50 Years Q&A: Caitlin (Cox) Bruin

50 Years Q&A: Caitlin (Cox) Bruin
The premier standard for the libero position in program history, Caitlin Cox – now Caitlin Bruin – provided energy and intensity during the best years in IU history (2008-11). A member of the 2010 Sweet 16 team, Caitlin set the program record for digs in 2011. She previously held the freshman single season digs record and the all-time single season digs record. Ramsey Gary would go on to break both of those in 2023.

She was part of 66 wins during her four seasons in Bloomington. An injury to her classmate Jordan Haverly put a damper on her senior campaign but Caitlin would pave the way for future natives of Indiana to play at the home state school and rep the program at the highest level. Not only was she a four-year starter for IU, but she also played at Munciana Volleyball Club - a club that's produced countless IU players through the years.

Following her collegiate career, Caitlin married her college sweetheart and former IU men's soccer player Will Bruin. The two have three kids and now reside in Austin, Texas. She was able to catch up with the current IU team during a trip to the University of Texas in September.

During IU's celebration of 50 Years of Volleyball as a varsity sport, we caught up with the program's record holder in digs to talk about her playing career, her volleyball journey and what she learned about winning and competing while at IU.

Q: What was your early volleyball journey like?
"I would beg people to pepper with me. If you weren't peppering with me, you were my enemy. Because I just was obsessed. My parents would get pissed because I was constantly hitting balls against the wall and or against the garage."

Q: How did you really get into loving the game?
"My dad worked at Ball State. He was an athletic trainer. There, he was with the basketball team for like, 25 years, and then he did football, and then decided to do something a little bit different. The schedule wasn't as intense, so he hopped on the volleyball team and took me along to a couple of practices with him, and I just fell in love. I would pepper with all the college girls. They got me at my own little jersey, because I loved this girl, and they got me a 15 and a half jersey. So, I was her little half and I think I still have it at my parents' house. I told my dad that I would go to Ball State and play and live at home so he could take me to class and practice every day. I went to all the camps there and started Munciana at age seven."

Q: How quickly did you start moving up the ranks?
"I was just obsessed with it at a young age. I remember they told me I had to pick between volleyball and gymnastics and I chose volleyball. From there, I never did anything again."

Q: What was your recruiting process like?
"With my connection to Ball State, I always talked with the coach there. I told him from a young age that I was going to come there with his daughter Sammy and he was going to coach us. I probably got my first recruiting letters in junior high. I got one from Nebraska and Stanford and it was just crazy. They just kept coming in. Purdue was recruiting me heavily. Kentucky too. And then IU obviously.

I had a lot of connections because of Munciana. Everyone knows everyone in Muncie. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade. Once I got onto Munciana Samurai, it started to get heavy. I remember I would get offers from people who I hadn't even visited the campus or met the team yet, or anything like that."

Q: When did you start narrowing down your list and figuring out IU was the choice?
"Well, you know, Ball State's always been good in the MAC. As I got older, I started to understand different conferences and different players at a new level. The MAC can be a good conference but I wanted something bigger and better. That's when I ruled out Ball State. I was supposed to go visit Illinois, and then up to Michigan but then I just got talking with IU and I had just visited them, and I loved the campus. Ashley Benson was a big factor for me, because she was young and had the potential of being really good."

Q: How were the early portions of your freshman season?
"I took over the libero position in the third preseason weekend. The girl who had it, she is such a nice girl, but she could not handle the competition and she really struggled with it. I felt bad about it, but at the same time, coming from Munciana, it was who I was. Mike [Lingenfelter] is just a competitive beast. I would call him and ask him what I was supposed to do. He would say "Caitlin, this is why you're playing college volleyball. It's to compete, and you can't feel bad about how you're playing in comparison to somebody else."

At the end of the season, I was just getting tired. As a freshman with the long season and long weekends, I think maybe the last two weekends, she took it back over for two games or weekends. I don't remember it much but I remember her doing it against Ohio State. That might have been my last game as a freshman.

