14 contests, demonstrating the massive growth of this team this season, even more impressive when figuring that the Gaels lost more than a few players to injury down the stretch. If the record over that stretch isn't enough to see the growth throughout the season, it's even more notable to look at the statistical improvements. Through the first 15 matches of the year, the Gaels averaged 11.47 kills per set, 11.22 digs per set and 1.41 blocks per set, while hitting at 0.177 and allowing opponents to hit at 0.264. Over the final 14 matches of the year, the Gaels saw massive improvements in all of those numbers, averaging 12.23 kills per set, 13.92 digs per set and 2.61 blocks per set, while hitting at 0.197 and holding opponents to a 0.167 clip.
Individually, Genevieve Bane led the Gaels with 329 kills. It was her second straight 300+ kill season, while she also set a new career-high with 68 blocks in a single season. The redshirt senior graduates with 1153 kills (6th most in program history), 3407 attacks (6th most in program history), 118 aces (t-4th most in program history) and 1384.5 points (7th most in program history). As such, Bane was named first team All-WCC for the second straight year. Freshman Mya Allen joined Bane in the all-conference ranks, earning an honorable mention nod, as well as being named to the all-freshman team. Allen appeared in 71 sets for the Gaels before missing the final eight matches of the year, but still managed to tally 241 kills (2nd on the team), 20 aces, and 112 digs, while averaging a team-best 3.41 kills/set (fifth in the WCC). She was the first Gael to earn an all-freshman nod since Kristen Erland did so in 2021.
Other notable standouts from the year include freshman setter Ivona Lazovic (692 assists, 32 aces, 213 digs), junior libero Alayna Pearson (404 digs, 29 aces) and sophomore middle blocker Tessa Schouten (152 kills, 110 blocks). The Gaels celebrated senior day for Bane along with Katherine Gee (199 digs in two seasons), Mia Paulson, Madi Zorn (769 assists, 52 aces and 273 digs in three seasons), Clarissa Klein (430 kills, 137 blocks in three seasons), Hailee Garcia (1125 assists, 77 aces, and 467 digs in three seasons), Abby Castillon (374 kills, 61 aces, and 595 digs in four seasons). The Gaels also had seven of their 10 freshmen appear in at least one match (Lazovic, Allen, Anaya Thrower, Miley Thunstrom, Layne Dent, Vivian Parker and Anna Hanson) demonstrating the youth of this squad that will hopefully be the foundation for the bright future of Saint Mary's Volleyball.
We'll let Tyler Hildebrand sum things up with his thoughts on the season
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's VolleyballVB | Tyler Hildebrand Season Wrap Up Press Conference, 12-2-25
Tuesday, December 02
VB | Highlights at Pepperdine, 11-29-25
Saturday, November 29
VB | Highlights at LMU, 11-26-25
Wednesday, November 26
VB | Tyler Hildebrand Postgame Presser vs. Washington State 2025
Saturday, November 22
