University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Three Middles, One Battle, No Wrong Answer for Pitt
9/19/2026 12:55:00 PM | Volleyball
Losing Bre Kelley to graduation last year was only part of Pitt volleyball's problem at middle blocker. Two more left via the transfer portal in the same offseason, leaving exactly one returning player heading into a critical rebuild.
The plan came together in pieces: Jordyn Dailey arrived via the portal from Kentucky, a name the staff had tracked since recruiting her out of high school. Maaike Heilig signed months later that spring, then didn't even arrive on campus until after playing in the U22 European Championships.
Nobody knew exactly what this group would look like. Now, Pitt has arguably one of the best blocking groups in the country, and a genuine, ongoing competition at the position that has fans online mistaking rotation for benching.
"It's just been close," associate head coach Kellen Petrone said. "Going into the Kentucky game, all three of them had very comparable numbers, and now we have some data over time, so it's becoming a little clearer. But it's nice that we have three middles we can put in and know we're going to be good."
The numbers tell part of the story.
Heilig, a true freshman, is tied for 15th nationally at 1.52 blocks per set, tied for first among all freshmen in the country. Emch sits at 1.36, Dailey at 1.35. Offensively, Dailey leads the trio at 1.65 kills per set, with Emch at 1.41 and Heilig at 1.26.
Each middle brings a different profile.
"Maaike has been probably the most well-rounded," head coach Dan Fisher said. "Abbey's probably been the stronger blocker, and Jordyn arguably the stronger hitter. They're still battling, but they all know how I feel, and that is that we can win with any two of the three."
That depth has mattered more than usual given Pitt's non-conference stretch, six matches in ten days across three time zones. Having three players capable of stepping in without the level dropping off has been less a luxury and more a necessity, and it is showing up in real improvement, not just rotation.
Petrone pointed to Dailey's blocking as a specific jump, joking that she barely touched a ball at the position in her first month at Pitt before turning into a consistent presence. Heilig's transition has gone about as smoothly as any freshman he has coached coming in during the fall. Emch has grown stronger and more confident while still working through mechanical habits the staff wants to iron out.
Petrone doesn't just see this group as good now, he sees it building toward something bigger.
"I would venture to say by December we'll have one of, if not the strongest, group of middles in the country," Petrone said.
While the coaches are happy to continue rotating all three middles for now, the goal is to eventually land on a solid two.
Right now, those decisions come down to matchups. Heilig has started every match but one, while Dailey and Emch have split time based on whether Pitt needs more offense or more defense that night.
Of course, the conversation gets a little trickier when Emch drops 10 kills against Tennessee or Dailey tallies eight blocks at Utah.
For as competitive as the position battle sounds from the outside, the three middles describe something closer to a partnership than a rivalry.
"We're all three just great players," Heilig said. "We're really leveling up each other by playing against each other and helping each other out in that way." She added that the group made settling into a new country and a new team feel natural, crediting how quickly the other two made her feel welcome.
There's also a benefit in workload management.
Rotating three middles through a stretch of six matches in ten days meant no one wore down, and no one was ever asked to play through an off day just because there wasn't another option.
"Seasons aren't perfect and things come up," Dailey said. "But knowing that if you can't play, the person who steps in has your back and can perform at the level we've been performing, that's comforting. Our goals are all the same. We're still going to be able to reach them no matter who's on the court."
That's the combination, the fact that Pitt can win with any two of the three, paired with the camaraderie they've built, that has Petrone convinced this could be one of the best blocking groups in the country.
Pitt already ranks sixth nationally in blocks per set at 2.97, first among Top-25 and power conference teams.
"The support that we have for each other helps a lot," Emch said. "It helps build that confidence too, because we're all rooting for each other."
What's really impressive is that despite losing a majority of its blocking presence from last season, Pitt has continued to hold its own as a blocking powerhouse.
Under Fisher, the Panthers have built a reputation for it, with players like Serena Gray, Chiamaka Nwokolo and Kelley, Pitt's first-ever ACC Defensive Player of the Year, carrying that identity before this trio.
"That's just a testament to Fish and his systems," Dailey said. "I remember back in recruiting, Pitt was the blocking school, and to now be a part of that is really cool."
The rotation fans see shifting from match to match isn't a coach picking favorites. It's a staff working to find the best two options for a specific night, out of three players good enough that there may not be a wrong answer, and a staff that believes, by Petrone's own estimate, that this group is still just getting started.
