When Christy Johnson-Lynch arrived at Iowa State to take over the volleyball program in 2005, there was not a lot of tradition.

The Cyclones had posted losing records in the previous nine seasons, and they were in a bad Big 12 Conference stretch, having won just 13 of their previous 180 conference matches.

Today, the volleyball team is arguably one of the most successful programs at Iowa State. In the seven years since Johnson-Lynch arrived, they have never posted a losing record and have advanced to the NCAA tournament each of the past six years, making the Elite Eight twice.

It is safe to say the recruiting and strategy Johnson-Lynch has implemented have worked wonders.

This season, fresh off a 2011 Elite Eight appearance and with many returning starters to go along with a No. 6 recruiting class that includes seven freshmen, the obvious goal would be to take the program one step further.

Volleyball offense, to the common fan and to the common eye, is not easily understandable. Since Johnson-Lynch arrived, the Cyclones have run a 5-1 offense, which means that out of the six players on the court, five are attackers and one acts as the setter.

To put it simply, the setter, who could be compared to a quarterback in football, leads the team. In this offense, which has been plenty successful for Iowa State, there is one leader on the court.

This season, Johnson-Lynch and the Cyclones are contemplating trying something new with a 6-2 offense. This offense would make all six players attackers on the court and would add a second setter to the mix.

“We wanted to play around with it,” Johnson-Lynch said of giving the new offense a try at its recent scrimmage. “I really don’t know if we’ll try it or not, I really just don’t know, but personnel-wise it’s something we want to look at.”

In recent years, several successful programs have run the more nontraditional 6-2 offense. Washington made the switch last season, going 24-8 on its way to the NCAA tournament. And when Texas recently finished No. 2 in the nation, Johnson-Lynch said they gave it a try too.

Moving to a new style, however, is not exactly simple.

“I think it’s harder for the hitters, just because every setter has a different setting style,” said senior Alison Landwehr of the 6-2 offense. “When you have to adjust from one setter to another it can be challenging.”

Landwehr would know: In three years on the court, she has turned herself into one of the best volleyball players in ISU history. Last season she was named as an All-American and First Team All-Big 12 as a setter.

With the 6-2 offense, senior right side Taylor Knuth said the team could add another dimension and be more dynamic. Johnson-Lynch said there are certainly positives.

“It makes it pretty physical out there,” Johnson-Lynch said. “Every rotation is a pretty physical block up there. I like some of the things it gives us.”

The saying goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And there is certainly nothing wrong with what the Cyclones have done on the court and at the net during the past seven years. Yet nothing is wrong with trying something new, and there is no doubt the 6-2 could add to the team’s offering.

Iowa State will likely stick primarily with the 5-1 offense this season, and it will likely yield positive results as it has in recent years.

But with the 6-2 on the back-burner, the team can also throw opponents for a surprise, adding one more dimension that might push the team over the top.

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Alex Halsted is a junior in journalism from Mason City, Iowa.