Ali Bastianelli's choices have defined her as one of the League's most formidable players.
Story by Alex Eisen / Photo by Nicolas Carrillo
Standing 6-foot-3 in the center of the court, Grand Rapids Rise middle blocker Ali Bastianelli is hard to miss. Opposing Pro Volleyball Federation teams have quickly discovered how challenging it is to get the ball past her, as demonstrated when she tied the Rise record for blocks in a single match by registering seven against her former team, the San Diego Mojo, on Feb. 2, 2025.
The feat marked the latest milestone in Bastianelli's professional career, forged through determination, unwavering focus, and pivotal choices that have transformed her into one of the League’s most imposing middle blockers.
Bastianelli’s rise to stardom sprouted from humble beginnings.
"I started playing volleyball because my mom played," Bastianelli said. "I was kind of born and raised in the gym."
Bastianelli’s mother, Joan (Frysinger), played volleyball and basketball at Northwood University and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2011. Her father, Gregory, played football at Northwood (1987-88). Her older sister, Samantha, played volleyball at Oakland Community College (2012-13), and her younger brother, Nino, wrestled at Brown University (2017-21).
“We were definitely a competitive family,” Bastianelli said with a laugh.
Volleyball may have been in her blood, but it wasn't the first sport she fell in love with.
"I actually liked basketball more at the time because it felt easier," she admitted, recalling the awkwardness of volleyball's hand-eye coordination challenges at a young age.
Bastianelli, at 5 years old, began her volleyball journey as a setter. Her transition to middle blocker didn’t happen until her freshman year at Marysville High School, when legendary multiple state championship-winning volleyball coach John Knuth recognized the program already had too many great setters and saw the potential in switching Bastianelli’s position, forever changing the trajectory of her career.
After her freshman season, Bastianelli decided to focus solely on volleyball.
"It was a hard decision," Bastianelli said. "Volleyball club season is during basketball season and my parents — you know, there's two of them and three siblings — tried to make it work. But they were like, ‘Hey, we can't get you to two places at once.’ And I felt like I had more
potential in volleyball and I didn't really love the physical contact in basketball. Looking back, it wasn’t such a hard decision after all.”
Bastianelli excelled with the Legacy Volleyball Club in eastern Michigan, playing a significant role in its first-place finish at AAU Nationals in 2013. At Marysville, she earned All-State honors three times, further solidifying her reputation as a top recruit in the state. Her early success earned her multiple college scholarship offers, presenting a tough choice between staying local at the University of Michigan or heading to the University of Illinois. In the end, it was the Fighting Illini who won her over.
"Ultimately, I trusted everything that coach Kevin Hambly was promoting about the school," Bastianelli said. “But there were so many incredible schools that I really felt like I couldn't make a wrong decision."
The 2015 recruiting class that Hambly brought in was ranked No. 1 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com. Alongside Bastianelli, the elite group included future Olympic goal medalist setter Jordyn Poulter.
Bastianelli went on to be a three-time AVCA All-American at Illinois (2015-18), finishing with a school-record 750 total blocks, 925 kills, and 46 aces in 135 matches played (488 sets). She led the NCAA in blocks per set (1.79) and total blocks (201) during her senior season.
Illinois, with seven blocks from Bastianelli, defeated Wisconsin to reach the program’s fourth Final Four in 2018. It’s a moment Bastianelli recalls fondly, as it was also her last time playing on Illinois’ home court inside Huff Hall.
“That was the loudest and most packed I’ve ever seen it,” she said. “Standing room only and the environment was incredible. Being able to cut down the net after and celebrate with my teammates and family knowing that we were going to play on the biggest stage in college volleyball was really cool.”
Her quest for a coveted national championship ended in the semifinals when Illinois was reverse swept by powerhouse Nebraska. The emotions of the heartbreaking defeat were still fresh when Bastianelli started receiving phone calls from agents later that evening about the possibility of playing professional volleyball overseas.
“The next day [after losing in the Final Four] I met with a couple of them at a random coffee shop in the hotel,” Bastianelli said. “The agents present a lot teams, and you have to try and figure out which one you like, even though all the contracts are essentially the same. I had never been to Europe at this point in my life, so I was open to wherever I ended up.”
After a couple of months of getting advice and contemplating her options, Bastianelli settled on France and signed with Béziers Volley. Her time in Europe, however, ended abruptly when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the league and the entire world.
“It was scary because I couldn’t really watch the news over there because I don't speak French well enough to understand what they were saying,” Bastianelli said. “So, I was getting news from my family and trying to understand what my teammates were telling me.”
