Indiana University Athletics
‘Sleeping Giant’ – IU Volleyball Recruits for Success
8/29/2023 2:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana's 3-0 volleyball start is in the books. Now comes an early opportunity to see if it is ready for national relevance and Big Ten challenges.
The Hoosiers head to California this weekend for the Long Beach Invitational and matches against Long Beach State, UCLA and Washington. UCLA and Long Beach State are traditional national powers. Washington played in last season's NCAA tourney, as did upcoming opponent Miami of Florida.
For this, one thing rings true:
IU has recruited for this opportunity.
"I thought it was a sleeping giant," coach Steve Aird says about Hoosier recruiting. "If certain things went right, it would get rolling."
Rolling started to hit high gear last season when the Hoosiers upset top-25 teams Ohio State and Michigan on the road. Their nine Big Ten victories were their most since 2010.
Now, after steam rolling New Hampshire, the University of Southern Indiana and Radford without losing a set in the Indiana Invitational, they embrace potential early season national statement with humble perspective.
"Either you're good enough or you're not, so take it one day at a time," says junior outside hitter Mady Saris when asked about the team's potential. "Every little thing we do each day will determine the season."
Aird arrived in Bloomington six years ago with a reputation as a strong recruiter, first as an assistant coach at Auburn, Cincinnati and national power Penn State, then as the head coach at Maryland, where he helped bring in a top-15 recruiting class in his final season.
"We were able to recruit at a high level at Penn State, but they had a ton of tradition and history," Aird says. "When I got to Maryland, they were last in the ACC, and we recruited back-to-back top-15 classes."
IU won just one Big Ten match the year before Aird arrived. The program had potential (it has three All-Americans in its history in Ashley Benson, Erica Short and Karen Dunham; five NCAA tourney appearances and one Sweet Sixteen berth), but was mired in a decade-plus of mediocrity. It would require a lot of work -- and a lot of good players -- to become a consistent Big Ten factor.
"They didn't have a great facility and didn't have a ton of tradition," Aird says. "They'd had some good players and coaches, but hadn't won the Big Ten, and had been to the NCAA tournament once in 20 years."
While IU lacked the tradition of Big Ten powerhouses such as Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota, it had strong selling points to draw elite players.
"The school was incredible; the athletic department was very solid; and the league was the best," Aird said. "The geography would let us recruit from some of the top clubs in the country within a few hours of campus."
Aird and his staff brought in and developed players such as Breana Edwards, Emily Fitzner, Savannah Kjolhede, Morgan Geddes, Camryn Haworth and Saris. Brooke Westbeld, Kaley Rammelsberg, Avry Tatum and Paula Cerame all transfered in and got better. IU's 2020 class, which featured Kjolhede and Geddes, was No. 15 in the nation. Victories followed, although given Big Ten firepower, they came slower than hoped for.
"Some of the kids we took a shot on turned out to be really good," Aird says. "The staff has done a good job of identifying talent. The athletic department has been incredibly good to our program. They are bright people. They see the league and how strong it is."
Don't underestimate the recruiting advantage of Wilkinson Hall, a state-of-the-art facility for volleyball and wresting opened in 2018 that boosts both programs into 21st Century relevance after years of University Gym challenges.
"Wilkinson Hall changed our recruiting," Aird says. "The facility is beautiful, but it's proximity for me. It's right beside Assembly Hall. Here's where basketball is and it's the heart and soul of the athletic department. You're right beside it. You feel you're part of it. I never felt that way at (University Gym)."
Credit Jay Wilkinson, an IU alum and university supporter, and a successful businessman (president and CEO of the Peoplelink, a South Bend family of companies regarded as one of the country's top staffing and human resource companies). He's also been a major contributor to the football program with the W. Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center at Memorial Stadium.
"He comes by all the time," Aird says. "His support has been awesome."
What does Aird want in a recruit?
"I like kids who come early and stay late. I want kids who want to be at IU, who are highly competitive. I want kids and families who are great human beings, and they are grateful for the opportunity to play college volleyball. I struggle with entitled people, ones who think they deserve this opportunity or somehow Indiana owes them.
"I want players who think, how can we be great representatives of the school and program? How can we work and earn everything we get? Those are the kind of kids I want."
Aird is a fan of multi-sport athletes, although in these specialize-early times, that's becoming more of a rarity.
"Some of the best kids I've had have been multi-sport athletes," he says. "I'm good if they want to play other sports in high school. I think competitiveness is important.
"More and more kids are specializing. I think that's fine but being a good teammate and being curious about getting better, failing a lot, finding different ways to be competitive, learning how to lead, having different coaches coach you. It all has value.
"A lot of kids are starting younger, and being more specialized, but I like the kids who are doing track and basketball. I like kids who just want to win."
More and more, Aird and his staff are signing those kinds of players. And that, for this season, and perhaps seasons to come, might make all the difference.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana's 3-0 volleyball start is in the books. Now comes an early opportunity to see if it is ready for national relevance and Big Ten challenges.
