Indiana University Athletics
Release the Venom – Unbeaten IU Volleyball Hosts Classic
9/14/2017 8:41:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
Sometimes, when you're young and unbeaten, as the Indiana's volleyball team is, when you face the daunting reality of another brutal Big Ten challenge, as these youthful Hoosiers are about to do, you turn to the obvious source of motivation:
Baby snakes.
What, you were expecting the theme from Rocky?
Head coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan's youngest-ever team – 11 freshmen and sophomores – has delivered a 9-0 start and plenty of optimism.
"We are young, and a lot of people look at that as a negative," sophomore setter Victoria Brisack said. "We have so much energy and competition, we play at such a high competitive level, that we use that to our advantage."
"We love volleyball," she added. "That's one of the exciting things because as you get older, you can get worn down by it, you don't have that energy. We have that energy and love playing."
A cynic could say the fast start is due to a user-friendly schedule -- and that cynic would be right -- but that misses the point, which is these Hoosiers needed time to grow and build confidence, and nothing does that better than winning.
But you can't win if you don't believe. In this case, it starts with baby snakes and the theme, "Release the Venom."
No, that is NOT the title of the latest Taylor Swift song.
Anyway, according to legend, lore and, perhaps, scientific fact, baby snakes are too young to know how much venom to release when they bite something, so they use all of it at once. Older snakes, wise to need and to what is and is not danger, deliver venom in measured doses.
What does that have to do with the Hoosiers?
It started with retired Army lieutenant colonel Mike Ogden, who co-owns Pinnacle Leadership, which works with IU sports teams and a lot more.
As Dunbar-Kruzan explains it, "We were talking about how to coach such a young team. You don't want to treat them young, but you have to understand that there are things about them that are different from a veteran team.
"Mike was talking about young snakes. You don't want to get bit by them because they release all their venom because they don't know any better. Older snakes release as much as they need to.
"I think that relates to us," Dunbar-Kruzan said. "I don't want our players to look on the other side of the net and evaluate the opponent like, 'Oh, it's Evansville, maybe they're not as good' or, 'Hey, it's Minnesota and they're No. 1 in the nation.'
"It's really six people over there and our job is to put everything out there and not look across the net.
"When you get older, you have that perception. This group looks at it as just another team and another chance for us to win. That motto ("Release the Venom") is important to put out 100 percent."
In other words, attack every opponent with all you've got.
It's worked against the likes of Ball State, Indiana State, Evansville, George Washington, Alabama-Birmingham and more -- officially IU has won the Indiana Invitational, the George Washington Invitational and the Dunn Hospitality Tournament -- to deliver a second straight 9-0 start.
"This definitely boosts our confidence," Dunbar-Kruzan said. "Have we played the toughest schedule in the country? Probably not, but we have played teams we think will do well in their conferences.
"Our RPI is good. Most important, we're finding wins. With our conference, we need those wins going into it. To have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, you need to get to 19 to 20 wins overall. If we can rack up as many as we can before the start in the Big Ten, that's important."
Adds Brisack: "Being 9-0 is very cool. It's a testament to our hard work.
"For those of us who are returning, that work started in January with workouts. Then we had an awesome spring.
"Once our freshmen joined us in the summer, it was a continuation of that. We had one of the best summers we've had, ever. We made huge strides individually and as a team. Our team chemistry is awesome, so 9-0 is not surprising to anyone on this team."
Strong play has come from Brisack, who ranks third nationally in assists per set at 12.58; sophomore libero Meaghan Koors, who was named the George Washington Invitational most valuable player; and sophomore middle blocker Hayden Huybers, who ranks No. 31 in the country in hitting percentage (.415). Freshman Bayli Lebo was named to the All-Tournament Team for the George Washington Invitational.
In other words, youth has its advantages.
"We definitely like the youthful energy," Brisack said.
IU can improve to 12-0 with a big non-conference-ending weekend. It hosts the Hoosier Classic on Friday and Saturday at University Gym.
The last time Indiana started 12-0 was in 2010. The school record start is 15-0 back in the 1970s.
The Hoosiers play UNLV on Friday night and Samford and Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. All three opponents made the NCAA tourney last season.
"Winning this would be huge," Brisack said. "Last year we had a great preseason but we dropped two games we thought we should have won."
Adds Dunbar-Kruzan: "It will be quite a challenge. UNLV lost quite a bit from last year, but they have a winning mentality. They know how to compete.
"We have a great game plan. We've had great crowds for matches. I think fans will come out. Football isn't playing this weekend (Saturday's home game against Florida International was cancelled because of the Hurricane Irma aftermath), so we're not head to head with anybody. I think fans will watch some great volleyball against some good competition."
Florida Gulf Coast also has issues from Hurricane Irma. IU helped by letting the Eagles, who haven't been home in two weeks and who are coming off a tourney in North Carolina, use its facilities the last few days.
After that IU faces a pair of Big Ten home challenges from Illinois and Maryland next week.
"We want to enjoy the ride and not back away from the challenge," Dunbar-Kruzan said.
It starts, and certainly doesn't end, by releasing the venom.
