Northwestern volleyball new transfer roundup for the 2025 season

Five pickups, each with loads of potential.

Northwestern volleyball is gearing up for a bounce-back season, and it’ll have some new faces in the gym to help boost its chances.

As head coach Tim Nollan approaches his sophomore year at the helm, he has made finding gems in the transfer portal his top offseason priority, finding players with college experience and a versatile skill set. He meticulously selected five players each with their own strengths. They’ll quickly be thrust into the lineup and counted on to help NU compete in the Big Ten this upcoming season, following a mere 3-27 conference record in 2024.

Let’s unpack these transfer pickups.

Ayah Elnady

Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Northwestern’s top addition brings offensive firepower and a wealth of experience to the ‘Cats squad. Before college, Elnady was featured on Egypt’s No. 1 ranked Junior National Team and was a member of the country’s team in the 2020 Olympic qualifiers. She then attended Kansas, where she led the school with 354 kills and 37 aces in 2024, the latter ranking her tenth in the Big 12. She won first-team All-Big 12 honors and gained NCAA Tournament experience from her time with the Jayhawks, where she helped the team as a No. 3 seed to the second round.

Now a graduate student, Elnady will provide consistency at the service line and as a dynamic, aggressive playmaker on offense. She was a major get in the transfer portal and should significantly boost NU’s roster.

Campbell Paris

A sophomore transfer from South Carolina, Paris will bring size and versatility to the ‘Cats as an outside hitter. The 6-foot-5 Illinois native had a championship-winning high school career, leading Barrington High School to its first title since 2006 and getting a top-150 nationwide rank in the process. While at South Carolina, she led the team with a .210 hitting percentage in 2023 and garnered 11 matches with double-digit kills during her two seasons, while also gaining three sets of NCAA Tournament experience.

Paris chose to remain close to home at Northwestern, and Nollan anticipates she will play a big role. He intends to use her as a two-way player, touting Paris’ ability to attack skillfully and block effectively. She’ll be seeing net play and be another multifaceted weapon for NU.

Beste Ayhan

Hailing from Istanbul, Turkey, Ayhan has experience playing for a variety of schools and should bring adaptability skills that will help her fit in seamlessly as a Wildcat. She started her collegiate career at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) where her 144 blocks set the single-season program record. In her second season with the Terrapins, she tallied seven blocks in the America East title game and five in a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup.

Following two seasons in Baltimore and one brief stint at Florida International University, Ayhan spent her senior year at Bradley where she led the team with 110 blocks and a .267 attack percentage, showcasing her two-way prowess.

As a 6-foot-4 middle blocker, she’ll slot in at the net and plans to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Having played for three different schools, she also brings a strong familiarity with different levels of competition around the country. That should help as she enters her first season in the Big Ten.

Bella Simkus

Another versatile asset for the ‘Cats, Simkus thrived on both sides of the ball during her four years at Colorado. A middle blocker and current redshirt senior, her breakout season came as a junior when she set career-highs with nine kills and a six-block performance. Her offensive and defensive skills were on display last season, as her 66 blocks ranked third on the team while her .349 hitting percentage ranked second, en route to 83 kills.

Simkus provides competitive experience from the Big 12 and should give the ‘Cats energy in all phases of the game, serving in a jack-of-all-trades role.

Gabrielle Gerry

Northwestern’s second transfer from South Carolina will reunite with fellow transfer teammate Paris as she slots into the middle blocker core. Prior to college, she led her Assumption High School squad to three straight district titles and a trip to Kentucky state semifinals in 2022. Her two seasons with the Gamecocks included a three-block performance as a freshman and playing time in the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore.

Gerry will bring much-needed depth to the ‘Cats core and a high standard of excellence set from her time with South Carolina.