Indiana University Athletics
8 Freshmen from 8 Different States Find a Home in Bloomington with Indiana Volleyball
2/16/2021 10:03:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By Jared Rigdon
Every Monday night, they like to gather in one of their connecting dorm rooms and watch The Bachelor.
They'll grab snacks from the c-store and then settle in for the two-hour show. It's small in the grand scheme of things, but it's impactful. In a season that has already been shifted from the fall to the spring, it's hard for the eight freshmen in the Indiana volleyball program to find quality bonding time off the court due to COVID-19.
Many traditional forms of social interaction have been cut off this year for the freshmen class. There are no team dinners at head coach Steve Aird's house. There were no football games to attend together. Some are just now experiencing their first college class in person.
One thing this year has taught them, is to value the little things they're allowed to do.
"It's definitely a struggle," freshman outside hitter Grae Gosnell said. "You take all of the social aspects out of college and that's pretty much what we're going through right now. It really helps that everyone on the team is a kind and genuine human, that it's easy to become friends because they're people you want to be around."
This freshmen class comprises eight freshmen from eight different states and is by far the biggest class on the team. The players stretch from as far as San Diego, California all the way to Charleston, South Carolina.
For many, it's their first time fully away from home in their lives. They walked into a difficult task: playing volleyball during a pandemic.
They were shut down at times in the summer and the fall. When they came back after Christmas Break, they were forced to quarantine upon arrival. Now, volleyball is back and with it brings a sense of normality.
They're four weeks into a grueling 11-week conference only schedule. They've already played two top-five teams and will take on another ranked opponent this weekend in Happy Valley. Half of the freshmen have been playing regularly in the rotation and five have seen the court at one point in the season.
"It was intimidating," freshman middle blocker Leyla Blackwell said. "We're still getting used to playing other teams and older girls. We're so lucky to have Brooke [Westbeld]. She's our senior and brings a lot of experience to our team. Every person has been helping us get used to the level of play."
During this season, nothing is guaranteed on a week-to-week basis. Although each week is its own challenge, they've tried to mix in some lighthearted activities to keep the team in good spirits.
At COVID-19 testing on road trips, they like to play games such as Mafia or 20 Questions while waiting for their rapid results. On plane rides, they like to AirDrop photos and share stories on their way to other Big Ten cities.
Playing volleyball in this conference is no simple task, but they're reminded constantly that they're lucky to have the chance to play this year at all.
"Every match we get to play this year is a bonus and the fact that we're playing at all is something we're all grateful for," freshman middle blocker Leyla Blackwell said.
This freshmen class was ranked 15th in the country when it arrived in Bloomington, the highest the program has ever seen.
With that comes expectations, ones that this class has already started to face. Stockham leads the team with 94 kills through eight matches. Blackwell has 37 blocks on the season and freshman middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede has 26 to her tally.
"Steve told us that our class was going to be the start of something great at IU and that was really exciting to be a part of," Kjolhede said. "We're ready to build the program and I think that goes for the entire team. Having the 15th ranked class is a standard that we compete for."
Even though a normal freshman year has been taken away from them, this season can only be described as a learning experience. Thanks to an NCAA rule passed, each player on the roster will be granted an extra year of eligibility.
That means each of the eight freshmen this year, along with the four more Aird is bringing in next year will all be classified as freshmen next season.
The maturation process at the college level is different for everyone. There have been ups and downs for this group, but they're putting things together fast.
In the third weekend of the season, IU battled back to take down Iowa on the road in five sets on the second night of a back-to-back. It was an important win to avoid the series sweep, but to also prove they belonged in the Big Ten.
Stockham tallied 26 kills in the win and Blackwell tied an IU program record for blocks in a Big Ten five-set match with 13. Both earned Big Ten weekly awards for their outstanding play.
"When we're on the court, just the sense of being able to play, it's brought us all so close and so fast," Stockham said. "The fifth set against Iowa was the closest we've probably ever been. Everyone on our side wanted it so bad. You could feel the energy on the court."
Aird is in his third year at the helm of the volleyball program. This class, surrounded by talented players such as sophomores Emily Fitzner and Haley Armstrong and juniors Kari Zumach and Breana Edwards are going to help elevate the program to his desired level.
That's part of the reason this freshmen class came here.
"His idea of our best, we're gonna knock some people off, we're going to beat some big teams," Gosnell said.
For the freshmen class they are supporting each other and have found a home in Bloomington.
"We have all had our moments of home sickness, but being able to lean on each other and lean on the team and have a second family here has been amazing," Blackwell said. "It has helped everyone get through such weird times."
