Marquette volleyball player Ella Foti believes in the power of teamwork.
It's most obvious on the court, where she has found a new role and helped the Golden Eagles (13-1, 4-0 Big East) rise to No. 18 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. It's a hot start that few predicted for a revamped roster that includes five freshmen and two transfers.
"We kind of went into it like nobody is expecting anything from us, let’s just go out there and play hard, have fun and see what happens," Foti said Wednesday.
The 6-foot Foti's debut for the Golden Eagles has been a long time coming. She committed to MU as a freshman at Madison Edgewood High School, not long after suffering a torn ACL. She enrolled early at MU in 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the volleyball season until the spring. Foti didn't get a waiver to play, but she rehabbed a broken ankle. Then she redshirted last season after tearing the medial meniscus in her right leg.
“She’s been through so much and just has had a terrific spirit through all of it," MU coach Ryan Theis said. "I would never be as strong as she is throughout the last five years of her life.”
Foti arrived at MU as a setter, but she switched to playing on the right side with the addition of Yadhira Anchante, who was the two-time National Junior College Athletic Association player of the year.
"Just how things shook out, with a couple awesome transfers we got, this was just kind of my path on the court and I was like I just want to do whatever I can to help the team succeed and win," Foti said.
It's been a seamless fit with Foti posting a hitting percentage of .304.
"The one thing that doesn’t change, which is why we decided with her on the right very early in the season, is right-side blocking and right-back defense," Theis said. "That’s where a setter plays. So she was the most experienced player in our gym as a right-side blocker.
“And then the hitting thing, we know she just kind of pulls stuff out of her back pocket and scores it. We’ve seen it in practice. And so she’s just a really good player and athlete.”
Foti's sense of teamwork extends away from volleyball. She's a double-major in psychology and educational studies and wants to be a child life specialist to help kids and families cope with surgeries or long-term illnesses. Foti also has been working with her family to build a nonprofit called Milotso, which facilitates community work for athletes.
"We just jump-started this program this summer," Foti said. "We’ve done a clinic and I had some of my teammates and basketball friends go to a facility called Running Rebels where we just hung out with the kids and taught them volleyball and it was super fun. We also at the end of July helped out with a backpacking thing with United Way."
Foti's pragmatism reflects MU's approach this season.
"We prepare a lot for each game," she said. "We have film sessions. We scout the teams hard. We have practice players come in and act as our opponents and try to play like them.
"And honestly going into every game we are well-prepared in that we never expect this is going to be an easy game or anything like that."
MU plays at St. John's and Seton Hall this weekend before a hotly anticipated battle at No. 21 Creighton next Friday.
"We talk about winning a Big East championship probably means a world (where) 17-1, 16-2 is probably what it takes with Creighton over there playing their way," Theis said. "So every match we always say ‘St. John’s is the most important match of the year. Why is that?’
"And our team will unanimously say, ‘Because it’s the next one.’ "