Penn State women’s volleyball standouts Kashauna Williams and Seleisa Elisaia will begin their professional careers on the same Puerto Rican club team for the 2023 season, continuing their All-Big Ten connection with Las Criollas de Caguas, 14-time champions of La Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino (LVSF).

Williams and Elisaia played central roles for the Nittany Lions during a Sweet 16 run in 2022, their only season at Penn State, after graduate transferring from Long Beach State and Cal State Bakersfield, respectively. Their success at Penn State as part of a four-player transfer class during Katie Schumacher-Cawley’s first offseason as head coach highlighted her and her staff’s ability to identify talent in the portal.

Williams led the Nittany Lions with 416 kills and earned AVCA All-American honorable mention and a first-team All-Big Ten nod. Elisaia, an AVCA all-northeast region selection like Williams and second-team All-Big Ten honoree, led the conference in total assists with 1,335.

Elisaia was arguably the Big Ten’s most physical setter at the net this season, racking up 96 kills and 89 total blocks. Williams and Elisaia’s close friendship off the court was evident in how they played, putting together some of their best performances in the biggest matches of the year.

Elisaia, who hails from South Jordan, Utah, discussed where she thought she improved the most as a player following Penn State’s NCAA tournament selection show watch party at Rec Hall. She also had 282 digs and 31 aces for the Nittany Lions in an impressive season that elevated her status as one of the most well-rounded setters in college volleyball.

“Personally, I would say defense. Coming in as a setter, you kind of emphasize the setting, obviously, but being able to defend really well in such a tough conference, I think that’s the biggest place I’ve stepped it up this year,” Elisaia said.

Williams, a Los Angeles, California, native, quickly became a fan favorite in the Big Ten with her fun personality and rocket of an arm. When Williams and Elisaia were in a groove, Penn State’s offense operated at a particularly high level, allowing other players to get more open shots because of the attention paid to Williams on the pin.

In an interview in early September, Williams said maintaining a positive inner dialogue on the court has helped her stay steady as a player and move on from the swings that don’t go her way.

“I think self-talk is the most important thing, just because you have to talk positively in your mind in order to achieve greatness,” Williams said. “I think when I’m talking to myself and telling myself I can do great things or am just being positive in general, it helps me a lot. Just good self-talk.”

Now, it will be exciting to see how the two Nittany Lions will continue to refine their skills as pros in Puerto Rico, where they will be teammates with middle blocker Kayla Caffey, who won the 2022 NCAA national championship with the Texas Longhorns after transferring from Nebraska. Of note, Caffey attended the same Chicago high school as Schumacher-Cawley, Mother McAuley.

Volleyball fans in Puerto Rico better prepare themselves for the show that Williams and Elisaia are about to put on. The duo will try to help Las Criollas de Caguas improve upon last season’s loss in the league championship and bring home a 15th title in 2023.

First, Elisaia will watch her father, Doug, the head strength coach for the University of Utah football team, and the Utes square off against Penn State in the Rose Bowl on Monday, in what should be a cool experience for their family and friends.