Adding three names to the 2025 PVF Draft Watchlist
As conference play begins, these three players did enough in non-conference play to get on my radar.
OH Nina Cajic, Tennessee
Cajic planted her flag on the map in dramatic fashion by breaking the NCAA D1 single-game kills record on September 19th. She collected 42 notches against West Michigan, making it a double double with 13 digs for good measure. The Serbian hitter is no stranger to the spotlight, albeit on a smaller stage. She was a major contributor to four straight CAA championships for her prior team, the Towson Tigers, and was named to the All-CAA team each year of her career there.
There’s volleyball in Cajic’s blood — her parents both played on high level European clubs, including two championship trophies for her father, and her brother played NAIA volleyball at Missouri Baptist. She’s hitting .314 in the early running this season and took a whopping 71 attempts in her first SEC action against Alabama. She can track down the ball and racks up digs by the bushel as well. As one of the SEC’s top producers by both volume and efficiency, Cajic belongs on the radar, but her status as an international player may muddy things a bit.
MB Natalie Foster, SMU
Foster has been a major contributor to the Mustangs’ success as they have toppled name brand schools such as Nebraska, Baylor, and Houston. Her biggest statement of the season came against the Houston Cougars, playing error free volleyball while adding 10 kills on 15 attempts. She’s hitting .422 on the season so far, an impressive figure considering SMU’s ambitions non-conference schedule. Middles who can serve well don’t exactly grow on trees, but it appears that SMU has unlocked a new gear for her serve as well. She’s already eclipsed her previous season high of 24 aces, including five-ace outings against Nebraska and Clemson.
I missed out on Foster initially because she played the first four years of her career at Wichita State, and while I’m all for small school gems, Foster got lost in the sea of potential candidates. She’s really popped under a coaching staff at SMU that suits her better than what she experienced at Wichita State. Because she’s continuing to improve to on her dynamic skills as a grad student, I’m encouraged enough by Foster’s start to the season to consider her a pro prospect.
Stay tuned for my full length feature on Foster!
OH Samantha Schnitta, Maryland
Schnitta is a grad student who split her career between the Ole Miss Rebels and Maryland Terps, and she’s off to a hot start in 2024. She’s hitting efficiently, reaching double digit kills eleven times and putting up a hitting percentage of .309 in thirteen games. The Terps have had a pretty soft schedule so far, though, so what impresses me more is the way her serve has popped. Her 44 aces lead the nation, and .88 aces per set points to her as the most efficient server in the nation as well.
“Because I’m left-handed, [my serve is] able to have that tail to it,” Schnitta said to The Diamondback. “So it’s pretty gnarly to pass. [Coach Adam] Hughes and I have worked together on how I can adjust my feet and the height of my toss to be able to go get it.” Things haven’t always been so rosy for Schnitta, and she’s struggled at times during her college career. Development in sports isn’t always linear, though, and if a pro team believes that she’s made real growth, they may be willing to give her a look as a serving specialist and backup hitter.