I was pissed because it was my spot. I was like, this is not going to ever happen again. As long as I'm here, nobody's ever going to wear the libero jersey. The adjustment was so hard and we were working so hard. We were lifting and we've got individuals, and then we've got practice in the afternoon. That doesn't even include classes and treatment and study tables. I mean, there's a lot to it. So, it was a big adjustment."

Q: What was the early stages of that 2010 season like?
"We just knew we had what it took. We were competing and we were right there. We needed to figure out what it took to flip the page and get over it. There was no background noise. We were all on the same page and knew what it took. We went down to Georgia Tech and beat NC State and we were 12-0 in the non-conference.

But I just think that it was just like getting over that hump. It was understanding that we were capable of playing in the Big Ten because it's the toughest conference that you can play in. We just had to get over that go balls to the wall and let it go. So, once we got going, it was just fun. We just had figured it out. And I don't know, you know, after you beat a number one seed, it just felt like, there's no one stopping you."

Q: Were there any parts of the season where you had to keep people from being complacent?
"Well, obviously, the season so long, it ebbs and flow. We were just on such a high. I don't remember it having a lull. But I think we were just on such a high and we wanted to keep this high at the highest we can be. There weren't a lot of girls that came from winning clubs or winning high school teams or anything like that. I was just such a competitive player and came from such competitive place that I didn't want to let it slip out of our hands. I was just so competitive and I loved it. I wasn't trying to make anybody mad or hurt anybody's feelings or whatever, like they knew that I was genuinely just, like, obsessed with the sport that I just wanted to win."

Q: What was it like playing with someone as good as Ashley Benson?
"Yeah, you know, Benson is such a funny person. I love her. I wish she wouldn't have had so much weight on her shoulders. She had such a high expectation coming in as a freshman. And, you know, with the last name of Benson in the state of Indiana. Everyone thinks she's going to be walking on water because of her last name. And I think that's a lot of pressure to put on someone, especially coming into a program who not been so good. I think a lot of people thought that she was going to be the sole reason to turn this program around, which she obviously helped tremendously.

But there were times where I think it just wore on her. Her senior year, my junior year, it was just it was so much fun, because when she got going, she was unstoppable. We were smacking the floor, shoving each other, screaming, like just having the best time. We were riding the wave. I think that once she got some help around her, it took a little bit of pressure off of her. It was so much fun to play with her. When she left, you could just feel that hole. There was no one to bring that type of momentum and energy that she had. So, it was definitely sad when she left, but it was a lot of fun to play with Benson."

Q: What was it like playing those first two NCAA Tournament rounds at home?
"Thank God we had those first two rounds at home. They were amazing to be able to get us to host. If we hadn't been at home, I'm not sure we would've made the Sweet 16. The tournament's hard and we had the momentum on our side with playing at U Gym. We played two really good teams and we were the underdogs. It was fun to play Tennessee and Miami. They were tough games. We couldn't even take a play off. I think both teams were shocked after they got beat by us. But I think we had a little bit of a benefit, obviously, playing at U Gym. Then going to Dayton, playing it in the basketball arena against USC. I mean, we had a ton of fans, but it just didn't quite feel the same. You didn't feel at home, you know. And so that was that was really frustrating to play at Dayton. And you could just feel it like the intimidation factor, I think, for some of the girls, of just playing in such a big place, on such a big stage. So we were so lucky to have our students and fans at those first games."

Q: What did it mean to be an Indiana kid and represent your home state?
"You know, there's always that what would have been, what could have been. I absolutely loved my time in those years. I wouldn't change my experience as a student on the campus and people I've met. I mean, like my inner circle is very small. Most of the people I know and met were from IU and they're lifelong friends. So then, obviously, the perk of having Will [Bruin] and my three perfect kids. Yeah, there's really nothing other than the success part of it, that last season, that I wouldn't change. IU is a special place."

Players Mentioned

Ramsey Gary

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