VINCENNES, Ind. – Vincennes University volleyball sophomore Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) signed her letter of intent earlier this week to continue her volleyball career next season at Park University in Missouri.
“I chose Park University because it aligns with what I want for my future,” Dalla Pozza said. “I was looking for a school that could challenge me academically while also helping me grow as an athlete. After talking with the coach and seeing the team culture, I knew this was a place where I could level up in every way; mentally, physically and emotionally.”
Dalla Pozza is coming off an outstanding sophomore season with the Trailblazers where she finished the season with 350 kills, 164 blocks, 145 digs, 56 aces and 33 set assists and finished the season with a hitting percentage of .376.
Dalla Pozza finished the season as the NJCAA Division I leader in total blocks and was second in the NJCAA this season in block assists.
Dalla Pozza earned Second Team Academic All-American honors and was named to the All-Tournament teams for both the 2024 Blazer Classic and Showdown on the Wabash tournaments.
Dalla Pozza closed out her two years with the Trailblazers with a total of 566 kills, 315 blocks, 230 digs, 98 aces and 51 set assists, earning First Team All-Region 24 honors for the second year in a row.
Dalla Pozza helped guide the Trailblazers to another great season in 2024, finishing with a record of 30-13 and securing VU’s fourth consecutive NJCAA Division I Region 24 Championship.
Dalla Pozza finished her two seasons at VU with a combined record of 62-20 and a 32-3 record against Region 24 opponents.
“I have more than just one favorite memory from my time at VU,” Dalla Pozza added. “As an athlete, I achieved both team and individual goals that I am really proud of. But beyond the court, what stands out most is the people I met. So many people who helped me grow, not just as a player, but as a person.”
“When I look back at these past two years, I feel proud of how far I have come,” Dalla Pozza said. “I arrived from the other side of the world without even speaking English and despite the challenges, I pushed through every time, coming out stronger, more confident and more aware of who I am.”
Dalla Pozza will be joining her VU teammate and 2024 NJCAA All-American Isadora Dias (Rio Grande de Norte, Brazil) at Park University.
The pair are joining a Pirates squad coming off a 23-10 season last year, which saw Park University reach the Semifinals of the Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament.
Dalla Pozza and Dias will be coached at the next level by Head Coach Michael Talamantes, who has a tremendous resume coaching both Men’s and Women’s Volleyball at Park University.
Talamantes has guided the Pirates Volleyball programs to five NAIA National Championships, including two for the Women’s Volleyball program in 2014 and 2018.
“I’m not sure if I’m kidding or not but I feel like Park University should be in the running for a National Championship next season,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “Having Elisa and Isadora coming in and they typically already have a good team with good players, they should be a Nationally ranked contender.”
“Elisa came to VU having already having quite a bit of experience training with the Junior National team in Italy,” Sien added. “She really has all of the tools, even before coming to VU. She runs a textbook slide set attack. Depending on what type of offense they run at Park, if they have her next to the setter where she can get those slide sets, she can really be effective.”
“Even when we couldn’t always run the slide set, she has gotten pretty good at hitting sets in front of the setter too,” Sien said. “Elisa has turned into a middle blocker and middle attacker that can really hit just about any set you give her.”
“When you talk about blocking, any middle blocker is going to have the challenge of closing the block both on the left and right side,” Sien added. “It’s very difficult, especially if the other team runs a fast set. She does a really nice job of closing the block and she has a move that is very advanced where she covers the seam with one arm. That’s a very advanced move because you have to have good timing and you have to have the length to do that because your hand and arm needs to be over the net, otherwise the ball will just go between you and the net.”
“We can talk about her back row skills too,” Sien said. “For two years she was our serving and defensive middle. She has a very effective serve and when we would get out of system she was very good at taking that second contact because she has such good hands. She sets a very good out of system ball and a lot of middle blockers don’t even come close to that. So we are talking about a player in Elisa that is very well skilled.”
“I’m really happy that Elisa is going to keep playing with Isadora,” Sien added. “They are very good friends, not just teammates and that doesn’t always happen. Similar to what I said for Isadora when she signed, it’s a great situation for them culturally. They will both be with similar people from similar backgrounds and countries. They will get to experience a big city, which is exciting for them too.”
“Elisa is also an excellent student,” Sien said. “She’s an international student who came here with some English background but she really had to learn English here. Her major is Kinesiology, which is not the simplest major. She was another one of our Academic All-American as an international student.”
“Vincennes University gave me the perfect foundation to take the next step, both on the court and in the classroom,” Dalla Pozza said. “Athletically, the level of competition and the high standards set by Coach Sien pushed me to develop discipline, resilience and a strong work ethic. I learned how to train with purpose and lead with confidence.”
“Academically, the smaller class sizes and supportive professors helped me build solid study habits and stay focused on my goals,” Dalla Pozza added. “I didn’t just improve my English and academic skills, I also learned how to manage my time and balance my responsibilities as a student-athlete. Now I feel ready for the challenges and am excited for what’s next.”
