Coming into the 2009 season, coach Christy Johnson-Lynch and the Cyclones brought all but one starter back to the lineup.

They had high expectations after an Elite Eight performance in 2008.

The season started off strong for Iowa State as it dominantly defeated UW-Milwaukee in a two-game series to begin the season.

Two successful finishes in both the Diet Coke Classic and Hawkeye Challenge tournaments followed for Iowa State in early September.

The Cyclones left Minneapolis with a 2-1 record and walked away with the title in the Hawkeye Challenge.

The conference season began for Iowa State with a quick sweep over Colorado.

But this quickly followed with two losses to powerhouses Texas and Baylor.

Following the two Big 12 losses, however, the Cyclones went on an 11-game winning streak, the longest in school history.

Senior setter Kaylee Manns led the Cyclones throughout the season and became the first player in Big 12 history to record 5,500 assists, 1,000 digs, 300 kills and 300 blocks in a career.

Junior libero Ashley Mass was consistent as always throughout the 2009 season and earned first-team All-American honors as well as being named Big 12 Libero of the Year for the second consecutive year.

The biggest highlight of the Cyclones’ regular season came in early November.

Then-No. 8 Iowa State topped then-No. 2 Texas in a five-set battle in Hilton Coliseum. After defeating the Longhorns, Iowa State turned around to host then-No. 10 Nebraska just three days later.

Although the Cyclones were unable to carry the momentum from the Texas game to face the Cornhuskers, they were able to bring in a school-record crowd of 10,203 fans to Hilton Coliseum.

Iowa State finished its 2009 season with a 27-5 overall record and a 17-3 Big 12 record.

The Cyclones’ postseason run began in Hilton Coliseum as they hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament.

Iowa State swept George Mason 3-0 in the first round and turned around to sweep Wichita State in the second round, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year.

The Cyclones’ season ended at the hands of the Cornhuskers, after the Cyclones traveled to Omaha, Neb., for what was referred to by some as a “mini Big 12 tournament” which included Iowa State, Nebraska, Texas and Texas A&M.