Navy Midshipmen Volleyball Names Ava Toppin Next Team Captain

The Naval Academy is looking for a turnaround season and a new team captain could have a positive change for the team's performance on the court.

Nov 28, 2020; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; A general view of the Navy Midshipmen logo on a water tower near the stadium is seen before the game between the Navy Midshipmen and the Memphis Tigers at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

As summer begins it is time to start preparing for fall sports and that is exactly what the Navy Midshipmen volleyball team is doing.

Navy head coach Paco Labrador recently announced that next season's team captain will be Ava Toppin. 

Toppin, who has spent her entire collegiate career as a Midshipmen, is entering her final season as middle blocker and will now take on a leadership role.

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"Ava has established herself as a true servant leader on this team," Labrador said in a Navy athletics release. "She has overcome many challenges over her three years at Navy, including a season ending injury, while at the same time elevating her mental, physical and tactical game to emerge from this spring as our top attacker and blocker.  Ava will bring an excellent mix of empathy and accountability to this team.  I'm excited to share in her leadership journey this year."

The 2024 season was a breakout year for her as she finished the campaign with 134 kills, 72 blocks, 44 digs and 12 aces. 

Her best game last season was at rival Army West Point against the Black Knights. She finished the match with 13 kills and 18.5 points. 

in her sophomore season in 2023, she appeared in eight matches and 21 sets on the year, which included five matches and 11 sets during the league season. She had 23 kills.

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As a freshman in 2022 she was on path to being one of Navy's top offensive weapons, but her season was ultimately cut short due to injury.

She has received academic honors in four of her six semesters at the Naval Academy. After the conclusion of the 2024 fall semester she has named to the Patriot League academic honor roll. 

Last season the Midshipmen went 7-18 overall and 7-9 in Patriot League action. Navy won its final three matches of the season.

Navy will open the 2025 regular season at the Utah Valley Invitational on Aug. 29 at Orem, Utah, where it will play Boise State, Montana and host Utah Valley.

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