IUHoosiers.com
Sometimes, when you're young and unbeaten, as the Indiana's volleyball team is, when you face the daunting reality of another brutal Big Ten challenge, as these youthful Hoosiers are about to do, you turn to the obvious source of motivation:
Baby snakes.
What, you were expecting the theme from Rocky?
Head coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan's youngest-ever team – 11 freshmen and sophomores – has delivered a 9-0 start and plenty of optimism.
"We are young, and a lot of people look at that as a negative," sophomore setter Victoria Brisack said. "We have so much energy and competition, we play at such a high competitive level, that we use that to our advantage."
"We love volleyball," she added. "That's one of the exciting things because as you get older, you can get worn down by it, you don't have that energy. We have that energy and love playing."
A cynic could say the fast start is due to a user-friendly schedule -- and that cynic would be right -- but that misses the point, which is these Hoosiers needed time to grow and build confidence, and nothing does that better than winning.
But you can't win if you don't believe. In this case, it starts with baby snakes and the theme, "Release the Venom."
No, that is NOT the title of the latest Taylor Swift song.
Anyway, according to legend, lore and, perhaps, scientific fact, baby snakes are too young to know how much venom to release when they bite something, so they use all of it at once. Older snakes, wise to need and to what is and is not danger, deliver venom in measured doses.
What does that have to do with the Hoosiers?
It started with retired Army lieutenant colonel Mike Ogden, who co-owns Pinnacle Leadership, which works with IU sports teams and a lot more.
As Dunbar-Kruzan explains it, "We were talking about how to coach such a young team. You don't want to treat them young, but you have to understand that there are things about them that are different from a veteran team.
"Mike was talking about young snakes. You don't want to get bit by them because they release all their venom because they don't know any better. Older snakes release as much as they need to.
"I think that relates to us," Dunbar-Kruzan said. "I don't want our players to look on the other side of the net and evaluate the opponent like, 'Oh, it's Evansville, maybe they're not as good' or, 'Hey, it's Minnesota and they're No. 1 in the nation.'
"It's really six people over there and our job is to put everything out there and not look across the net.
"When you get older, you have that perception. This group looks at it as just another team and another chance for us to win. That motto ("Release the Venom") is important to put out 100 percent."
In other words, attack every opponent with all you've got.
It's worked against the likes of Ball State, Indiana State, Evansville, George Washington, Alabama-Birmingham and more -- officially IU has won the Indiana Invitational, the George Washington Invitational and the Dunn Hospitality Tournament -- to deliver a second straight 9-0 start.
"This definitely boosts our confidence," Dunbar-Kruzan said. "Have we played the toughest schedule in the country? Probably not, but we have played teams we think will do well in their conferences.
"Our RPI is good. Most important, we're finding wins. With our conference, we need those wins going into it. To have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, you need to get to 19 to 20 wins overall. If we can rack up as many as we can before the start in the Big Ten, that's important."
Adds Brisack: "Being 9-0 is very cool. It's a testament to our hard work.
"For those of us who are returning, that work started in January with workouts. Then we had an awesome spring.
"Once our freshmen joined us in the summer, it was a continuation of that. We had one of the best summers we've had, ever. We made huge strides individually and as a team. Our team chemistry is awesome, so 9-0 is not surprising to anyone on this team."
Strong play has come from Brisack, who ranks third nationally in assists per set at 12.58; sophomore libero Meaghan Koors, who was named the George Washington Invitational most valuable player; and sophomore middle blocker Hayden Huybers, who ranks No. 31 in the country in hitting percentage (.415). Freshman Bayli Lebo was named to the All-Tournament Team for the George Washington Invitational.
In other words, youth has its advantages.
"We definitely like the youthful energy," Brisack said.
IU can improve to 12-0 with a big non-conference-ending weekend. It hosts the Hoosier Classic on Friday and Saturday at University Gym.
The last time Indiana started 12-0 was in 2010. The school record start is 15-0 back in the 1970s.
The Hoosiers play UNLV on Friday night and Samford and Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. All three opponents made the NCAA tourney last season.
"Winning this would be huge," Brisack said. "Last year we had a great preseason but we dropped two games we thought we should have won."
Adds Dunbar-Kruzan: "It will be quite a challenge. UNLV lost quite a bit from last year, but they have a winning mentality. They know how to compete.
"We have a great game plan. We've had great crowds for matches. I think fans will come out. Football isn't playing this weekend (Saturday's home game against Florida International was cancelled because of the Hurricane Irma aftermath), so we're not head to head with anybody. I think fans will watch some great volleyball against some good competition."
Florida Gulf Coast also has issues from Hurricane Irma. IU helped by letting the Eagles, who haven't been home in two weeks and who are coming off a tourney in North Carolina, use its facilities the last few days.
After that IU faces a pair of Big Ten home challenges from Illinois and Maryland next week.
"We want to enjoy the ride and not back away from the challenge," Dunbar-Kruzan said.
It starts, and certainly doesn't end, by releasing the venom.
Players Mentioned
Setter
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Defensive Specialist
/ Women's Volleyball
Defensive Specialist
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