Women's volleyball lands 10 newcomers for 2025 season

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Millersville women's volleyball program and head coach Brian Smith have announced the addition of 10 players for the upcoming 2025 season. The class includes nine freshmen and one sophomore transfer and features two setters, three defensive specialists/liberos (DS/L), three pin hitters and two middles.

"I am extremely excited about this recruiting class and the upcoming 2025 season," Smith said of his newcomers. "This class adds a very dynamic group of players to our quality faction of returners from last year. We have depth and athleticism, so we can't wait to put the pieces together in the fall. This year's team will still be fairly young, but we bring back two senior captains in Caroline (Halsey) and Taylor (Welter) that will help with team culture and expectations."

The group is tasked with replacing four student-athletes that played in every match and appeared in 114 or more sets for the playoff-bound Marauders last season. The biggest loss is setter Emma Ludwig, who graduated with the most assists in program history and was first team all-conference in 2025. That's the impetus for the addition of setters Kat Dalessio and Julia Chunta and it's the first time since at least 2022 that Smith has recruited a setter. Dalessio is the lone sophomore transfer and her commitment to the 'Ville represents the third straight year in which the Marauders have added a sophomore transfer (Taylor Welter in 2023, Dryden Rancourt in 2024 and Dalessio in 2025). Lastly, two players hail from New York, four are from Pennsylvania and four are from Maryland. Three of the Maryland four also played on the same Maryland Juniors 18 Elite Yellow Team (Addy Van Oosten, Marin Esch, and Amanda Protzman).

MEET THE CLASS

Kat Dalessio (via Kat Dalessio)
KAT DALESSIO
S | 5'10
Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley/Kutztown
Major/Academic Interest: Sports Administration
About Dalessio: After graduating from Saucon Valley High School in 2024, Dalessio spent a semester at Kutztown before transferring to the 'Ville this past winter. She appeared in 10 matches and 20 sets as a Golden Bear, including a season-best 13 assists in her collegiate debut against Felician on Sept. 6. In high school, Dalessio was a four-year letter winner at Saucon Valley and was named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association (PVCA) All District All Star Team. With no returning Marauder currently listed as a setter, she could quickly crack the team's top seven.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because of the beautiful campus and the sense of home I got there. I also chose Millersville because of the positive team culture and competitive program. I felt like it was a great fit for me!"

Sidonia Cecco (Via Sidonia Cecco)
SIDONIA CECCO
DS/L | 5'6
Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg
Major/Academic Interest: Political Science
About Cecco: The first Maryland native of the group, Cecco was a consistent performer at 1A Smithsburg High School. She was named Central Maryland Conference (CMC) all-division three times and All-Washington County three times as well. As a junior, Cecco helped Smithsburg to become a 1A West state finalist. She will be one of six at her position group on Millersville come fall, and with the top three DS/Ls from 2025 departing, she could also make an early impact.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because of its beautiful campus, the ability to go to college close to where I live, and the school had the major I wanted. I also clicked with Coach Smith when I met him, so I knew I wanted to play volleyball here."

Julia Chunta (via Julia Chunta)
JULIA CHUNTA
S | 5'7
Salix, Pa./Forest Hills (Pa.)
Major/Academic Interest: Psychology
About Chunta: Chunta brings an impressive resume to the 'Ville, having set the Forest Hills team record for career assists with 3,755 while earning first team All-District honors in each of her final three seasons. She holds the unique distinction of setting the record for most assists in a single game (63) according to MaxPreps' National Record Book. She led her high school to back-to-back Laurel Highlands West Side conference championships in 2023 and 24 including a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) 2A semi-finals appearance in 2023. Like Dalessio, Chunta could make a name for herself right away with the setter spot up for grabs next season.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because of its campus, academics, and the welcoming environment of the volleyball team."

Krista Dowling (via Krista Dowling)
KRISTA DOWLING
M/RS | 5'9
Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh
Major/Academic Interest: Criminology and Sociology
About Dowling: One of two student-athletes on this list with middle and right side versatility, Dowling was a two-year varsity starter and earned all-conference honors in her senior season. If her future is in the middle, she could follow in the footsteps of current 5'9 Marauder middles Caroline Halsey and Sam White. That pair has used their athleticism, craftiness, and quickness to cement their place in the starting lineup over the past couple seasons.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville university because of its academics and its competitive volleyball program."

Marin Esch (#8 at the net/via Marin Esch)
MARIN ESCH
RS | 6'0
Fulton, Md./Reservoir
Major/Academic Interest: Pre-Athletic Training
About Esch: The first of four six-footers on this list, Esch brings a winning pedigree after taking home two Maryland 4A Regional Championships during her high school career. She was twice named Second Team all-Howard County and could contend for the third hitter spot in the rotation alongside Kylee Schurig and Welter in her first year.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because I immediately felt comfortable on the beautiful campus. It's close enough to home and the perfect size for me. I was also really impressed with the volleyball program and the players!"

