5-foot-2 libero packs powerful energy, brings team more honors

Competitive.

It seems this is the only word used by anyone in the IU women’s volleyball program to describe senior libero Caitlin Cox.

“If you ask our players, ‘Who is the most competitive player on our team?’ the overwhelming selection would be Caitlin,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “That’s the kind of person you look for (at libero).”

During the weekend, Cox passed Juli Pierce to become IU’s all-time digs leader with a total of 1,569 digs. To add to her new record, Cox also earned the Co-Defensive Big Ten Player of the Week and Hoosier Classic MVP honors this weekend.

Dunbar said while Cox’s competitive spirit has been the same since day one of her freshman year, experience helped her put all the pieces together to reach her goal of becoming an elite Big Ten player.

“This year, maybe because it’s her senior year or she just matured, but she’s making that a reality and really finding ways to do the extra,” Dunbar said. “She has always been one of the most competitive kids in the gym, but I think now she is starting to put it into her play of making the extra things.”

Early years at IU

While being recruited out of Springport, Ind., at first, Cox said, she did not consider playing for IU. But once IU hired Dunbar, Cox’s perception of the program changed.

It wasn’t long before Cox fell in love with the IU coaching staff and playing for the cream and crimson.

“I knew they were here for a reason,” Cox said. “To change the program and win.”
In her freshman season, Cox played in all 32 matches. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team, breaking the IU freshman single-season digs record and
leading the Hoosiers with 402 digs.

Cox followed her freshman year by breaking IU’s single season digs record — racking up 488 — in her sophomore year.

Former teammate and now IU Student Assistant Coach Ashley Benson said she knew Cox would be a good addition to the program the first time they took the court together during Cox’s freshman year.

“When we were playing with her, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this girl has heart,’” Benson said. “She kind of intimidated me.”

Benson, a 6-foot-3 All-American middle blocker last season for the Hoosiers, said the 5-foot-2 Cox’s presence is an intimidating force on the court — even if she is the shortest on it.

“She is the kind of 5-foot-nothing that thinks she’s 6-3,” Benson said. “She doesn’t care what people think, and she will act like she’s 6-3. She intimidates a lot of people.”

Sweet 16 run
Cox said she doesn’t have a favorite moment of IU volleyball, rather a favorite year. Her junior season, the Hoosiers advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 — the best finish in program history.
Whether it was beating highly-ranked Minnesota or sitting at Yogi’s Grill & Bar listening to the announcement that IU would host NCAA tournament games, Cox said it was a year she can’t even describe.
In 35 matches, Cox broke her own school record with 513 digs and set a new
single-game high of 27 digs in a match versus Illinois.

Last chance

With her volleyball games numbered, Cox said she wants to make sure her game continues to rise to the next level.

“I was sitting there one day, and I was just like, ‘This is my last year ever to play volleyball,’” Cox said. “I have been playing for 14 years now, and that’s something I’ll never get back, so I was like, ‘Why not make it memorable?’”

In nine matches, the senior has 166 digs (5.19 digs per set average), won two tournament MVPs and led the Hoosiers to a 7-2 record.

“I’ve noticed a lot this year that she is kind of taking control over the team and has fought really hard to get the wins this year,” Benson said.

Dunbar said the team is feeding off her leadership.

“She’s not just making the plays that are at her now, she’s making and finding ways to dig the extra balls,” Dunbar said. “It’s making a huge difference, and I think her teammates can see that, too. And it is getting them riled up about defense.”

While Cox still has a season left to cement her legacy in IU volleyball history, Benson knows exactly how she will always remember the competitive libero.

“I loved turning around after a kill or a block and within a second she’s right there in my face,” Benson said. “She is the first one to congratulate you on that big kill. It’s not like a ‘Hey, good job.’ It’s more like a ‘Hey, you’re awesome,’ and then she shoves you.

“You don’t think this 5-foot-nothing girl can shove you, but she just brings so much energy to the team and makes you want to
fight harder.”