IU Columbus’ Cora Baker spikes the ball during a match against Shawnee State Oct. 19, 2023 at Ceraland.
The Republic file photo
The inaugural volleyball season at IU Columbus was an injury-plagued one.
The Crimson Pride had 11 players, but saw three lost to injuries. That left them with eight healthy players at the end of the year.
This year, IUC has a full roster of 14 players, an it will look to improve on a 7-16 record that included a 4-15 mark in the River States Conference.
“I feel that the results of the first year, to me at least, it was great results,” IUC coach Jose Olivo said. “We had a very short roster last year, full of injuries from the beginning playing most of the season with eight players, only two subs. We had to use players that normally don’t play the right position to cover for others, and one of the targets for this year was to have a full roster, so that way we can options from the very beginning of the season.”
The Crimson Pride were picked 10th in the RSC preseason poll. They hope to finish in the top eight, which would qualify them for the conference tournament.
“Our target is to be one of those eight, which we think we can do,” Olivo said. “The other piece that is more to me is to solidify the culture that we have as a team. My motto has been and will continue being all the time, ‘Bring a group of student-athletes that has a target for their academics,’ That’s the first thing. I will always support that above everything else. Then, I normally can see their situations like, they have work, they have family. So to us, those three things are a big priority, and we try to adjust our schedules, our practice to those kind of things, so that way, they feel comfortable and they like being here.”
IUC was led last season by then-freshman Cora Baker. The outside hitter from South Adams was a second-team All-Conference selection.
“I do have a lot of goals for our team and for me personally,” Baker said. “I do want us to make the playoffs. I want us to make a big impact in the conference this year.”
Also returning to the team this year are outside hitters Abigail Watson (sophomore, Brown County) and Leah Thompson (junior, Rock Creek Academy); right-side hitter Olivia Embry (sophomore, Wes-Del); setter Addison Lemon (sophomore, Seymour) and defensive specialists Alyvia Luce (sophomore, Jeffersonville), Alaina Wesling (sophomore, Marion) and Maddie Hunter (sophomore, Silver Creek).
A pair of freshmen from Hauser — middle hitter Kenze Bostic and right-side hitter/setter Kayden Miller — are among the newcomers.
“I love being here and representing my community and just seeing how Columbus is growing, especially with the college here,” Bostic said.
The other freshmen are setter Sadie Egan (Terre Haute North), defensive specialist Resse Farrell (New Albany), middle hitter Kera Wischmeier (Brownstown Central) and outside/middle hitter Riley Scroggins (Southwestern Hanover).
“We’re recruiting all over the state,” Olivo said. “Probably next year, we’ll start recruiting out of state, and we already have five commits for 2025. We’re working 24/7 to try to make this program strong.”
The Crimson Pride open the season Wednesday at Marian. Their first home game is Sept. 21 vs. Midway at Ceraland.
While most of the home games will be played at Ceraland, IUC will play two games at Nexus Park on Sept. 27 against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and Sept. 28 vs. Oakland City.
“The players requested (Nexus Park) a couple of times just to experience it,” IUC athletics director Zach McClellan said. “My philosophy is, we’re playing at Ceraland. That’s our home. When you watch college basketball, and you see Cameron Indoor (Stadium at Duke), and you go in there, it’s a really small arena, but it’s extremely loud. That’s what Ceraland volleyball is for us. It’s a great venue, and it’s good to play in both, but our home is definitely going to be Ceraland at least while I’m here.”
The 2024 IUC volleyball schedule:
Wednesday at Marian, 7 p.m.
Saturday at Rose-Hulman, noon
Aug. 30 vs. Boyce in SMWC Tournament, 1 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. Great Lakes Christian in SMWC Tournament, 3 p.m.
Aug. 31 vs. Principia in SMWC Tournament, 10 a.m.
Aug. 31 vs. Franklin in SMWC Tournament, 5 p.m.
Sept. 21 vs. Midway (at Ceraland), noon
Sept. 24 at Boyce, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 vs. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (at Nexus Park), 7 p.m.
Sept. 28 vs. Oakland City (at Nexus Park), 2 p.m.
Oct. 1 at IU Kokomo, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 at IU Southeast, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Brescia (at Ceraland), 2 p.m.
Oct. 11 at West Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.
Oct. 12 at Rio Grande, noon
Oct. 12 at Ohio Christian, 2 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Alice Lloyd, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Shawnee State, noon
Oct. 22 vs. IU Southeast (at Ceraland), 7 p.m.
Oct. 25 vs. IU East (at Ceraland), 7 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Brescia, 7 p.m..
Nov. 1 at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, 7 p.m.
Nov. 5 vs. IU Kokomo (at Ceraland), 7 p.m.
Nov. 9 at Oakland City, 2 p.m.
