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Princeton Women’s Volleyball Poised for Ivy League Tournament After Dominant Season
Princeton University’s women’s volleyball team is gearing up for a crucial stretch, facing Harvard on November 14th and Dartmouth on November 15th as they conclude their regular season schedule. The Tigers have already clinched a spot in the Ivy League Tournament and are looking to build on a season marked by both individual brilliance and team success.
The Princeton programme boasts a rich championship tradition, having secured an extraordinary 20 Ivy League titles in program history, including a shared championship with Yale in 2023 with a 12-2 record.This places them well ahead of their rivals, with yale holding the second-most titles at 14.
Leading the charge is Head Coach Sabrina King, now in her 14th season. King has steered the team to a remarkable 22-4 overall record and an unblemished 10-0 mark in Ivy League play. Their recent victories against Penn (3-0: 25-16, 25-20, 25-18) and Cornell (3-0: 25-13, 32-30, 25-18) demonstrate their dominance within the conference.
Individual accolades have been flowing in for the Tigers. Valerie Nutakor and Sydney Draper were both recognized as Ivy League players of the Week in 2025, with Nutakor earning the honor on November 10th and Draper on September 29th. The team’s promising freshman class has also been recognized, with Shelby Burriss (October 27th & 13th), Olivia Foye (September 29th), and Taylor Clarke (September 8th) all earning Ivy League Rookie of the Week awards.
Princeton’s national ranking reflects their high level of play. currently, the Tigers are ranked No.18 in the nation in hitting percentage (.278) and No. 19 in assists-per-set (12.96).
A key contributor to this success is Lucia Scalamandrea, a three-time all-Ivy honoree. She currently ranks No. 5 among active career leaders in hitting percentage (.392) and boasts a .433 hitting percentage in 2025, the best in the Ivy League and No. 10 nationally. Scalamandrea also excels in blocks-per-set (1.04), points (3.56), and kills (2.85). Her .800 hitting percentage against Columbia on October 18th tied the highest recorded by an Ivy League player this season, and she accounts for five of the top-ten single-game hitting percentages in the league.
Leading the offensive charge is Draper, the 2023 Ivy Rookie of the Year. She currently ranks No. 7 nationally and leads the Ivy League in assists-per-set (10.73), and is no. 13 among active career leaders in assists-per-set (10.19). Draper’s impressive performance against Penn on september 26th, were she recorded 52 assists, was the most by any player in a three-set match in 2025.
Nutakor is also having a strong senior season, ranking third in the Ivy league in kills-per-set (3.37) and fifth in points (3.64). her 25 kills against Cornell on October 17th are tied for the most in a match by an Ivy League player this year. Sydney Bold provides a solid defensive presence,ranking sixth in the Ivy League in digs-per-set (3.30).
The freshman class is making a significant impact, with Burriss ranking No. 6 in the Ivy League and No. 14 nationally in hitting percentage (.365), and Foye ranking No. 5 in digs (3.38).
Looking ahead, Princeton will face Harvard, who are 6-14 overall and 5-7 in Ivy League play, having recently swept Brown 3-0 on November 8th. The Tigers previously swept the crimson 3-0 on October 11th. They will then take on Dartmouth, currently 7-15 overall and 4-8 in conference play, after the Big green fell to Yale 3-0 on November 8th
