Senior Spotlight: Ashley Zulauf

The Big Ten runs deep in Ashley Zulauf's blood.

Her father, Jon, played basketball for four years at Michigan State, winning the 1990 Big Ten Championship with the Spartans. Her cousin, Emily, played volleyball at Indiana in the early 2000's.

It only felt right that Ashley would end up in the conference as well.

After playing at St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Ill., Zulauf joined a recruiting class at IU that featured Emily Fitzner and Haley Armstrong.

"I wanted to have those same stories as my dad". Zulauf said.

The road ahead wouldn't be smooth for a group joining a historically-bad program in the second year of head coach Steve Aird's rebuild in Bloomington.

During the early stages of the season, hampered by a collection of team injuries, Zulauf suffered a season-ending injury of her own.

The Hoosiers stumbled to a 14-19 record in 2019 including a 3-17 mark in conference play. There were six seniors on the roster that season including a total of nine athletes that would depart following the conclusion of the season.

IU was going to get young and get young fast.

"We were a little nervous at first because there were only three of us and there were a bunch of seniors," Zulauf said. "We embraced his ideas and what he wanted to build. We were welcomed by the seniors, and we took off from there. It hasn't been easy at times, but we were the last ones here."

The next two years would be no easier for Zulauf, Armstrong and Fitzner. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the conference to play a shortened schedule in the spring of 2021. Paired with the normal 2021 season, IU played a total of 54 matches in the calendar year.

For a young team, it was never smooth sailing. Zulauf was asked to play all over the court at times, something that would help develop her all-around game.

Paula Cerame joined the program before the 2021 season, giving the senior class its fourth member. A group, full of outstanding athletes, perhaps had better people than anything.

In its core was four unselfish, supportive athletes destined to take the program to new heights. Before the 2022 season, IU spent two weeks in Europe for a summer tour. With one more year left, the four of then set out to ensure the team would come back better.

And it did.

Two weeks in Europe of traveling, playing volleyball and making memories was perhaps what the program needed the most.

"I think the mental toughness and the maturity of the group has grown a lot," Zulauf said.

IU played to its best overall season in years in 2022, finishing 16-16 but winning nine games in the conference for the first time since 2010.

Despite not being a regular in the rotation, Zulauf answered the bell when her number was called.

When she was asked to play middle blocker in the absence of Kaley Rammelsberg, Elle Hillers and Morgan Geddes, she did so against No. 7 Wisconsin.

In need of crucial points, Zulauf provided a career-best seven kills in a much-needed five-set win over Michigan State.

On the road at Michigan State, in the same gym her father played in, she served the last points of the match.

"It's definitely kept me on my toes," Zulauf said. "I never know where I'm going or what I'm going to need to do but I'm ready for anything. I've just embraced any position I'm given the opportunity to play."

The future success for Indiana Volleyball will be rooted back to this initial wave of athletes, including Zulauf, who stuck it out in the tough days.

IU will return six starters next year, eager to build off the success that Zulauf and Co. built beginning in 2019.

"I'm just super grateful for Steve giving me the chance to play here and for the girls and my teammates," Zulauf said. "We've put so much work in. We've been through it all together and stuck together the whole time."

Career Numbers:
- 65 Matches Played
- 169 Digs
- 31 Kills
- 18 Aces

Career Highs:
- 7 Kills vs. Michigan State (Oct. 16, 2022)
- 11 Digs at Purdue (Feb. 28, 2021)
- 3 Aces (Twice)
- 2 Assists vs. Northwestern (Nov. 18, 2022)

Her Thoughts:
On IU:
"It's always been a dream of mine to play in the Big Ten. When I got to campus, I fell in love. The business school was obviously something that attracted me because one of my dreams was to have a degree in business. The coaching staff welcomed me, and it felt like home the moment I got here."

On head coach Steve Aird:
"We all love Steve. He's done a lot for us, and we felt like we've done a lot to turn the program around and shift the focus."

The Future:
Zulauf plans to work in the business world alongside her father at his company.

Indiana University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Haley Armstrong

Paula Cerame

Emily Fitzner

Morgan Geddes

Elle Hillers

Kaley Rammelsberg

Ashley Zulauf

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