Three seasons ago, just the thought of a winning record was a large enough aspiration for the ISU volleyball team to pursue.

But with two NCAA tournaments, three tournament victories and a three-season record of 56-40 (.583) in the rearview mirror, the goals and ambitions of the program have been upgraded substantially.

The 2007 season proved to be the most successful in the program’s history, and surpassing its accomplishments in 2008 would not appear easy. The Cyclones think they have the motivation and personnel to do it.

“As a coach, I don’t think you’re ever satisfied or feel like you can relax,” said head coach Christy Johnson. “We’re always wondering, ‘How can we get better?’ or, ‘How can we keep our rhythm going?’ and I feel really good about where we’re headed as a team and the talent we have.”

Since Johnson’s arrival in 2005, the Cyclones have been taking the right steps to becoming a top 25 team year in and year out. Last year, they finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final poll after their surprising run to the round of 16. It was the first time the program had ever been ranked in the final national poll.

Iowa State comes into the 2008 season as the No. 6 place pick in the Big 12 and also cracked the NCAA preseason poll for the first time in program history, debuting at No. 18.

“Any sort of national or Big 12 ranking is nice recognition,” said Johnson. “But as everyone knows, things can change so much between injuries, luck and team chemistry, so it’s nice to see, but right now it’s not very important.”

Heart and soul returns

Unlike the majority of the conference’s top teams, Iowa State returns its starters at setter and libero, arguably the sport’s two most important positions.

Junior setter Kaylee Manns was one of two setters named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team and is looking to become just the third player in school history to record 1,000 assists and 1,000 digs in a career. She is also the only returning Cyclone with two years of starting experience and was named team co-captain last week, along with senior Jen Malcom.

Sophomore libero Ashley Mass will return to anchor the back row after recording one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in school history. Mass recorded double digits in digs in 26 consecutive matches and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week twice.

“It’s very comforting as a coach to have those two players back,” said Johnson. “They’re both on the court the whole time, and the players at these key positions have Sweet 16 experience and have played in a lot of high pressure games. To know that our ball control and setting is in great shape, it makes my job easier.”

All of the five teams ranked ahead of Iowa State in the Big 12 —Texas, Nebraska, Kansas State, Texas A&M and Missouri — lost at least one starter between the two positions, giving the Cyclones an added feel of experience and comfort other teams may lack.

“After two years I’m really settled in and I feel like I really understand what’s going on at all times,” said Manns. “Instead of people telling me what to do, now I know the ropes and have the experience to tell the younger players how to do something, and it’s helped me take over a completely different role.”

Plenty of offensive firepower

Since Johnson arrived in Ames, Iowa State has been known for its gritty defensive play and superior blocking abilities.

In 2007 conference play, the Cyclones were third in opponents’ hitting percentage, second in blocking, and first in digs. While defense has been stellar over the last few seasons, the team has struggled to find consistency in their offense.

“We’re always going to be a defensively-minded team. That’s just the way this team is,” said Manns. “We have great hitters but nobody like a [four-time All-American at Nebraska] Sarah Pavan that is 6-foot-5 and can just put the ball down. But now I think our defense is starting to lead to a successful offense. I think we trust our defense enough where we will have more time to concentrate on offense.”

This offseason, the Cyclones got a huge boost at outside hitter, as they grabbed three freshman in the first top 25 recruiting class in school history. Along with returners Mary Bisenius, Victoria Henson and Rachel Williams, the team can choose from an arsenal of six players to fill spots on the outside.

By adding returning middle blockers Malcom and Diane Kieger to the mix, this plethora of offensive weapons is a far cry from last year’s team when seniors Erin Boeve and Lauren Cummings took the majority of the offensive swings for the Cyclones.

“We’ve got a lot of nice depth on the outside, which we really haven’t had in the last few years,” said Johnson. “We’re going to be a lot more balanced offensively this year than in years past, so teams aren’t going to be able to focus on one or two players, which can be really hard to stop.”