Every Monday night, they like to gather in one of their connecting dorm rooms and watch The Bachelor.
They'll grab snacks from the c-store and then settle in for the two-hour show. It's small in the grand scheme of things, but it's impactful. In a season that has already been shifted from the fall to the spring, it's hard for the eight freshmen in the Indiana volleyball program to find quality bonding time off the court due to COVID-19.
Many traditional forms of social interaction have been cut off this year for the freshmen class. There are no team dinners at head coach Steve Aird's house. There were no football games to attend together. Some are just now experiencing their first college class in person.
One thing this year has taught them, is to value the little things they're allowed to do.
"It's definitely a struggle," freshman outside hitter Grae Gosnell said. "You take all of the social aspects out of college and that's pretty much what we're going through right now. It really helps that everyone on the team is a kind and genuine human, that it's easy to become friends because they're people you want to be around."
This freshmen class comprises eight freshmen from eight different states and is by far the biggest class on the team. The players stretch from as far as San Diego, California all the way to Charleston, South Carolina.
For many, it's their first time fully away from home in their lives. They walked into a difficult task: playing volleyball during a pandemic.
They were shut down at times in the summer and the fall. When they came back after Christmas Break, they were forced to quarantine upon arrival. Now, volleyball is back and with it brings a sense of normality.
They're four weeks into a grueling 11-week conference only schedule. They've already played two top-five teams and will take on another ranked opponent this weekend in Happy Valley. Half of the freshmen have been playing regularly in the rotation and five have seen the court at one point in the season.
"It was intimidating," freshman middle blocker Leyla Blackwell said. "We're still getting used to playing other teams and older girls. We're so lucky to have Brooke [Westbeld]. She's our senior and brings a lot of experience to our team. Every person has been helping us get used to the level of play."
During this season, nothing is guaranteed on a week-to-week basis. Although each week is its own challenge, they've tried to mix in some lighthearted activities to keep the team in good spirits.
At COVID-19 testing on road trips, they like to play games such as Mafia or 20 Questions while waiting for their rapid results. On plane rides, they like to AirDrop photos and share stories on their way to other Big Ten cities.
Playing volleyball in this conference is no simple task, but they're reminded constantly that they're lucky to have the chance to play this year at all.
"Every match we get to play this year is a bonus and the fact that we're playing at all is something we're all grateful for," freshman middle blocker Leyla Blackwell said.
This freshmen class was ranked 15th in the country when it arrived in Bloomington, the highest the program has ever seen.
With that comes expectations, ones that this class has already started to face. Stockham leads the team with 94 kills through eight matches. Blackwell has 37 blocks on the season and freshman middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede has 26 to her tally.
"Steve told us that our class was going to be the start of something great at IU and that was really exciting to be a part of," Kjolhede said. "We're ready to build the program and I think that goes for the entire team. Having the 15th ranked class is a standard that we compete for."
Even though a normal freshman year has been taken away from them, this season can only be described as a learning experience. Thanks to an NCAA rule passed, each player on the roster will be granted an extra year of eligibility.
That means each of the eight freshmen this year, along with the four more Aird is bringing in next year will all be classified as freshmen next season.
The maturation process at the college level is different for everyone. There have been ups and downs for this group, but they're putting things together fast.
In the third weekend of the season, IU battled back to take down Iowa on the road in five sets on the second night of a back-to-back. It was an important win to avoid the series sweep, but to also prove they belonged in the Big Ten.
Stockham tallied 26 kills in the win and Blackwell tied an IU program record for blocks in a Big Ten five-set match with 13. Both earned Big Ten weekly awards for their outstanding play.
"When we're on the court, just the sense of being able to play, it's brought us all so close and so fast," Stockham said. "The fifth set against Iowa was the closest we've probably ever been. Everyone on our side wanted it so bad. You could feel the energy on the court."
Aird is in his third year at the helm of the volleyball program. This class, surrounded by talented players such as sophomores Emily Fitzner and Haley Armstrong and juniors Kari Zumach and Breana Edwards are going to help elevate the program to his desired level.
That's part of the reason this freshmen class came here.
"His idea of our best, we're gonna knock some people off, we're going to beat some big teams," Gosnell said.
For the freshmen class they are supporting each other and have found a home in Bloomington.
"We have all had our moments of home sickness, but being able to lean on each other and lean on the team and have a second family here has been amazing," Blackwell said. "It has helped everyone get through such weird times."
Players Mentioned
Defensive Specialist
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Women's Volleyball
Setter
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside/Right Side Hitter
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