With the 2023 season underway, the NIVC looks at some of the programs off to a notable start as we track the depth and competitive excellence found throughout D-I volleyball.
by Kyle Koso Volleyball coaches aren’t wired to whimper about a roster that is profoundly young and unseasoned and requires extra attention when it comes to getting a game plan in motion. Heck, that can provide some of the greatest satisfaction in the job. However, on those stray seasons when an ocean of experienced athletes fills the locker room and most every topic in terms of positioning and attitude and culture has long been ingested … yeah, that’s feel pretty good, too. Running the show in 2023 at Southeast Missouri State for head coach Julie Yankus has been a matter of running out a lineup she can trust in all situations and conditions, with the Redhawks fulfilling their promise with a 16-4 record, 8-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference. It’s a good time to be feeling confident and capable, as SEMO has a big assignment this weekend with two road matches against Eastern Illinois (19-2, 9-1 OVC) that easily could dictate who earns the regular season title and the top seed in the OVC tournament. The Redhawks will go to work backed by stalwarts like Tara Beilsmith, the fifth-year libero who is the OVC’s career leader in digs and well on her way to finishing in the NCAA all-time top 10. The drum keeps beating thanks to senior Marisa Guisti (a transfer from Bulter) and her 210 kills; senior Kayla Closset has 179 kills and fifth-year middle Talia Gouard has added 118 kills. Senior setter Izzy Lukens keeps it in balance (697 assists) – all these assets have allowed SEMO to figure out the lingering questions without dropping too many matches. “You don’t have to analyze who’s going to play today, what’s the lineup … we are pretty smooth, even if there are some positions where players are fighting for spots, who will fill a role consistently,” said Yankus, who is in her 13th year as SEMO head coach and guided the squad to NCAA tournament appearance in 2019 and 2021. “Having the core group that is so experienced has led this team to some great seasons, and that puts me at ease. We still work to figure out our right side, but while we have depth and experience everywhere else. We have options in quite a few positions and can tinker if we want to. “Tara – she will notice things. The other team adapts, and we have to respond. We may have planned something and she’ll say, that’s not working, I want to shift it. We talk about and end up saying yes, we change it. The middles are great talking with each other, and it’s a very collective effort. They just see things, being fourth- and fifth-year players.” The good times of 2023 definitely sprung from the sour conclusion of 2022, a wildly inconsistent year where the Redhawks changed offenses late and, as a No. 5 seed in the OVC tournament, had a chance to win it and go back to the NCAA’s. But a five-set loss to UT Martin (the No. 6 seed) doused the fire. “We had a great season in 2021, then lost a lot of seniors and didn’t know how 2022 would look. There was a lot of adversity early on with injuries and figuring out the lineup,” Yankus said. “At the end of the season we turned to a 5-1 for the first time ever, last weekend of the regular season and into the tournament and obviously, it was the answer for us. It was tough to come up short. We talked all offseason how we never want to feel like we did after that final point, being on the losing end, that was a tough moment. It was fuel to work hard in the offseason, to continue to build a championship mindset. This team has done a great job.” All the savvy on her roster didn’t keep Yankus from recruiting with a purpose, and she clearly landed on a key part of the future with Lucy Arndt, who leads the team with 256 kills as a freshman. Arndt was a somewhat hidden gem, starring at tiny Aquin Catholic High School in Freeport, IL (population 24,000). “We did get her early, saw a lot of promise and wanted her to commit before many other schools were seeing how she was developing,” Yankus said. “It’s great to see her pan out and have such a remarkable season. Her ability to adapt; the other weekend they kept digging her and I said, hey shift over here, approach it this way, and the next swing she does it exactly and scores two points. Most seniors can’t do that, make the adjustments so quickly. We are very excited to see what the future holds.” Just as the Redhawks are excited about what this weekend holds. Eastern Illinois wasn’t picked to be an OVC force this year, but it does have two players who already have almost 300 kills. “Looking at the opponents they have the rest of the way and our schedule, this weekend is probably a battle for first place. If one team goes 2-0, it will likely be a pivotal moment and very well may determine who is the regular season champions,” Yankus said. “If we split, then it’s up in the air. It is an important weekend. They are very solid and have a lot of weapons; if we can slow those weapons down … when you’re facing five attackers on the court, it’s tough to slow them down. I think we match up fine in a lot of ways, and it will be a battle every set and probably every point.” Yankus is fully aware that in seasons to come, it will take a lot more heavy lifting to get the roster functioning with as much efficiency as the SEMO 2023 edition. Without being too distracted about how that future might play out, she’s making sure to treasure the present. “Senior weekend is almost here; I’ve been planning it out, the gifts and videos, and that’s making me think about all those who are graduating and how it’ll be such a big change,” she added. “I want to appreciate the moments; we have so many great personalities and these are people I’ve been around for six years in some cases. You can get a little emotional, but there’s a lot of work still to do.” Officials with Triple Crown Sports, which produces the NIVC postseason volleyball tournament for D-I programs, and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) have announced an agreement to work together to promote the NIVC throughout the NCAA volleyball universe.
