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Ali Bastianelli Is A Middle Blocker And American Pro Volleyball Player
Ali Bastianelli is a former Fighting Illini All American, All Big Ten middle blocker now a professional volleyball player in the Athletes Unlimited Pro League.
"Thank you for teaching me how to be apart of something so much bigger than myself and for always being a constant in my life."
-Ali B
The Ali Bastianelli volleyball player profile found on this page contains quick facts and biographical information about this prolific All Big Ten middle blocker from Maryville Michigan.
Check back often to see which world class professional volleyball players have been added to our list.
Ali Bastianelli
Pro Volleyball Player Team Experience and Highlights
Ali Bastianelli is a pro volleyball player who has played one season in France and for two pro seasons in Puerto Rico for the Changas team and the Atiennes team before joining the Athletes Unlimited Pro League for the 2022-23 season.
Cheer on Ali this season as she’ll be playing for The Rainbow Connection! You can find out where to watch games via Athletes Unlimited’s national broadcast schedule here!
https://auprosports.com/volleyball/schedule/
Ali Bastianelli
Fighting Illini Volleyball Player
Ali Bastianelli
College Volleyball Athletic Accomplishments as a Fighting Illini
- Senior CLASS Award Finalist & First-Team Honoree
- AVCA All-America Third-Team
- VolleyballMag.com All-America Second-Team
- AVCA All-Northeast Region
- All-Big Ten First-Team
- NCAA Champaign All-Region Team
- B1G/Pac-12 Challenge All-Tournament Team
- CoSIDA Academic All-District Second-Team
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (11/19)
- iFund Scholar-Athlete of the Week (11/21)
- Preseason All-Big Ten
- Illinois Career Blocks & Block Assists Leader
- Ranks second in the Big Ten Conference in total career blocks
Top College Volleyball Freshman
Get to know University of Illinois volleyball incoming freshman Ali Bastianelli. (Fighting Illini Athletics)
AS A FRESHMAN (2015)
- All-Big Ten Freshman Team
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
- Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Top College Volleyball Sophomore
Illinois' Ali Bastianelli talks about the win over Michigan State.
AS A SOPHOMORE (2016)
- AVCA Honorable Mention All-America
- PrepVolleyball.com Honorable Mention All-America
- AVCA All-Northeast Region
- All-Big Ten
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Illini Athletics Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year Finalist
- Illini Networkers' Jimmy & Jeanne Seyler Top Gun Award
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (11/21)
- FloVolleyball National Player of the Week (9/27)
- Billiken Invitational All-Tournament Team
- NCAA leader in blocks per set (1.79) and total blocks (201)
Top College Volleyball Junior
AS A JUNIOR (2017)
- AVCA All-America Third-Team
- PrepVolleyball.com All-America Third-Team
- AVCA All-Northeast Region
- All-Big Ten
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (8/28)
- Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team
- Bobcat Classic MVP & All-Tournament Team
Top College Volleyball Senior
AS A SENIOR (2018)
- Totaled 10 kills on a .500 hitting percentage and four blocks in a win at Northwestern (11/14), becoming the first-ever Illini and third-ever B1G player to reach 700 career total blocks
- Recorded a career-high 19 kills on a .417 hitting percentage to go along with a match-high seven blocks - becoming the Big Ten Conference and Illinois career block assists leader in the process vs. No. 13 Michigan (10/19).
- Named to the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge All-Tournament Team after tallying 15 kills on a team-high .429 attack percentage on the weekend and adding a team-high 13 stuffs.
- Posted seven stuffs to go along with nine kills on a .353 hitting percentage in a win at No. 13 Washington (9/1).
- Stuffed a season-high six blocks in a win over No. 25 Colorado State (8/24).
- Totaled 11 kills and only one error on 18 swings for a .556 hitting percentage and four blocks in a win at Northern Colorado (8/25).
