To expect to have a setter like former Cyclone Kaylee Manns — who graduated after the 2009-10 season — as a part of your program every year might be setting the bar too high.

But junior Alison Landwehr works hard enough that that bar is within reach.

“I feel like Alison, no matter what, is going to work her butt off,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “No matter what you ask of her, she does what she can to work as hard as she can.”

This is Landwehr’s second season as the starting setter for the Cyclones. Last year in her first season as starter, she had 1,248 assists, which ranks her for seventh all-time at Iowa State for assists in a season.

She also averaged 11.89 assists per set which was good for first in the Big 12 and is above Manns’ senior season pace of 11.69 assists per set. 

Landwehr differs from Manns in a few ways. Landwehr stands at 6 feet tall, compared to Manns, who was 5-foot-9-inches. With that height, she is able to be more of a presence at the net on the defensive end. 

“I think Al has a better block with her being taller,” Johnson-Lynch said.

Along with being a better presence at the net on the defensive end, Landwehr is able to be a threat on the offensive side too. Landwehr has the ability to deceive the defense into thinking she is going to set the ball, then effortlessly dumps the ball with her left hand over the net to catch the blockers off guard.

With Landwehr’s ability to keep the blockers honest, it opens up a lot of options for the other hitters.

“If the blockers are worried about me, then we have more one-on-one blocks,” Landwehr said. “It’s good to have them constantly worrying about whether I’m going to take the ball over or set it.”

They also differ in the way that Landwehr is a bit more vocal in games and in practice. Landwehr said Manns led mostly by example, but she tries to be a bit more vocal and communicate out on the court more. 

Her ability to communicate on and off the court with her teammates makes a huge difference.

“The big thing with me and Alison is that we’re such good friends off the court we can talk about everything,” said junior middle back Jamie Straube. “It’s really big for me to be able to say ‘let’s try this’ or she can ask me what I want to do. Just being able to have that relationship off the court really helps.”

This year as a junior, Landwehr has helped lead the Cyclones in a number of categories. Not only has she helped lead Iowa State to the top of the Big 12 in assists as a team, she also leads the Big 12 in individual assists.

Landwehr is hitting at a .275 clip and averaging .93 kills per set which is higher than Manns’ average of .70 kills per set.

Landwehr is also third on the team in digs with 206 on the year. That number is only behind senior defensive specialist Caitlin Mahoney and the Cyclones’ libero Kristen Hahn is who averaging a Big 12-best 5.29 digs per set.