France was one of the last European volleyball leagues to pause play, with the assumption around the league being it would only be on hold for a couple weeks.
“I remember our coach telling us we couldn’t practice or do any team activities, but we could work out on our own," Bastianelli said. "We did, but a few teammates and I also took advantage of the two weeks off to visit Monte Carlo. When we returned, they announced the borders were closing, and public transportation was shutting down."
The reality of the situation quickly started to set in. Bastianelli, and the other non-French players on her team, now had to escape the country.
“We got one of the last flights out from southern France up to Paris to fly home because all the other flights were getting cancelled,” she said. “It was stressful. I had to pack up an entire apartment, and I had to leave some of my stuff there. But honestly, I don't even remember what I left, so it didn't matter that much to me. What matters is I got home.”
Bastianelli hasn’t been back to Europe since.
Instead, she stayed stateside, joining the start-up Athletes Unlimited Pro League, where she made valuable connections that led to contracts in Puerto Rico with Changas de Naranjito and, later, Atenienses de Manati. Then, Pro Volleyball Federation came along.
The Michigan native was intrigued by the League’s vision and even took part in a preseason promotional event for the Rise and the League at an AAU volleyball tournament at DeVos Place in April 2023 — before officially being on a PVF team. Rise head coach Cathy George made a strong push to keep Bastianelli in Grand Rapids, but Bastianelli signed with the Atlanta Vibe, drawn to a roster filled with friends and former teammates.
To Bastianelli’s surprise, her time in Atlanta was over before it ever began. She was involved in one of the first trades in PVF history during the 2023 college draft, packaged with Kendra Dahlke in a deal that sent No. 2 overall pick Magdalena Jehlářová to the Vibe.
“I knew trades were possible, but I thought they only happened during the season,” Bastianelli said. “So, when I got the call from our coach and team owner telling me I had been traded to San Diego, it completely caught me off guard. I had just bought a car and was planning to drive it down to Atlanta since it’s only about 12 hours. But when I found out about San Diego, I thought, ‘I really don’t want to drive 36 hours across the country.’
“Luckily, the San Diego coaches reached out right away to reassure me that everything would be taken care of. They understood my situation and wanted to make the transition as smooth as possible. Still, it was tough in the moment. But looking back, it was pretty special to be valued enough that they were willing to trade for me and Kendra.
“It worked out great for Kendra since she’s from the San Diego area, so she got to go home. And for me, it was an amazing opportunity — I got to experience one of the best cities in the U.S. In the end, it was a huge blessing in disguise.”
Adjusting to the West Coast had its quirks.
“It was weird not having a winter,” she added. “Going to the beach in March felt strange after living in Michigan and the Midwest for so long.”
Bastianelli willingly adapted. She played in 19 matches (62 sets) for the Mojo, recording 74 kills, 63 blocks (a League-best 1.02 blocks per set), and 11 aces. After a slow start to the season, the Mojo rallied to reach the PVF semifinals, where Bastianelli endured another harsh reverse sweep at the hands of another Nebraska team, the Omaha Supernovas.
Bastianelli had a little more time to process the season-ending loss before George reached out again, this time successfully bringing Bastianelli to the Rise.
“I love it [in Grand Rapids],” Bastianelli said. “There’s so much to love about being here. One of the best parts is being close to home and seeing my family. This is probably the most I’ve seen them at my matches in all six years of playing professionally, and it’s special to have them in the crowd.
“It’s also been great to play alongside so many familiar faces — whether from high school, club, or college. The Rise have done an incredible job creating an environment where we can thrive, and Cathy and the coaches make sure we have everything we need to succeed while pushing us to be our best.”
Through 10 matches in 2025, Grand Rapids led the League in blocking with 109 total blocks (2.79 per set), while Bastianelli was tied for first in PVF with 0.94 blocks per set. Her lateral movement, sharp anticipation, and offensive versatility have made her an invaluable contributor.
"Eye work is really important," she explained about being an effective blocker. "You have to be able to look at the right things and pick up small, minute cues. That can give you the slightest advantage over the attackers and help you anticipate what they are about to do."
As Bastianelli’s career continues to unfold, one constant remains: her ability to make thoughtful decisions, even in the face of uncertainty. From every monster block to returning home, each choice is made with careful consideration. Trusting herself, along with leaning on her support system, has been pivotal to her success.
"I can’t block everything on my own," Bastianelli said. "It’s always a team effort."