Modeled after another iconic Triple Crown event, the WNIT, the NIVC takes 32 teams that were not selected to play in the 64-team NCAA Tournament and creates another high-energy postseason tournament where accomplished D-I programs compete for a national title. The original NIVC concept dates back to 1989-1995; Triple Crown revived the event in 2017. The agreement will see the AVCA sharing updates and content as the NIVC draws closer on the calendar. Selection of the 2023 NIVC field is set for Nov. 26 – previous winners of the NIVC are Boston College (2022), UNLV (2021), Georgia Tech (2019), Iowa State (2018) and Ole Miss (2017). The 2020 event was cancelled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Collegiate volleyball is enjoying a remarkable era of growth and interest, with attendance records being broken at every turn and more eyes tracking the action on multiple TV networks and streaming options,” said Dr. Jaime Gordon, chief executive officer of the AVCA. “The depth of talent in the NCAA D-I ranks definitely means remarkable programs and deserving student-athletes are left sitting outside the standard 64-team NCAA Tournament field. “We feel the NIVC is a terrific opportunity for the next set of teams to display their competitive passion and notable skills. The AVCA is an avid supporter of the NIVC and will work hard to encourage teams to realize the benefits of postseason competition and the improvement rosters can enjoy by playing deeper into November and December. Ideally, the NIVC becomes a long-standing and valued part of the NCAA volleyball calendar.” Fans can get in step with news on the NIVC (@WomensNIVC, www.womensNIVC.com), with feature articles on teams and the new Watch List, which will be updated as results bring more clarity to the possible field. “Triple Crown Sports and the NIVC welcomes all the effort provided by the AVCA to expand awareness of our postseason championship. College volleyball has captured the imagination of innumerable sports fans, and we believe this tournament is an ideal way to show how dramatically student-athletes and coaches have pushed the sport forward,” said Jared Rudiger, director of volleyball at Triple Crown Sports. “We have dozens of college coaches who can vouch for the progress their teams enjoyed by playing in the NIVC, and we look forward to adding to that list of supporters.” 2023 NIVC dates: Nov. 26 – Selection Night Rounds 1/2 – between Nov. 29-Dec. 2 Round 3 – between Dec. 5-7 Semifinals – between Dec. 7-10 Championship – between Dec. 10-12 With the 2023 season underway, the NIVC looks at some of the programs off to a notable start as we track the depth and competitive excellence found throughout D-I volleyball.
by Kyle Koso One week into September, the Coastal Carolina volleyball team had just secured a three-game sweep of Virginia – while it marked just the fourth victory of the season, the Chanticleers could take comfort in toppling a Power 5 squad and allow themselves to think things the roster had enough electricity to drive a good run. However, the 2023 campaign was about to get an all-time jolt of adversity. Head coach Jozsef Forman announced he would be stepping down after 11 years at CCU, as health concerns within his family in his native Hungary were profound enough to require an immediate exit. In the scramble that followed, the athletic department turned to Steve Loeswick, head coach of the school’s outstanding beach volleyball program, and asked him to grab the stick and try to pilot the indoor team’s fortunes. With a voice of calm and a competitive instinct that refused to let CCU take steps backward, Loeswick has managed the most successful act of improvisation since Robin Williams worked the LA comedy clubs. The Chanticleers (13-7) have won all eight of their matches in the Sun Belt Conference and look to add to their heroics in taking on James Madison (15-4, 8-0 Sun Belt, No. 18 in national RPI) at home this Friday and Saturday. As the season threatened to tip out of control, CCU has tapped into something special. “It wasn’t an easy decision, and some things had to fall into place to make it work. The administration has been very supportive of my beach program, and they want that group of student-athletes to have the chance to be successful,” said Loeswick, who coached beach and indoor at North Florida before coming to Conway, SC, in 2018. “The (CCU