Cal Poly Women’s Volleyball will have big shoes to fill come next fall.
After capturing two upset wins in the NCAA Tournament and reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007, the graduating class of setter Emme Bullis, outside hitter Annabelle Thalken, libero London Haberfield and medically retired Brooklyn Burns will all be moving on from Cal Poly.
The four seniors, with their veteran experience and coaching leadership, helped fuel an extended postseason run that saw Cal Poly turn into this year’s NCAA volleyball Cinderella story.
After earning the No. 12 seed and capturing thrilling five-set wins over No. 5 seed BYU and No. 4 seed USC, the Mustangs were just one of two mid-major schools remaining in the third round.
It was the program’s second Sweet 16 appearance since the 64-team field began in 1999 and their seventh all-time, according to GoPoly.
For a mid-major program — schools outside the Power Five conferences — a Cinderella run like Cal Poly’s is rare. Mid-majors usually can’t sustain success in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, as the 64-field team is dominated by Power Five schools.
But, there was a reason this team was ready for college volleyball’s brightest stage. According to Head Coach Caroline Walters, they returned from the offseason as “the most polished [team] we’ve had.”
“That’s a testament to the standard the seniors set as soon as the preseason practices set,” Walters said. “They set the tone. We’re not in the gym with them.”
Not only were all four of them great on the court, but Walters praised their personalities as what had the biggest impact on the program.
“It’s about the volleyball they’ve played, but beyond that it’s about the people these four are,” Walters said. “It’s been really special for our program. You try not to have favorites as you coach, but this senior class will go down as one of my favorites ever.”
Emme Bullis arrived in 2021, quickly becoming the starting setter the following year. Over the next four years, Bullis racked up over 4,000 assists, becoming one of four players in program history to do so.
“I’ve put everything into this program, so it’s sad, but I know this place will always be something so special to me,” Bullis said.
With her playing career over, Bullis will be joining the University of Nevada’s women’s volleyball program to coach underneath former Mustangs’ associate head xoach Jason Borchin.
Bullis shared the court with Thalken and Haberfield, while Burns — medically retired — served as an assistant coach.
Thalken, who rotated in and out of the lineup during her career, solidified herself as one of the team’s best hitters and started in every single set this year. She was extremely efficient as an outside, hitting at .291% while also totaling 85 blocks, third on the team.
In the upset wins over BYU and USC, Thalken recorded 21 kills and eight blocks.
Haberfield, a key part of the defensive line, shares a special connection with Burns, as they grew up playing club volleyball together in Encinitas.
Both committed to Cal Poly together in 2022, right before Burns was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in her senior year of high school.
Haberfield said her story put the sport into a humbling perspective.
“It was awesome just to look back to the bench and see her,” Haberfield said. “She always calms me down, like she would hold my hand if I was looking anxious. Every time I see her it’s just a reminder of how special these moments are.”
She returned to the court in 2023, playing for the Mustangs in her freshman year before medically retiring following the season. As an assistant coach, Burns was there every step of the way with the team, all the way through to the match at Kentucky.
They meant the world to her, becoming her “second family.”
“It’s my home away from home,” Burns said. “They’ve been there for me through all my ups and downs and I just wanted to be there for them in my last season. And I want the girls to know this is their family, too. I’ll be in their family for life.”
There’s no doubt that the departure of these four seniors will leave big holes on the roster, but Walters is confident in what they are leaving behind.
“You’ll see it in future years,” she said. “The foundation is laid by these kids.”
This story originally appeared in the February printed edition of Mustang News. Check out more stories from the issue here.