CHAMPAIGN — Devin Dzienny signed with Florida last December and enrolled early in January to get a head start on her college volleyball career. A coaching change for the Gators, with longtime coach Mary Wise announcing her retirement in February after 34 seasons and nearly 1,000 wins, saw Dzienny ultimately enter the transfer portal.
So instead of Gainesville, Fla., Dzienny’s first season of college volleyball will happen in Champaign. The 5-foot-8 defensive specialist was officially added to the Illinois roster Monday.
“I chose Illinois because of its welcoming atmosphere,” Dzienny said in an official release. “Illinois offers excellent academic programs, making it an ideal place for me to grow as a student athlete. From my first interaction, the coaches made me feel valued. The coaches’ commitment to developing players both on and off the court stood out to me.”
Dzienny had a standout high school career at St. Ursula Academy in Toledo, Ohio. She racked up 821 digs across three seasons — 790 in her junior and senior seasons combined for the Arrows — and earned all-conference first team honors those same years. She helped St. Ursula reach the state semifinals of the OHSAA Division I state tournament in 2023 and again in Division III in 2024.
Dzienny also had success at the club level, playing for Legacy Volleyball. She was a 2024 PrepVolleyball.com Second Team All-American and won an AAU 15U Open national championship in 2022.
“Devin comes from top high school and club programs,” Illinois coach Chris Tamas said in the official release. “She’s a winner and has helped her teams win several championships throughout her career. Her work ethic and attitude towards the game aligns with our program and she will be a great fit for our team.”
Dzienny will be one of nine of newcomers for Illinois in 2025. That includes two other transfers in Florida State setter Kenna Phelan and Texas opposite Auburn Tomkinson and Serbian libero Lara Zigic. The rest of the Illini’s incoming freshmen are Corona del Sol (Ariz.) outside hitter Alyssa Aguayo, Washington (S.D.) defensive specialist Taryn Kirsch, Mukwonago (Wis.) middle blocker Gabriella Pitcel, Dell Rapids (S.D.) outside hitter Sophi Randall and Stevenson opposite Ava Wysocki.