indoor) team had a lot of new kids in the program along with two new assistants – a lot of new pieces and then uncertainly. It was hard on them, and people came here because of (Forman), the coach and person that he is. “Sure, the future is uncertain and I don’t think we’ve solved all of those problems, but we’re making sure we’re taking care of them, keeping them healthy in mind and body. When they came to me, I went to the beach team first and talked to them; I’ve got a great assistant there and the team is very mature and experienced … the culture of that team is where it needs to be. I can miss a couple practices, and we have the leadership to keep things moving forward in a productive way.” The indoor team has done its part in keeping Loeswick supported by flexing depth and tenacity. As part of Forman’s recruiting reach, there’s a strong international presence as players hail from Canada, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Poland and Turkey – sprinkle in multiple East Coast natives and a couple more from further West, one wonders how the roster remained intact enough to pound out the wins. “I don’t want to say surprised … Josef’s always brought in talented players, and with the international players … they’re going through the same thing at the same time,” Loeswick said. “They’ve become more dependent on each other, and it’s forced them to build deeper relationships within the team. You do that, hold each other accountable, and can move forward as a group. We have talented players, freshmen are doing a great job … we’re excited to be where we’re at with the wins, but the goal is to get better, learn the game, spend time on our volleyball IQ. We’ll just go on and compete, and look out for the person next to us.” At the heart of the machine is senior Jasmine Rivest and freshman Jalyn Stout. Rivest (who competed with the Canadian national program over the summer) leads the team in kills at 299 as well as aces (31), and sits third in digs. Stout is another multi-category force with 211 kills, 257 assists and 183 digs. “Jalyn, we are asking her to do a lot. At first, it was just the right side, then part of the 6-2 (as a setter), and she’s got a whip of an arm,” Loeswick said. “It’s nice to have that on the right side, and we also have Agata (Lesiak, 138 kills), and that’s been very helpful. Jasmine wants to swing, wants to be set, wants to bang balls. We’re trying to get her to go off-speed occasionally, but she’s doesn’t like that much and continues to be aggressive. Not much fear there, which is good.” Junior setter Cagla Bengi leads in assists with 540, and freshman libero Sydney Lewis paces CCU with 267 digs. Junior Lauren Malone has come through with 132 kills, with Coastal Carolina typically causing a lot of trouble with its service game. Loeswick says his team reaches its ceiling when the opposition is out of system and the CCU mix of terminal hitters, right, middle and left, can go to work. There could be temptation to use the upcoming matches against James Madison as a measuring tool, but the Chanticleers have already measured up in meaningful fashion when you consider the dramatic events from six weeks ago. Two more victories would surely feel great, but Coastal Carolina has basically mastered keeping its eye on the bigger picture. “We’re approaching it just like last week against Old Dominion or the week before against Georgia Southern,” added Loeswick, whose team broke into the Top 100 in national RPI this week. “We’ll push the kids to get better individually and we’ll prepare with film, make some small adjustments, but it’s about us getting better and being a tough out for whoever has to play us. “We’re in a good position, but not one where I expect to get an at-large (NCAA bid) if we don’t win the conference tournament. We’ll get a lot of information from this weekend, but it’s not do or die. A great weekend is awesome and will build our confidence. We’ve got three weekends to come to get better and prepare for the Sun Belt tournament. Three of the next four matches, we play the last three conference champions … it’s the meat and potatoes of the conference, but we’ve put ourselves in position to potentially get a good seed in the tournament.” With the 2023 season underway, the NIVC looks at some of the programs off to a notable start as we track the depth and competitive excellence found throughout D-I volleyball.