Ali Bastianelli
Pro Volleyball Player Athletes Unlimited
During the 2021 Season:
Ali Played in 12 matches
… ranked 36th in the league with 1,291 leaderboard points
… sixth in Athletes Unlimited with 24 blocks, including league-high seven rejections against Team Larson on Mar. 29
… recorded season-high seven kills against Team Larson on Mar. 8 and Team Edmond on Mar. 15
… tallied season-high five digs against Team Edmond
In Week Two with six kills
… earned season-high 230 leaderboard points on Mar. 8 against Team Larson
… also earned 190 leaderboard points after hitting .560 against Team Edmond on Mar. 7
Fun Facts About
Professional Player
Ali Bastianelli
Alex Holston is the
- Highest-ranked signee since Kelly Murphy (2008) and the sixth top-10 Gator recruit since PrepVolleyball.com’s Senior Aces was started in 2003
- Club: Metro AmericanHigh School: Sherwood
- 2012 PrepVolleyball.com’s No. 9 Senior Aces (ranked second among right sides and setters)
- Finalist for PrepVolleyball.com’s National Junior of the Year in 2011 and National Sophomore of the Year in 2010
- 2011 and 2012 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year as a six-rotation hitter
- Helped Sherwood High School win three consecutive Maryland 4A State Championships and win 55 straight matches from Sept. 11, 2010 to Holston’s final match in the state championship final on Nov. 19, 2012
- Registered 874 kills, 418 digs, 166 aces and 149 blocks in her three years since the Warriors’ turnaround from a 9-7 team in 2009 to three-time state champions in 2010 (24-1), 2011 (19-0) and 2012 (19-0)
- Boasted a .494 hitting percentage as a senior and registered a career-best 42 kills against Johnson High in a four-set match late in the season
- Three-time MaxPreps/AVCA High School Player of the Week
- Two-time Gazette Player of the Year2011 Metro Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-Met
- Also an experienced high jumper and was the 2010 Maryland 4A State Champion in the event
- Entertained offers from 47 different programs but picked Florida because of the opportunity to play for Wise and compete in the SEC*Graduated in August of 2017 with a degree in Tourism, Events & Recreation Management
More About Ali Bastianelli
No. 10 recruit in the nation according to PrepVolleyball.com's "Senior Aces" list.
Ali Bastianelli in the News, Interviews and Media
Ali Bastianelli (a Marysville Native) catches up with Joseph Hayes about her volleyball career that took her to the University of Illinois before now playing professionally overseas in France.
For the full story be sure to visit www.BlueWaterHealthyLiving.com
In this interview I talk with Athletes Unlimited professional volleyball player Ali Bastianelli. She played at University of Illinois in 2015-2018.
She previously played with Béziers Volley in France, and played for Changas de Naranjito in Puerto Rico for the 2020-21 season. She talks about what it is like playing for Athletes Unlimited volleyball.
Area Scouts sits down with our Volleyball National Director of Blocking and Defense, Ali Bastianelli, to discuss her journey from youth volleyball to becoming University of Illinois's all time leader in career blocks and block assists.
She also breaks down what she and Area Scouts can do to help young athletes who are trying to get better at volleyball.
A native of Michigan, Ali joins Area Scouts after a decorated career playing at the University of Illinois and professionally, both in the US and overseas.
Read more about the professional volleyball players in the pages below.
Volleyball Middle Blocker Footwork and Timing Help Make A Good Block
There are three types of footwork patterns in volleyball middle blockers should know including the hop step, shuffle step and the swing block footwork.
Volleyball Block Training Learn 3 Ways Blockers Stay Ready At The Net
Volleyball Block Training: Learn 3 ways to block more balls by staying an arm's length away from the net, stay square to the net and how to take cross court.
Whats The Correct Ready Position In Volleyball For Blockers At The Net
The ready position in volleyball blocking means your feet are shoulder width apart and parallel to each other with whole body squared and facing the net.
Blocker in Volleyball: 4 Things You Can't Do When Blocking On The Net
A blocker in volleyball can't touch the net in a rally. Learn 3 more volleyball blocking rules you need to know when you're in the front row playing defense.
