‘Sky’s the limit’ for volleyball hotshot Abigail Mullen
As a freshman, the opposite hitter quickly proved herself as a strong offensive force.
By ADRIANA BRADY
For freshman opposite hitter Abigail Mullen, her first game at Galen Center marked the start of a special beginning as she put on an offensive masterclass while officially donning the cardinal and gold.
Mullen was one of two freshmen to come a semester early to play in spring matches, joining freshman libero Taylor Deckert. However, the moment she officially stepped on the court on Aug. 29 became a memorable moment for Mullen. By the time that Friday game was over, it was clear she was going to have many more.
Mullen had a lights-out performance, recording her first collegiate double-double in her first collegiate game, earning 13 kills and 11 digs to propel USC to a sweep over Denver.
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“I wore the jersey in the spring, but playing a home game with my jersey and the team, that was a really surreal experience,” she said.
So far, Mullen’s freshman year has been nothing short of stellar. She has become a strong offensive weapon for the Trojans, ranking second on the team with 202 kills and third with 56 blocks, all while starting all 19 matches. She has also been a threat at the service line, leading the Trojans with 32 aces, second-most in the Big Ten.
“Sky’s the limit for Abigail … She’s won a World Championship for USA volleyball. She has a future and a possibility of wearing the red, white and blue,” Head Coach Brad Keller said, alluding to Mullen’s volleyball career after USC. “She’s going to do big things for us here at USC, both on and off the court.”
Volleyball is a family matter for Mullen
Mullen was surrounded by sports from an early age. Her mother spent her collegiate volleyball career at Iowa, where her dad played football. Her sister also played volleyball for UCLA and North Carolina State University.
However, Mullen said there was never any pressure to play volleyball as she tried various different sports growing up — though she still followed in her mother and sister’s footsteps.
“My mom did not have that much influence on it. She wanted us to choose a sport based on what we liked and what we wanted to do,” Mullen said. “Around fifth grade, I decided that I was just gonna do volleyball, and I’ve just loved it ever since.”
Freshman opposite hitter Abigail Mullen was a top recruit out of high school after earning various awards. She is pictured at an Oct. 9 game. (Braden Dawson / Daily Trojan)
Throughout her high school career, Mullen earned four first-team All-Conference, All-District and All-State awards. In her senior year of high school, she was also named to the 2024 American Volleyball Coaches Association High School All-America first team and played in the 2024 Under Armour All-America game. Mullen also has experience playing for USA Volleyball, with which she won gold with the U19 team in 2023 at the U19 World Championship.
Hailing from Kansas City, Mo., living in California has been an adjustment for Mullen. While she said she misses her family and a “true Midwest fall,” Mullen has embraced the change that has come with moving out to Los Angeles.
“I do think it was a good change for me [after] being in the same place for 18 years. I was ready for a new challenge,” she said.
Mullen ‘believed in the vision’
When recruiting, Keller had Mullen on his radar, particularly because of her skills as a right-handed opposite hitter. He said he was drawn to Mullen’s specific ability to hit down the line, especially at a position where being left-handed has an advantage.
However, he wasn’t sure if Mullen would commit to USC. As Keller got to know her more through the recruiting process, he believed that USC “had a pretty good shot” at bringing Mullen to the program.
“I started recruiting right out of the gates because she just had a great arm, and she was able to hit down the line. She played up on her team. She was a great teammate. She was an all-around volleyball player,” he said. “When I got to know her through the recruiting process and her family, you really get drawn to them.”
Mullen knew she wanted to attend USC not only for the strong academics but also because of the growth of the volleyball program. Under Keller, the Trojans have made three straight NCAA tournament appearances and finished in sixth place in their first season in the Big Ten.
“I truly believed in the vision that Brad and the rest of the coaches had for the program, and I think it’s exciting to be a part of bringing a program back to its dominance,” Mullen said. “Everyone was so nice and welcoming and open. … I am really happy with my choice.”
Freshman opposite hitter Abigail Mullen came to USC in the spring, which she said helped her adjust to the pace of college classes as well as collegiate volleyball. She is pictured during Thursday’s game against Maryland. (Jonathan Ho / Daily Trojan)
Mullen adjusting to the Trojan life
One thing that helped Mullen was already knowing one of her teammates, as she and freshman setter Reese Messer played their club volleyball careers together at Adidas Dynasty Volleyball Club. When deciding which school to commit to, Mullen said she was aware that coming to USC may have meant continuing to play with Messer. Shortly after Messer committed, Mullen followed.
“They complement each other very well. They have an unbelievable connection with each other,” Keller said. “They’re super supportive of each other; the way they talk about each other is awesome. You can just tell that they just have a really great relationship.”
Being at USC in the spring semester also helped her adjust to college-level school work and learn to balance her responsibilities as a student-athlete, she said. Mullen is currently majoring in legal studies at the Gould School of Law. Though when coming to USC, she knew that the adjustments weren’t solely off the court.
“It’s really fast, and just being able to adapt to the game is really important,” Mullen said of collegiate volleyball. “Coming in the spring really helped with how I developed my skills.”
While the No. 22 Trojans have another half of the Big Ten season left, the team has been making big moves throughout the conference season. The team is coming off a recent 3-0 win against Maryland and a ranked 3-1 upset against now No. 12 Wisconsin. Mullen has significantly contributed to USC’s wins, averaging 2.96 kills per set and hitting 0.198.
For Mullen, the opportunity of pursuing this next chapter in her life in California poses excitement for her future.
“Coming out to California was a good place for me to be in and to truly find myself in these four years,” she said. “I’m excited to see where that takes me.”