by Kyle Koso As the only head coach to ever hold the job for the St. John’s volleyball program, Joanne Persico could be excused for expressing a bit of world-weariness in tone and temperament when it comes to her tasks. But 30 years in, the fire and faith that brought the Red Storm squad to life seems no less profound or productive as Persico puts her stamp on another impressive season for the team out of the university in Queens, NY. Fueled by a young roster packed with international players who have worked through some early adversities, St. John’s sits at 13-5 overall (5-1 in the challenging territory of the Big East) and can make another statement this weekend with matches at home versus DePaul (10-7, 3-3) and year in, year out powerhouse Marquette (10-7, 6-0). The upbeat mood in mid-October was hardly guaranteed earlier in the year as Persico worked through some roster issues, and spirits were dampened by off-court stress that led to back-to-back 3-1 non-conference losses to Arkansas and Buffalo. But the team’s ability to rebound rang out loud and clear with a 3-0 sweep at Xavier, which was picked to finish ahead of the Red Storm in the preseason poll. “I’ve spent my time building team culture; at this stage of my career, when you add one person, it’s not just that person but that person times however many are on the team bus,” said Persico, who has 545 victories all-time and 12 20-win seasons in her resume. “I take that seriously and won’t add player just to do it. It’s my concern that the women here leave with as many tools in their toolbox as possible. When we played Arkansas and Buffalo, there were some team challenges, getting used our captains and the dynamics of new people. That was a bit of a tough day off the court, and how we handled that catapulted us to where we are today, in the top of the conference, but of course with more to do.” No doubt, the win against a solid Xavier unit (11-6, 4-2) gave Persico evidence that this year’s group had more than a little resilience. “That’s a result that only happens with teamwork and the ability to be versatile,” she said. “You can say, ‘I’m an outside hitter’ but I need you at DS today. You’re a right side, well somebody got hurt so you have to play the outside pin today. The opportunity to learn and be able to expand your role with an open mind … not everyone can do that, but we try to teach volleyball skills.” Those lessons sometimes require hurdling over language barriers, as St. John’s does a lot of its work with an international roster. This year there are student athletes hailing from Costa Rica, Italy and Poland who were drawn to New York City just like millions of others, attracted by the energy and opportunity. “It just evolved from the early years here. I started the program in 1994 and had some girls from California, which was the volleyball hub … with the limited resources we had, I just turned to Europe,” Persico said. “I would go after 10 players, they were all good, and whoever wanted to come I would take. I had room for two, they were Europeans, and they said they wanted to come to New York. We have a terrific melting pot of course, and the most cultural diversity of any county, borough, anyplace in the world here in Queens. The program reflects the university, and really, the city. They come from different places, and we have different styles on how we play volleyball. But we have commonalities, our values and love for the teammates and university.” At the center of St. John’s plans on the court is junior setter Wiktoria Kowalczyk, an impressive sight at 6-foot-4 who’s 597 assists on the year. She’s drilled into her work and improved her footwork and defensive approach, while also becoming arguably the team’s best server. Eleonora Tosi (one of two players Persico had to recruit through video chat because of COVID’s disruptions) plays multiple positions and offers the kind of flexibility the Red Storm mandates. Freshman Rashanny Solano Smith has been a revelation on the back line and has played every set of the 2023 campaign, leading the group in digs with 262. Offensively, two players get the majority of swings — sophomore Erin Jones leads in kills with 235 and junior Giorgia Walther has 199. One of the facts of life playing in the Big East is taking on Creighton and Marquette every year, programs that are NCAA Tournament staples and spend most of their seasons comfortably ranked in the Top 25. But rather than stew in anxiety about that trend, Persico chooses to embrace the challenge (budget priorities are simply handled differently at different schools) and let what’s best for her roster guide her energies. “We are running our own race – I didn’t stay here 30 years worrying about what was happening on the other side of the fence. I try to take care of my own backyard and my program with what I’ve been given,” she said. “We know those teams are the perennial frontrunners, and we know they lead the Big East year in and year out. They have tremendous coaches and have been great to work with and compete against. Your competition makes you better, your adversary is your friend, and they will push us to compete at a high level when we meet. “Through hard work and creativity, I have been fortunate to win six (conference) titles here, so we have been able to do well. We’re grateful for those teams and those coaches and the level of competition they bring to the gym. They help the Big East stay recognized.” ON THE NIVC – St. John’s has played in the postseason NIVC on two occasions, and Persico is a huge proponent of the event. “We haven’t had the opportunity to play in an NIT like women’s basketball, and we’ve had many years we could have qualified for something like that. We have been so excited and grateful to be part of the NIVC – in 2018, our athletic director graciously supported us playing (in the NIVC) and we got a great experience at Georgia Tech. The next year we won a Big East title. We think the NIVC catapulted us, got us that postseason experience, let us practice longer … the next year we knock off No. 10 and No. 11 in the country. “Last year, we get the opportunity, win in the first round, then play at Boston College. We get knocked off, but I’m in contact with them from there on and they win it – we couldn’t be more proud to see an East Coast team suceed. And for us this year, our tight group of 12 players can use last year’s NIVC to help us be successful, and I think it’s all connected.” With the 2023 season underway, the NIVC looks at some of the programs off to a notable start as we track the depth and competitive excellence found throughout D-I volleyball.
