Indiana University Athletics
Volleyball to Honor Five on Senior Day
11/18/2023 8:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana volleyball team will honor five seniors, including two of the program's most efficient hitters of all-time, after a Sunday matinee match with Wisconsin on November 19th.
Middle blockers Kaley Rammelsberg (Westerville, Ohio), Elle Hillers (Silverdale, Wash.) and Savannah Kjolhede (Colleyville, Texas) as well as defensive specialists Isa Lopez (Richardson, Texas) and Grae Gosnell (Charleston, S.C.) will be celebrated for their contributions to IU after the team's final home game of the season.
Gosnell, Hillers and Kjolhede were among head coach Steve Aird's first true recruiting class in 2020, a group that was ranked No. 15 in the nation, the program's highest-ranked recruiting class ever. Rammelsberg and Lopez each joined the team as transfers ahead of the 2021 season, spending the last three campaigns here in Bloomington.
This group of five, along with senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes who will return for a fifth year in 2024, has helped spark a complete turnaround of the program since arriving on campus. IU won just five games during the shortened COVID season of 2020-21 but won 10, 16 and now 18 contests (as of Nov. 16) in the years following.
IU is in contention to break a NCAA Tournament drought that dates back to 2010, led by a group of players playing a variety of roles for the program.
Rammelsberg and Kjolhede have been some of the most efficient hitters the program has ever seen. Each player has hit over .295 for their career including Rammelsberg who has hit .328 in three seasons as a Hoosier (as of Nov. 16).
The duo is on track to produce two of the top five most efficient offensive seasons in program history, joining the likes of All-American Ashley Benson in the program's record books.
Combined, entering senior weekend, the pair have played 240 career matches, gone for over 1,600 career kills and blocked over 750 shots.
The two are currently second (Rammelsberg) and fourth (Kjolhede) respectively in program history in hitting percentage, among those with 1,000 career attempts.
Gosnell and Lopez have turned in to two reliable back row players for the Hoosiers in 2022 and 2023. Since recovering from a shoulder injury in 2021, Lopez has played in 61-consecutive games for IU.
The pair has combined for nearly 500 digs in the past two seasons, playing three rotations for IU's opposite attacker and second left side pin. Gosnell has played a variety of roles for the program which also includes being a service specialist and attacking as an outside hitter.
Hillers, the first 2020 player to commit to Coach Aird, is continuing her recovery from a season-ending injury in 2022 but continues to be a light in practice and on the sidelines during matches.
This is the first senior class to improve by multiple wins in each of their four seasons since IU's steady improvement from 1992-95.
Middle blockers Kaley Rammelsberg (Westerville, Ohio), Elle Hillers (Silverdale, Wash.) and Savannah Kjolhede (Colleyville, Texas) as well as defensive specialists Isa Lopez (Richardson, Texas) and Grae Gosnell (Charleston, S.C.) will be celebrated for their contributions to IU after the team's final home game of the season.
Gosnell, Hillers and Kjolhede were among head coach Steve Aird's first true recruiting class in 2020, a group that was ranked No. 15 in the nation, the program's highest-ranked recruiting class ever. Rammelsberg and Lopez each joined the team as transfers ahead of the 2021 season, spending the last three campaigns here in Bloomington.
This group of five, along with senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes who will return for a fifth year in 2024, has helped spark a complete turnaround of the program since arriving on campus. IU won just five games during the shortened COVID season of 2020-21 but won 10, 16 and now 18 contests (as of Nov. 16) in the years following.
IU is in contention to break a NCAA Tournament drought that dates back to 2010, led by a group of players playing a variety of roles for the program.
Rammelsberg and Kjolhede have been some of the most efficient hitters the program has ever seen. Each player has hit over .295 for their career including Rammelsberg who has hit .328 in three seasons as a Hoosier (as of Nov. 16).
The duo is on track to produce two of the top five most efficient offensive seasons in program history, joining the likes of All-American Ashley Benson in the program's record books.
Combined, entering senior weekend, the pair have played 240 career matches, gone for over 1,600 career kills and blocked over 750 shots.
The two are currently second (Rammelsberg) and fourth (Kjolhede) respectively in program history in hitting percentage, among those with 1,000 career attempts.
Gosnell and Lopez have turned in to two reliable back row players for the Hoosiers in 2022 and 2023. Since recovering from a shoulder injury in 2021, Lopez has played in 61-consecutive games for IU.
The pair has combined for nearly 500 digs in the past two seasons, playing three rotations for IU's opposite attacker and second left side pin. Gosnell has played a variety of roles for the program which also includes being a service specialist and attacking as an outside hitter.
Hillers, the first 2020 player to commit to Coach Aird, is continuing her recovery from a season-ending injury in 2022 but continues to be a light in practice and on the sidelines during matches.
This is the first senior class to improve by multiple wins in each of their four seasons since IU's steady improvement from 1992-95.
Players Mentioned
Outside Hitter
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's VolleyballIUVB: Regional Semifinals - Postgame Press Conference
Friday, December 12
IUVB: Regional Semifinals - Pre-Match Press Conference
Thursday, December 11
IUVB: Selection Sunday Press Conference
Sunday, November 30
IUVB at Purdue: Highlights
Saturday, November 29