The ISU volleyball team lost four seniors, including their go-to hitters: right side hitter Lauren Cummings and middle blocker Erin Boeve, from a team that made it farther than it ever had last season, reaching the Regional Semifinals.

This year’s Cyclones, however, have their first top-25 recruiting class coming in this fall. With some key players from the successful 2007 team returning, expectations have not been tempered at all.

Senior middle blocker Jen Malcom said this class has shown why it was rated high, and now it comes to simply getting the whole team to play at a high level.

“I’m expecting a lot of big things from us this year, and hopefully we can get a few more wins here and there and make it farther in the tournament,” Malcom said. “We’re trying to help the incoming freshmen and the younger ones step up their roles on the team and get everyone to a Sweet 16 performance.”

Replacing a senior class that led the program into uncharted waters, however, will not be easy. Cummings and Boeve led the team in attack attempts last season, and Laura Cady was second on the team in digs.

Coach Christy Johnson said, she expects the offense to have a more balanced attack, which could be even tougher for opposing teams to stop.

“I know from playing teams that have a more balanced attack; it’s awfully hard to stop,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to focus your block on three different hitters, and we’re trying to be a little more creative with our offense.

“When you have a player like Boeve and everyone in the gym knows it’s going to Boeve, it’s fine, but you don’t have that every year.”

The equation to replace Boeve at middle blocker includes Malcom, junior Diane Kieger, and freshman Debbie Stadick. Johnson said Cummings’ replacement on the right side of the floor will come from the heralded recruiting class. Freshmen Rachel Hockaday and Kelsey Petersen are expected to fill in at that position early in the season.

Hockaday, who played at right side hitter in club volleyball, said she enjoys hitting from that side of the floor.

“It’s a lot different just from the angle that you’re swinging at,” Hockaday said. “I like it because it has quicker sets.”

To supplant the senior class, not only must the Cyclones replace spots on the floor, but they must also replace over 2,000 swings that the two star hitters combined for last season.

“Johnson and Jen will have to become more of go-to players; their hitting numbers in practice are both real impressive,” Johnson said. “Victoria is playing at another level than she did last year; I think she can be the terminator that Cummings was last year and that Boeve was last year.”

Junior setter Kaylee Manns said figuring out who the go-to hitters are will change this season.

“I have an idea in my mind of who,” Manns said. “It will be different to see who steps up in situations, who will step up and who will put the ball down for me in tight situations.”

Henson had one of the best stretch runs of any player last season. She had 20 kills against No. 3 Texas, 18 kills in a comeback five-set, first-round thriller against San Diego, and had 12 kills in the regional semifinal against Cal.

Johnson said Henson improved immensely from the beginning of the season when she was making some freshmen mistakes.

“I had several coaches comment to me at the end of the Big 12 season and into the tournament about how much better she had gotten,” Johnson said.