Margaux Kellum (via Margaux Kellum)
MARGAUX KELLUM
L/DS | 5'6
Bucks County, Pa./William Tennent
Major/Academic Interest: Sports Medicine
About Kellum: Another future Marauder that's used to making the playoffs, Kellum comes to the 'Ville after a career in which she helped her team to the District 1 playoffs in three of four seasons. She was named honorable mention All-PIAA and tallied 935 digs during her time at William Tennent, something that will serve her well on a Millersville team that lost multiple back line regulars after the 2024 campaign.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because the size of the school is perfect, I love the campus, and it's not too far from home. After the first time I visited, I knew that I was in the right place. I have always been interested in playing college volleyball, and when I visited, I knew I wanted to play volleyball for Coach Smith!"

Hailey Lazur (via Hailey Lazur)
HAILEY LAZUR
MH | 6'0
Pittsburgh, Pa./Belle Vernon
Major/Academic Interest: Business
About Lazur: A former softball player, Lazur started playing volleyball in eighth grade, took her freshman year off to focus on the diamond, and then realized she had a greater passion for volleyball as a sophomore. Her star rose quickly after that, making varsity as a junior before being named team captain and pacing Belle Vernon in aces as a senior. At the 'Ville, the Pittsburgh native's future lies at the net, where the Marauders haven't had a six-footer play more than 50 sets in the middle since Caitlyn Callahan in 2021.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because I got such a good feeling when visiting and it just seemed like I was meant to come here. The campus is beautiful, and I found out they also had a great business program! I also had such a good recruiting process thanks to Coach Smith. I'm so excited to continue my athletic and academic career at Millersville University."

Makenzie Muscarello (via Makenzie Muscarello)
MAKENZIE MUSCARELLO
L/DS | 5'3
Sayville, N.Y./Sayville
Major/Academic Interests: Allied Health, Athletic Training, and Coaching
About Muscarello: Muscarello brings with her a long list of accolades from Sayville, New York. She was named all-league in 2021 & 2022, all-classification in 2023 and first team all-state in 2024. Newsday tabbed the back-liner as one of the top 50 volleyball players in New York for 2024 and she was also on the AVCA All-America Watch List for 2025. Finally, Muscarello earned her league's defensive player of the year award as a senior and was a three time NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Award winner. Those awards translated to team success, as she led Sayville to four straight league championships, three Class A Suffolk County Championships (2022-24) and a Class A Regional Championship as well as a semifinalist berth in the state playoffs in 2024. With the departures of Mya Cascario and Madison Von Neida from the defensive fold, Muscarello's number could be called early and often in 2025.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville University because of its small class sizes, beautiful campus and competitive volleyball program filled with great girls."

Amanda Protzman (via Amanda Protzman)
AMANDA PROTZMAN
MB/RS | 6'1
Arnold, Md./Broadneck
Major/Academic Interests: Undecided, minoring in Spanish
About Protzman: The second member of the Maryland Juniors Elite Yellow trio, Protzman has middle and right side versatility and put up the best year of her high school career as a senior. She led Broadneck High School to a regional championship and ultimately finished second in Maryland's 4A state championship. For her efforts, Protzman was named second team all-county. She could make an impact right away on the middle or the outside for the Marauders.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because I love the school in so many different ways. It has a lot of different options for majors which is perfect for me in terms of figuring out what I'd like to study, and I love its campus and culture. I also really enjoyed being with the team; the girls are all super welcoming and fun, and I cannot wait to have Coach Smith as a coach!"

Addy Van Oosten (via Addy Van Oosten)
ADDY VAN OOSTEN
OH | 6'2
Elkridge, Md./Long Reach
Major/Academic Interest: Sports Medicine-Allied Health Technology
About Van Oosten: Van Oosten comes from a volleyball family: her parents met playing the sport as teenagers and then went on to become coaches of her high school and club teams for all but one season. She set the Long Reach High School record for kills in a career with 595 in addition to being named to the Baltimore Sun All-County First Team from 2022-24. She led Long Reach to their three most successful campaigns in school history and made good on that AVCA Watch List selection with an AVCA All-Region nod this past season. Like others on this list, she could see playing time as part of Millersville's group of hitters in her rookie season.
Why Millersville?: "I chose Millersville because of the volleyball coach and the support I received from the team, as well as the strong academic programs and that it felt like home as soon as I walked on campus."

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