Volleyball team looks to return to NCAAs

The IU volleyball team starts its season Friday with a tournament at Northern Illinois University. The Hoosiers take on Western Kentucky University at 5 p.m and will take on Northern Illinois and Western Illinois on Saturday.\nThis season’s team is looking to make it back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002. They hope to do that under the direction of their defensive-minded first-year head coach, Sherry Dunbar. Dunbar replaces Katie Weismiller, who coached the team for 14 years and was the winningest all-time IU Volleyball coach, notching 198 victories. Weismiller also led the team to four NCAA tournament appearances. \nBefore coming to IU, Dunbar coached at the College of Charleston where she recorded a 113-22 record, won three Southern Conference regular season titles and advanced to the NCAA regionals three times. Coming from College of Charleston, Dunbar knows the challenge facing her at IU: The Big Ten conference has five schools ranked in the preseason Top 25. \nThis season, the team has six new players and seven returning players. Senior leadership will come from two captains, outside hitter Gabrielle Allison and defensive specialist Juli Pierce, and fellow seniors right side Lauren Ditteon and middle blocker Annie Moddrell. \nDunbar said she believes the squad is well-balanced between returners and new faces. \n“I think it’s a good ratio (of experienced and new players),” Dunbar said. “Because of the even amount of veteran and young players, we’ve kind of had a big sister, little sister thing going.” \nModdrell said her transition to a senior leader has to come naturally.\n“Being a starter for the past couple years, of course my presence on the court will be good, but when you’re in the middle of a match, everyone is the same age,” she said. \nJunior outside hitter Erica Short, Ditteon and Moddrell all said that, thus far, Dunbar’s style has been aggressive and straightforward. \n“She demands intensity and brings maximum effort into every practice,” Ditteon said. \nShort and other players want to return to the NCAA tournament. Short said going 10-10 in conference play would go a long way toward reaching their goal.\n“Myself and some other girls were talking, and going .500 in the conference and getting a bid to the tournament is definitely a goal we think we can achieve this year,” she said. \nThis year’s team is banking on its strong chemistry on and off the court to have a good season.\n“I think our team chemistry is great ... (and) our services and position blocking is a strong point for our team,” said Short. \nBecause Dunbar does not have a set rotation for the team, she said early season tournaments will help her get a good look at possible rotations by the time conference play starts. \nThe Hoosiers’ first home game will be Sept. 14, when they host the Indiana University adidas Classic. Big Ten conference play kicks off Sept. 21 on the road against Iowa.