Tara Cross Battle A Most Prolific Elite Volleyball Hitter of the 90s
Winner of the Flo Hyman All-Time Great Player award, Tara Cross made her international debut in the 1990 Goodwill Games and played for team USA for many years.
Stacy Sykora, First USA Olympic Libero Silver Medalist 3 Time Olympian
Stacy Sykora also known as "Syko" is the first official Olympian to play in the official libero role for America, a three-time Olympian and silver medalist.
Rita Crockett aka The Rocket Outside Hitter An Olympic Silver Medalist
Outside hitter, Rita Crockett nicknamed "Rocket" because of her jumping ability and speed was one of the top outside hitters in the world in the 80's and 90's
Paula Weishoff 3-time Olympian and Olympic MVP, American Middle Hitter
Paula Weishoff, an unforgettable name in the 80’s and 90’s, 3-time Olympic middle blocker and I were teammates in Italy in the Italian Div I championship finals
Morgan Hentz Is A 3x NCAA Champion Libero And A Pro Volleyball Player
Morgan Hentz is a 3-time NCAA champion libero who played at Stanford and an American professional volleyball player in the Athletes Unlimited Pro League.
Mireya Luis, Cuba's 3-time Olympic Gold Medal High Jumping Superstar
At 5' 10" Cuban Olympian hitter, Mireya Luis was one of the smallest elite outside hitters in the world and led the Cuba women to win 3 Olympic gold medals.
Logan Tom Pro Volleyball Player Has Played Professionally Worldwide
Get ready to dive into "the American Nomad's aka Logan Tom early beginnings, her college career, international experience and her impact playing for Team USA
Lauren Stivrins Is A Middle Blocker And American Pro Volleyball Player
Lauren Stivrins is a former Nebraska Husker middle blocker and is an American professional volleyball player in the Athletes Unlimited Professional League.
Jordan Larson Volleyball Professional and Olympic Gold Medalist
Jordan Larson volleyball professional is an American player and captain of America's first Olympic gold medal winning team is an international volleyball star
Erin Fairs Is A Left Outside Hitter And American Pro Volleyball Player
Erin Fairs is a former Louisville Cardinal and USF Bulls outside hitter now a professional volleyball player in the Athletes Unlimited Professional League.
Ebony Nwanebu Is A 3x NCAA Champion Hitter And A Pro Volleyball Player
Ebony Nwanebu is a multi-award-winning opposite who's won every award possible for a prep athlete including winning NCAA championship at two major D-I programs
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- Ali Bastianelli Is A Middle Blocker And American Pro Volleyball Player
From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend
Lady Vol volleyball legend and record holder Coach April Chapple a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Hall of Fame Inductee, 3-time All American, 3-time SEC Champion, SEC Tournament MVP, 2-time All SEC Team is celebrated with her 1984 SEC champion teammates at Neyland Stadium during Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024.
- the first First Round Draft Pick for the first American pro indoor women's league
- named to the first First Team All-Pro team for Major League Volleyball in USA volleyball history
- former USA National team member
- one of the few American women players named as an Italian Pro League D-I Championship Finalist, Italian Cup Finalist and Cup of Cups Tournament Finalist
April Chapple The first First round Draft Pick For Major League Volleyball the first American Women's Pro League Honored At Athlete Unlimited Pro Volleyball Match
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Serving slang is not just about individual techniques; it also relates to overall game strategy. A coach might instruct a player to serve a "short serve" or a "deep serve" to target specific areas of the opponent's court or exploit weaknesses in their serve receive formation.
Ari, my private training client and I are working specifically on serving on jump float cross court serves ...short to Zone 2
There's so much we work on to get to this point where she can contact the ball with
- the same toss height and same toss location
- the same armswing speed
- the same timing for when her serving hand contacts the ball
- the middle of the hand contacting the middle of the ball every single time
- getting use to watching her serving hand contact the ball at the highest point of her jump ...before she starts to land
- and finally contacting the ball in the precise spot on the ball so it goes where the coach wants the player to put it so in this case ..a short serve in the farthest short right corner on the court also called Zone 2.
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