Takeaways From Maryland Volleyball's Big Ten Media Day

Maryland volleyball attended the 2025 edition of the Big Ten Volleyball Media Days on July 28 at Big Ten Network Studios in Chicago. 

The two-day event, from July 28-29, includes all 18 Big Ten schools, serving as an unofficial serve to the college volleyball season. Coaches, players and conference officials gathered to preview the year ahead and address the biggest storylines facing the league.

Eighth-year head coach Adam Hughes, senior right-side hitter Ajack Malual and junior middle blocker Ava Rohrbach represented Maryland, which was joined by Illinois, Penn State, Northwestern, Rutgers, Minnesota, Purdue, Indiana and Nebraska. 

Here is everything you need to know:

Maryland’s transfers bring SEC, international experience 

Adam Hughes and the Terps’ coaching staff welcomed four transfers over the offseason. Three of the newcomers, including Ajack Malual, Haley Melby and Olivia Ruy, transferred from SEC programs. 

Malual, a transfer from Tennessee, boasts international experience, having grown up playing volleyball in Italy. The native of Rome attended Tambosi ETI and was a member of the Italian U18 National Team. Her sister, Adhu, competes professionally in Italy, while her brother, Dhiu, previously competed professionally there. 

The senior explained how transitioning to play in the United States has had a positive impact on her game. 

“I feel like it has been such a beautiful experience for me,” Malual said. “I feel like I have something extra in my luggage of experiences in life. I get to see how people in America play. … It kind of taught me to adapt to change very quickly.”

Melby, a junior outside hitter, was part of the latter two of Kentucky’s eight straight SEC championships. She recorded 46 kills last year, contributing to the team that also made the  NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. 

Ruy, a redshirt sophomore outside hitter from Arkansas, also brings a wealth of experience to the group. She started in all but four matches for Arkansas at outside hitter a season ago, finishing third on the team in kills and aces with 221. Ruy also recorded 11 double-digit kill matches and led the Hogs in kills in six matches. 

“I think the staff and the program as a whole did a really good job of making sure we found the right pieces,” Hughes said. “[We addressed] the things that we needed to replace in this off-season.”

Skip to 39:06 for Coach Hughes with Eva Rohrbach and Ajack Malual

Rohrbach is primed for a breakout season 

Rohrbach is one of Maryland’s top returning performers from a season ago and will now assume a bigger role as a leader. 

The San Diego native appeared in all but one match in 2024, appearing in a total of 107 sets. She posted back-to-back seasons with 170 kills, over 100 blocks and a hitting percentage greater than .295. She also set career bests in digs (68) and service aces (19).    

“Eva is one of our vets,” Hughes said. “She's been committed to us for a long time. She's had two good years, and we're hoping she can take a huge step this year and have a great season.”

The middle blocker was previously one of two Terps to start all 32 contests and one of four to appear in all 32 matches as a freshman in 2023. She led the Terps and finished third among NCAA freshmen that season with 126 total blocks while also pacing the team and ranking sixth among freshmen with 1.15 blocks per set. 

Rohrbach is a former Prep Volleyball class of 2023 top 25 prospect. She was named to the 2022 Big South Qualifier All-Tournament Team and boasted First Team All-Coastal League, First Team All-CIF and Prep Volleyball Second Team High School All-American honors in 2021. 

“She's been a starter consistently since she got here on campus,” Hughes said. “She came here because we have a good program, but she wants to get this program to be great, and she has that potential in her. She's also been a good leader for us, a good vocal presence in our locker room.”

Hughes is set on raising the Maryland standard 

After posting three consecutive .500 or better seasons from 2021-23 — a feat that hadn’t been done since 2002-05 — the Terps ended 2024 with a 14-17 record.  

Hughes admitted that last season wasn’t up to his and the program’s standards. However, he’s committed to elevating that standard and replicating some of the success he helped achieve when he was first hired in 2018 and experienced before 2024. 

One of the things that stands out to Hughes as far as making that goal a reality is the shared desire for success among all players.   

“We want to turn our program into being great,” Hughes said. “It's not an easy challenge, but we're taking that on, and that's why I love hearing this, where we have some homegrown talent talking about raising the standard, and we have some fresh talent coming in talking about raising the standard.”

With a blend of returning and incoming talent through the transfer portal and recruiting, Hughes and Maryland volleyball will look to raise the program’s standards. Rohrbach says the team is looking to accomplish that through consistency. 

“We want to bounce right back,” Rohrbach said. “We're also looking to keep consistency throughout the whole season and face each team the same way we would face anyone.