Northwestern’s Bella Bullington Receives Prestigious USA Volleyball Training Invitation
The national volleyball spotlight is shining on Colorado Springs this week. And for the Northwestern Wildcats, it is shining squarely on freshman standout Bella Bullington. USA Volleyball has officially invited the 6-foot-1 outside hitter to the Women’s National Team Collegiate Training. It is scheduled for Feb. 19 through Feb. 22 at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center.
A Breakout Freshman Season at Northwestern
For Bullington, this invitation marks a major milestone early in her collegiate career. As a first-year player in the 2025–26 season, she has wasted no time establishing herself as a force in Evanston. Now, her strong start has earned her national recognition and a chance to train within the USA Volleyball pipeline.
Big Time for Bella 🇺🇸
— Northwestern Volleyball (@NUVball) February 17, 2026
Bella Bullington is headed to @USAVolleyball Women’s National Team Collegiate Training, Feb. 19–22, in Colorado Springs! pic.twitter.com/lWWRyIp64V
Bella Bullington arrived on campus ready to compete, and she backed it up from day one. Playing under head coach Tim Nollan, she made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut on Aug. 29 against the New Mexico State Aggies, recording five kills.
Two days later, on Aug. 31, she delivered the first double-digit kill performance of her career against the UC San Diego Tritons. Over the course of the UC San Diego Invitational from Aug. 29 to Aug. 31, Bullington totaled 22 kills and earned All-Tournament Team honors.
The momentum did not stop there. On Sept. 13 against Cornell, she recorded 18 kills and five digs, both season highs at the time. On Sept. 20 against Campbell, she added three block assists in another Wildcat victory. Match after match, she showed that her early performances were not flukes. They were the foundation of a breakout season.
One of the defining moments of Bullington’s young career came on Sept. 12 during Northwestern’s East Coast road trip. The Wildcats defeated the Buffalo Bulls 3-2 at Alumni Arena in their second straight five-set victory.
Bullington led the offense with a career-high 17 kills while hitting .250. In a dominant first set where 21 of Northwestern’s 28 points came via kills, she accounted for seven of them. It was the kind of performance that swings matches and energizes teammates.
Her efforts earned her Buffalo Classic Tournament MVP honors in 2025. Following that victory, Northwestern improved to 6-1 on the season. And on the other hand, Bullington’s name was firmly in the conversation as one of the Wildcats’ most dynamic offensive weapons.
While her collegiate rise has been quick, the groundwork was laid long before she stepped onto a Big Ten court. Bullington starred at Marist High School, where she was a four-year varsity player. Her resume there is impressive!
She was a two-time All-State selection, a four-time All-Conference honoree, and the 2023 East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year. She helped lead the Redhawks to a state final appearance in 2024. On the club circuit, Bullington earned AAU and Under Armour All-American honors. She also helped her sports performance team finish second nationally in 2024.
Built at Marist High School Also Got Family of Athletes
Born Isabella Claire Bullington, Bella comes from a family where athletic excellence runs deep. Her mother, Lauren, played collegiate volleyball at Ball State University. Her father, Bryan Bullington, was the first overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft and went on to play professionally in both the United States and Japan.
Competition has always been part of her world. She even competed against current Wildcat teammate Gigi Navarrete during her high school career, long before they became teammates in Evanston.
Off the court, Bullington is equally accomplished. She is an Illinois State Scholar, an AP Scholar, and a member of the National Honor Society. Her major is currently listed as undeclared, though she has expressed an anticipated interest in biology. She balances high-level athletics with academic excellence, embodying the student-athlete model.
The Women’s National Team Collegiate Training invitation is reserved for a select group of collegiate athletes identified as potential contributors to the national program. From Feb. 19 through Feb. 22, Bullington will train alongside some of the top talent in the country at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
For Northwestern, this is another sign of the program’s upward trajectory under Tim Nollan. The Wildcats’ 6-1 start, highlighted by back-to-back five-set road wins, reflects a team that is growing in confidence and capability. Bullington’s ability to generate offense in high-pressure situations has added a new dimension to the attack.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.