Weismiller rebuilding Hoosiers in 'dream job'

Katie Weismiller has a funny notion about her "dream job." \nMost people would leave Indiana for Florida, and not vice versa. Weismiller, the women's volleyball head coach, saw things the other way around. She bolted the warm, sun-filled Florida weather for Indiana's precarious, up-and-down climate. Seems anybody would rule out that move after plodding through a dreary fall day like Monday or sweating through a sweltering August afternoon.\nNot Weismiller -- the move couldn't have worked any better.\nWeismiller left Florida in 1993 after two seasons as an assistant coach for a homecoming of sorts. After growing up in St. Louis and coaching for two seasons at St. Louis University, Weismiller welcomed the trip back to the Midwest. She said IU's campus lured her, and her volleyball teams have done the rest, plopping the Hoosiers back on the Big Ten and national volleyball scene.\n"I wanted a campus that would sell itself, and I got that," Weismiller said. "St. Louis was a different world. I wanted to build my own program in a big conference. It's unbelievable how it all fell into place."\nWeismiller not only headed the Billiken women's volleyball squad, she also coached softball and worked as an administrator. She won nearly 70 percent of her games on the volleyball court in St. Louis before heading to Gainesville, where she helped direct the Gators to their first Final Four appearance in 1992.\nHer success helped her land the job in Bloomington, and the situation was just what she wanted: the opportunity to build a top-notch program. The two years before Weismiller's arrival saw the Hoosiers go a dismal 14-45. \nThe turnaround began immediately, with IU wrapping up its 1993 season at 11-18. Two years later, the Hoosiers turned in their first 20-win season since 1987. Weismiller led IU to its seventh 20-win season in school history last year, boosting her career mark above .500. A solid 10-2 start in 2000 sent Weismiller's record at IU to 122-112, including two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Still, Weismiller is confident she can carry the rejuvenated program to national acclaim. \n"I want to win Big Ten championships, go deep into the NCAA and ultimately win the big one," Weismiller said of her hopes of a national championship. "We can do a lot here."\nWeismiller continues to promote IU volleyball and said the next step in nailing together a consistent title contender is a new facility, something the athletics department promised her when she took the job. The Hoosiers still practice and play at University Gym, and Weismiller calls the lack of a prime-time facility the only disappointment she's encountered since signing with IU.\nCommunity and student support has blossomed in her seven years, but a hint of envy enters her voice on mentioning the more than 3,500 fans that regularly attend Wisconsin home games. \n"Attendance wasn't real good when I got here," she said. "The community is unbelievable, and the student body is picking up little by little. We try to add a new twist every year. It's the best entertainment in town."\nWeismiller's lofty goals for the future might be pinned on the highly-touted seven-member recruiting class that marched into Bloomington this fall. Weismiller credits IU's strong academic reputation and scenic campus as her recruiting aids, but her players say she is the main selling point.\n"She has a different style," freshman Melissa Brewer said of Weismiller's laid-back approach. "She doesn't yell, but she's pretty blunt. She made it a big point to let us know she'd be here tomorrow."\nWeismiller operates her upbeat, easy-going system on a new one-year contract each season, something IU does different from other institutions, she said. She doesn't let that uncertainty worry her though, she said. Instead, she keeps players and administrators satisfied with her teaching between the lines. Several players cite the lack of verbal outbursts and wealth of understanding as attributes that help the program develop. Her quick-paced walk and high-energy attitude rubs off on her players.\n"She doesn't scream, but you know when she's upset," senior Amanda Welter said. "It was hard to adjust at first, but it works. She's always happy to be here, and she never makes us feel like she thinks it's a chore to coach us. The program has come so far since she's come here"