Hoosiers in the Spotlight at Big Ten Volleyball Media Days

CHICAGO, Ill. - The Indiana volleyball team wrapped up its portion of the Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday (August 1st) at the Big Ten Network studios in Chicago.

Head coach Steve Aird, junior setter Camryn Haworth and senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Grae Gosnell represented the Hoosiers, answering questions and providing insight into the program heading into the 2023 season this fall.

Ahead of IU's campaign, which begins Tuesday, August 8th with the first day of fall camp, IU's representatives broke down the team's success last year, the Big Ten as a whole and what it takes to continuing building a strong foundation in Bloomington.

Here are three IU takeaways from the 2023 Big Ten Volleyball Media Days.

Depth at Every Position
IU will field a roster of 17 players this fall.

Perhaps the deepest team he's had in Bloomington, Aird has built a group that features high-level talent at every position. 12 players return from a season ago including six starting rotational players. Paired with five talented newcomers, the competition level in the gym is extremely high.

Haworth, IU's starting setter and First Team All-Big Ten member, returns with heavy arms around her including junior outside hitter Mady Saris, senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes and senior middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede.

Graduate student middle blocker Kaley Rammelsberg has played in over 100 matches in her career while Gosnell, sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles and senior defensive specialist Isa Lopez returned valuable experience at all positions.

Cincinnati transfer and sophomore opposite hitter Avry Tatum, Under Armour All-American libero Ramsey Gary and freshman middle blocker Ava Vickers add to an already talented group across the board.

"I think we've got some talent," Aird said. "I think we've got more depth than I've ever had as a head coach. So I'm excited about that."

Building a Culture of Hard Work
IU's entire roster has been getting after it in the spring and summer.

Both Haworth and Gosnell talked about IU's desire to work and continue getting better. Despite being picked eighth in the preseason poll, the highest ranking in program history, IU's veteran duo is far from satisfied.

Aird emphasized that his athletes stay in the gym late and that now, more than ever, there's a high intensity and desire to get better from all of his athletes.

When asked who the biggest gym rat on the team was, Gosnell and Haworth both responded with the same answer: senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes.

The layout and the blueprint were created when Aird arrived in Bloomington and has been picked up by veteran players and newcomers.

The competition level, highlighted by the depth at all position, is the highest it's been since Aird took the IU job. Now, with seniors like Gosnell and Rammelsberg at the helm, IU's starting to see that fiery mentality and desire to grow reach everyone in the program.

"It's in the DNA. It's the fight. It's the born-this-way kind of edge in a player that has been cultivating what we want our program to be," Gosnell said.

The Big Ten is a Gauntlet
IU was picked eighth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll.

Despite winning nine games a season ago in the Big Ten, the most by an IU team since 2010, Aird was reserved when talking about his team's standing in the conference.

A long-time veteran of the Big Ten, Aird understands the challenges that each game and season bring to every program.

Five teams in the Big Ten made the Sweet 16 or better a season ago with seven different clubs ranked inside the top-15 of the AVCA poll at some point last year.

With a strong returning core and a group that experienced a small taste of high-level success last year, IU has the pieces to put out a strong team every single night.

No matter what, the level of intensity from IU and it's 17 athletes will never waver far from its core values of playing hard and playing fast.

"We'll be good enough or we won't, but we're going to work really hard, and I think if you were to poll my colleagues, they'd say that Indiana is a team that competes and they play hard every single night, and that's the first step, I think, to getting where we want to go," Aird said. "It's foolish to be like, hey, I'd like to be fifth or seventh or -- bottom line is we'll be good enough or we won't be, but it's not going to be from lack of passion and lack of care and lack of work."

News and Notes
The Hoosiers will begin their 49th season of volleyball this year.

• Indiana will open its fall camp on Tuesday, August 8th for two weeks of training before classes begin on Monday, August 21st.

• The Hoosiers first match will be against New Hampshire on Friday, August 25th in the first of three matches at home in the Indiana Invitational.

• Four of IU's matches will be broadcasted on the Big Ten Network, a single season program record.

• Haworth was among 15 athletes named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team and one of just three setters to earn preseason honors.

• IU was picked eighth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll behind Ohio State (6th) and Illinois (7th) and ahead of Maryland (9th).

Indiana University Athletics

Hoosiers in the Spotlight at Big Ten Volleyball Media Days

Related News

Players Mentioned

Candela Alonso-Corcelles

Ramsey Gary

Morgan Geddes

Grae Gosnell

Camryn Haworth

Savannah Kjolhede

Isa Lopez

Kaley Rammelsberg

Mady Saris

Avry Tatum

Ava Vickers

Related Videos