The Hoosiers head to California this weekend for the Long Beach Invitational and matches against Long Beach State, UCLA and Washington. UCLA and Long Beach State are traditional national powers. Washington played in last season's NCAA tourney, as did upcoming opponent Miami of Florida.
For this, one thing rings true:
IU has recruited for this opportunity.
"I thought it was a sleeping giant," coach Steve Aird says about Hoosier recruiting. "If certain things went right, it would get rolling."
Rolling started to hit high gear last season when the Hoosiers upset top-25 teams Ohio State and Michigan on the road. Their nine Big Ten victories were their most since 2010.
Now, after steam rolling New Hampshire, the University of Southern Indiana and Radford without losing a set in the Indiana Invitational, they embrace potential early season national statement with humble perspective.
"Either you're good enough or you're not, so take it one day at a time," says junior outside hitter Mady Saris when asked about the team's potential. "Every little thing we do each day will determine the season."
Aird arrived in Bloomington six years ago with a reputation as a strong recruiter, first as an assistant coach at Auburn, Cincinnati and national power Penn State, then as the head coach at Maryland, where he helped bring in a top-15 recruiting class in his final season.
"We were able to recruit at a high level at Penn State, but they had a ton of tradition and history," Aird says. "When I got to Maryland, they were last in the ACC, and we recruited back-to-back top-15 classes."
IU won just one Big Ten match the year before Aird arrived. The program had potential (it has three All-Americans in its history in Ashley Benson, Erica Short and Karen Dunham; five NCAA tourney appearances and one Sweet Sixteen berth), but was mired in a decade-plus of mediocrity. It would require a lot of work -- and a lot of good players -- to become a consistent Big Ten factor.
"They didn't have a great facility and didn't have a ton of tradition," Aird says. "They'd had some good players and coaches, but hadn't won the Big Ten, and had been to the NCAA tournament once in 20 years."
While IU lacked the tradition of Big Ten powerhouses such as Penn State, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota, it had strong selling points to draw elite players.
"The school was incredible; the athletic department was very solid; and the league was the best," Aird said. "The geography would let us recruit from some of the top clubs in the country within a few hours of campus."
Aird and his staff brought in and developed players such as Breana Edwards, Emily Fitzner, Savannah Kjolhede, Morgan Geddes, Camryn Haworth and Saris. Brooke Westbeld, Kaley Rammelsberg, Avry Tatum and Paula Cerame all transfered in and got better. IU's 2020 class, which featured Kjolhede and Geddes, was No. 15 in the nation. Victories followed, although given Big Ten firepower, they came slower than hoped for.
"Some of the kids we took a shot on turned out to be really good," Aird says. "The staff has done a good job of identifying talent. The athletic department has been incredibly good to our program. They are bright people. They see the league and how strong it is."
Don't underestimate the recruiting advantage of Wilkinson Hall, a state-of-the-art facility for volleyball and wresting opened in 2018 that boosts both programs into 21st Century relevance after years of University Gym challenges.
"Wilkinson Hall changed our recruiting," Aird says. "The facility is beautiful, but it's proximity for me. It's right beside Assembly Hall. Here's where basketball is and it's the heart and soul of the athletic department. You're right beside it. You feel you're part of it. I never felt that way at (University Gym)."
Credit Jay Wilkinson, an IU alum and university supporter, and a successful businessman (president and CEO of the Peoplelink, a South Bend family of companies regarded as one of the country's top staffing and human resource companies). He's also been a major contributor to the football program with the W. Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center at Memorial Stadium.
"He comes by all the time," Aird says. "His support has been awesome."
What does Aird want in a recruit?
"I like kids who come early and stay late. I want kids who want to be at IU, who are highly competitive. I want kids and families who are great human beings, and they are grateful for the opportunity to play college volleyball. I struggle with entitled people, ones who think they deserve this opportunity or somehow Indiana owes them.
"I want players who think, how can we be great representatives of the school and program? How can we work and earn everything we get? Those are the kind of kids I want."
Aird is a fan of multi-sport athletes, although in these specialize-early times, that's becoming more of a rarity.
"Some of the best kids I've had have been multi-sport athletes," he says. "I'm good if they want to play other sports in high school. I think competitiveness is important.
"More and more kids are specializing. I think that's fine but being a good teammate and being curious about getting better, failing a lot, finding different ways to be competitive, learning how to lead, having different coaches coach you. It all has value.
"A lot of kids are starting younger, and being more specialized, but I like the kids who are doing track and basketball. I like kids who just want to win."
More and more, Aird and his staff are signing those kinds of players. And that, for this season, and perhaps seasons to come, might make all the difference.
Players Mentioned
Defensive Specialist
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Women's Volleyball
Setter
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Women's Volleyball
Setter
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Middle Blocker
/ Women's Volleyball
Outside Hitter
/ Women's Volleyball
Opposite/Middle Blocker
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