Hoosiers Hungry for More in 2024

CHICAGO, Ill. - The third annual Big Ten Volleyball Media Days served as the official kickoff for the new seasons as teams around the country prepare to kickoff fall practices. Before IU begins fall camp on Thursday, head coach Steve Aird, sophomore libero Ramsey Gary and senior defensive specialist Delaynie Maple served as representatives of the Hoosiers in Chicago.

The trio discussed the program's mission, the returning and new talent and the exciting, fast-paced culture continuing to build in Bloomington. IU returns a plethora of players while also putting a challenging and exciting schedule on the books in 2024.

Here are takeaways from the Hoosiers' annual trip to the Big Ten Network Studios.

Increased Desire to Win
The Hoosiers won 11 Big Ten games in 2023 but finished outside the NCAA Tournament picture.

After matching a program record with 21 regular season wins, the returning Indiana volleyball players left the season with a sour taste in their mouth. There was much to be proud of but the core of talent desired a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.

With five starters back and a plethora of incoming talent at all positions, there has been an extra motivation to each open gym, each lift and every team gathering. The desire to win is at an all-time high. Sophomore libero Ramsey Gary, who represented IU at Big Ten Media Days, has kick started that fire. A product of the Munciana Volleyball Club, she has won every place she's been.

"We had a lot to prove last year and I think we did do that," Gary said. "We didn't make the tournament but I think it's going to be a different story this year. We're very hungry and ready to win."

"From the jump, it was all in. Everyone has been grinding every day," graduate student defensive specialist Delaynie Maple said.

Some losses down the stretch in 2023 kept IU's RPI out of striking distance for a tournament berth. To help with that, head coach Steve Aird added the defending national champions, Texas, as well as Miami to the 2024 non-conference slate. Games against Purdue (x2), Ohio State (x2), Wisconsin, Nebraska and Penn State will help drive up the strength of schedule and metric ratings. Now, it's up to the Hoosiers to stack wins together and put exciting victories in their back pocket.

Gary, Haworth Run the Engine
The setter-libero combo will be one of the best in the league.

You need talented hitters to score points. But you need a fantastic libero and setter to help the whole system go. For the first time as head coach at IU, Steve Aird will have the same setter and libero pairing in a full-time capacity. Camryn Haworth (setter) and Ramsey Gary (libero) played every set of last season and helped orchestrate a massive improvement on the court.

Now back with more experience, Haworth and Gary will provide leadership, talent and a sense of calmness for the coaches on the court. Haworth has played in over 90 matches as a college setter including all 65 in the last two years. Gary, an All-Big Ten selection as well, never left the court as the team's libero in her freshman campaign.

"It's Ramsey [Gary] as the libero and Camryn [Haworth] as the setter running the engine," head coach Steve Aird said. "I've got a super competitive staff and a really competitive group. We're going to go really hard and see how good we can be."

Albeit playing different positions, the two players provide equal value. Haworth keeps the fast-paced offense going at a productive rate. She also possesses the most lethal serve in the conference and one of the best in the nation. Gary is a soothing defensive player – calm under pressure with the ability to handle any of the league's top offensive players.

Get Good, Play Hard, Schedule Tough
This is the method to winning in the nation's best league.

There's no shortcut to winning in the Big Ten. The traditional powers have been good and stayed good for decades at a time. The newcomers to the party have cultivated a big presence in recruiting and player development. Pair that with the addition of historically great schools in UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington and the league will be better than ever.

In his seventh season, head coach Steve Aird has his most veteran and his deepest roster of any in Bloomington. A large collection of pins will combine to score the points while Ramsey Gary and Camryn Haworth run the engine. Newcomers like freshman middle blocker Ella Boersema and graduate student defensive specialist Delaynie Maple add to life to important positions.

"We've done a really good job at identifying the kind of kid that is an Indiana Hoosier," head coach Steve Aird said. "We have kids that are not entitled, they grind, they work, they care. They're in early and they stay late. In this day and age, you want to find kids that care and play for each other."

A large portion of IU's identity comes from playing hard and playing fast. The athletes on the team are grateful for the opportunity to compete and give the program everything it's got. The schedule is as tough as ever but the team is built to meet the challenge.

2024 will mark a new era and a changing era of women's volleyball. A new era that Indiana wants to play a big part of for the long haul.

Indiana University Athletics

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Ella Boersema

Ramsey Gary

Camryn Haworth

Delaynie Maple

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