by Kyle Koso Kelli Phillips thought she’d get a useful look at her Ball State volleyball program with a tough set of matches early in the 2023 season. She ended up seeing how her roster looked adorned with crutches, slings, casts and on a constant search for ibuprofen. A sobering cycle of injuries and other impediments prevented the Cardinals from fielding the lineup Phillips envisioned as the season began, with an 0-7 stretch through the first half of September threatening to dampen the mood around a squad that has been a mid-major standout for years. But life is starting to look more normal for Ball State as it rides a five-match winning streak (now 4-0 in the Mid-American Conference, 7-8 overall) ahead of matches this weekend at Miami of Ohio (0-4. 4-12) and Bowling Green (1-3, 7-8). “When we made that original schedule, we were a much different team than we are now. Three likely starters are out for the year; that changes things, not having the same lineup twice in nonconference,” said Phillips, in her eighth year as BSU head coach and who has guided the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament in three of the past four seasons. “But we’ve done a good job. We are super young in a lot of positions, and that was combined with a tough schedule where no one let us off the hook. A lot of people had to play different roles than how they trained all spring, but that’s literally part of the deal. Every season, it’s the job of players and coaches to do whatever we can to make the best situation possible.” When injuries mount, it’s not just the physical absence of talent that can affect teams – it’s an emotional challenge as well, especially when experienced athletes familiar with the approach Phillips wants are simply not around anymore. But with the established vibe of a squad that will fight to every finish, Ball State still has designs on a league title. “It’ll be a challenge managing bodies, but what’s crazy is I still feel we’re position to win the league with the people we have. That’s kept them optimistic, because they see the potential,” said Phillips, whose teams went 24-9 last year and a remarkable 30-4 in 2021. While Ball State tackles all the variables and surprises that have marked 2023, there’s a definite source of gravity and stability in the form of junior setter Megan Wielonski, a preseason all-MAC Western Division selection who was fourth and second in the nation in assists the past two campaigns. Comfortably on track to finish her career as the No. 2 assist leader in program history, Wielonski has proven comfortable with the weight of her responsibilities, which go beyond just steering the ball around and keeping hitters happy. “There’s an increase in the amount of leadership I’m asking from her. Especially in light of how young we are, the (vocal leader) jump is the biggest thing I’ve asked for,” Phillips said. “I mean, set the ball wherever you want, but how do we keep the passers calm, who have never been in that position. In her evolution, we’ve talked that she has to be a great setter even if the ball-control isn’t putting it on your head every time. That’s the mark of a great setter. She has secondary skills that also make a big impact – her service pressure, her defensive pressure, and her blocking has improved enormously.” Wielonski is supported a couple of older players, fifth-year stalwarts Marie Plitt (124 kills) and Havyn Gates (team-high 219 digs), while fresh-faced contributions come from redshirt freshman Aniya Kennedy (155 kills), sophomore Madison Buckley (131 kills) and freshman DS/libero Paige Busick, who has helped the team on the back row after the graduation of stalwart defender Maggie Huber. They didn’t get there as planned, but the Cardinals are approaching the territory where Phillips might agree some familiar strengths are kicking in. “It starts with ball control, from a serve-receive standpoint as well as being able to control hard-hit balls. Part 2 is getting our middles involved a lot and not just relying on one or two pin attackers,” she said. “We have to be balanced, and you need ball control to do that. And related to the injuries we had – we have to have all five attackers capable of scoring, not just someone taking 70 swings a night. That’s when we are clicking well. The other piece is volleyball IQ – competing, having a passion to do what we’re doing, not have to pull teeth to have self-discipline. “We’ll need to get better handling that first ball, and I’m pretty black-and-white with the time, this won’t be a shock to anybody – we’ve got to have Maddie Buckley scoring more points consistently. She’s very capable, super physical, her net presence as a blocker has helped the group. She’s put a ton of work into it, and all of this will be a huge factor toward the end of the year.” ON THE NIVC – Phillips coached Ball State when the Cardinals played in the 2018 NIVC, and here’s her take on the usefulness of the event: “I felt like it was a really good opportunity at the time; we were a group still finding a way to win in the postseason. We were still in evolution to get to be an NCAA Tournament team, and that’s the goal to be one of that 64. But that’s just 64 of us. The NIVC helps push the game further so a student-athlete can play in the postseason and have that game experience which will help in future years. Those are things that can’t be replicated in practice, and the NIVC gave us the experience to grow and learn from and continue to evolve. It was a great thing for our program to be a part of.” |
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