Power Rankings: Top 5 Setters from the 2025 AU Pro Volleyball Championship
The 2025 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship featured an elite group of setters who ran the show offensively while posting impressive stats from the net, back row, and service line. From record-extending performances to game-changing appearances, these five setters separated themselves from the pack by averaging at least 7.5 assists per set while catering to brand new hitters and offenses each week, and leading their teams through the four weeks of competition.
Here’s a breakdown of the five setters who led the league in total assists during the 2025 season.
1. Natalia Valentin-Anderson – 436 assists (11.73 per set)
Natalia Valentin-Anderson led the league with 436 total assists and 11.73 assists per set in her fourth AU season. The veteran setter earned 431 of her 2,502 leaderboard points from the assist category alone while serving as captain in Weeks Two and Three and finishing sixth overall.
Valentin-Anderson’s season-high 46 assists came in Week Three versus Team Thompson. Her ability to run the offense while maintaining elite defensive production set her apart. She ranked fourth in the league with 130 digs despite playing the setter position. She extended her own AU Pro Volleyball Championship record by recording her 37th career double-double, including a league-high sixth double-double this season after posting 28 assists and 14 digs. Her well-rounded performance earned her a spot on the 2025 All-Position Team for the second time in her career.
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2. Sydney Hilley – 305 assists (9.84 per set)
Sydney Hilley ranked second in the league with 9.84 assists per set and 305 total assists. The former Wisconsin standout finished 10th overall with 2,226 leaderboard points while proving to be one of the most consistent setters in the competition.
Hilley reached her season-high mark of 36 assists twice: once in Week One and again in Week Three. She also contributed defensively with 90 digs (2.9 per set) and added 14 kills.
Madi Bugg – 274 assists (9.13 per set)
Madi Bugg ranked fifth in the league with 9.13 assists per set and tallied 274 total assists across the season. She earned 270 stat points from the assist category while finishing with 2,010 total leaderboard points.
Bugg’s season-high 46 assists came during Week Two against Team Valentin-Anderson in a performance where she also added nine digs. She proved reliable in the back row as well, recording 85 digs (2.83 per set) throughout the championship.
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Micha Hancock – 242 assists (9.80 per set)
Micha Hancock ranked third in the league with 9.80 assists per set while recording 242 total assists over 10 matches. She earned 243 stat points from assists and also lived up to her reputation as a setter who can also attack.
Hancock registered 17 kills with her sneaky lefty swing and posed a threat even when she wasn’t dishing the ball to one of her attackers. Her season-high 42 assists came in Week Two versus Team Hentz. She also added 65 digs (2.6 per set).
Marlie Monserez – 210 assists (7.5 per set)
Marlie Monserez made the top 15 on the leaderboard in her second AU season, finishing with 1,402 leaderboard points. She recorded 210 total assists at 7.5 per set while adding 62 digs (2.21 per set) across 12 matches.
Monserez’s season-high came in Week Three versus Team Valentin-Anderson when she posted 37 assists. Whether she came in as a serving sub or a starting setter, her ability to impact the energy on the court was apparent throughout the competition.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
