The 2003 ISU volleyball team managed to win more Big 12 conference games this season than in the past four seasons combined under head coach Linda Crum.

In fact, it was the most conference wins the team has had since the advent of the Big 12 in 1996.

Unfortunately, the number of match wins only totaled four — leaving the Cyclones in eighth place in the conference and in the bottom half of the rankings for the eighth year in a row.

Despite these low numbers, the Cyclones said they are proud of what they have accomplished this season. Senior outside hitter Renae Pruess said getting four conference wins was a big step for the program.

“This is the best finish that we’ve had in the conference since the Big 12 formed,” she said. “Overall, we’ve made some improvements this year that we weren’t able to in previous years. The program is heading in the right direction.”

The Cyclones started the season with a string of five wins against non-conference opponents, including in-state rival Iowa. Toward the end of the season, the team lost both of its setters—sophomore Amanda Craig to a shoulder injury and senior Lindsay Chapman due to a team infraction. Iowa State was still able to win two of its last 10 matches.

“Now we know what it feels like to win, even toward the end of the year with losing people,” said senior middle blocker Michelle Gannon. “It became a reality of how our program has really improved. I think next season we will finish in the top half of the Big 12.”

Iowa State forced a fifth game in three conference matches this season. Of those three, they were able to convert the fifth game into a win once against Oklahoma on Nov. 26. Pruess said it was a highlight of the season.

“We were plagued with injuries and missing people so it was awesome to go out and play like we knew we could and get the win,” Pruess said. “Not to take it to four or five games, but to pull it out and dominate them.”

The future

Four seniors — Pruess, Gannon, Chapman and libero Dana Koziol — will be leaving the Cyclones. Pruess led the team in kills (366) and service aces (36). Chapman was the team’s primary setter with 874 assists on the season and Koziol led the defense with 396 digs. Gannon said the team will miss the senior leadership.

“The seniors brought a lot of structure and a solid foundation on and off the court with responsibility and being really solid,” Gannon said. “Although the underclassmen can see that and will model that; it was just a good foundation for the program.”

Iowa State will have to find new leadership among younger players. Gannon said she would expect sophomore Amanda Craig and junior Brittany Dalager to step into leadership roles next season.

“Brittany was forced into the setter position toward the end of the year when we didn’t have a setter. She stepped up to that,” Gannon said. “They are naturally born leaders. They are good at communicating with people and getting done what needs to be done.”

Pruess said she would also expect Dalager to help fill in the holes left by the departing senior class.

“I think Brittany had a really good year up until she hurt her knee and wasn’t allowed to hit anymore,” Pruess said.

“Nicole [Lorenzen] and Katie [Jessen] will step in and fill that role. They have showed that they have the capability and they will only improve.”

The Cyclones will retain four of their top five hitters including Dalager, who had 291 kills on the season, and sophomore Ashlie McWee, who had 283. The remaining members of the team are a strong group, Pruess said.

“They can pick up and move on and the recruits will add into that,” Pruess said.

“They will have some great chemistry next year.”

Gannon said she thinks the team can only improve after this season.

“I definitely think that we’ll just go up from here,” Gannon said. “A couple of years ago the program was struggling.

“It was neat to be part of the rebuilding program and to see the outcome of the work we have put in in the past couple of years.”