The Iowa State volleyball team is known for its great libero play, considered to some around the nation as “LiberoU.”

In 2001, the Big 12 Conference started to give out libero of the year awards. Seven years passed until an Iowa State libero finally achieved the honor. Ever since, the team has dominated the award, winning every award since 2008. 

It is the libero’s job to run the court and control the ball handling aspect of the game. The libero is typically a team’s best defensive player, passer and serves as the leader of the backcourt.

Coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said Iowa State’s success at the position is because of two things: recruiting and coaching.

“We’ve done a nice job of identifying people we think can be really good at this level,” Johnson-Lynch said. “We have some of the best coaches in the nation coaching that position here.”

Next in a succession of liberos that includes Cyclone namesakes such as Ashley Mass, Caitlin Nolan and Kristen Hahn is Charles City, Iowa, native Hali Hillegas.

After never playing the position before, Hillegas was thrust into the libero role during her redshirt freshman season.

Hillegas said the transition was difficult, but she was ready to step in and help her team.

“I think the hardest part for me was just the mentality,” Hillegas said. “Just getting that mentality of, ‘I’m always going to pass. I always have to better a ball for the setter.’

“Going from that versus an attack mode, you just have to be comfortable and consistent.”

Branen Berta and Abby Phillips began the season at libero for the Cyclones, but when Johnson made the decision to switch from a 5-1 system to a 6-2 system, Hillegas stepped up. Both Berta and Phillips will transfer out of the program before the 2017 season.

The drawback to the 6-2 is that the setter is always in the back row, so they have to dig twice as many balls as they normally would. And when the setter digs the ball, the team is out of system, so someone else has to step up and set the ball.

Playing Hillegas at libero doesn’t completely negate the issue, but it does make it easier for the Iowa State hitters.

“[Hillegas] is steady, and I think that is what all great liberoes are,” Johnson-Lynch said.

Hillegas earned a spot on the all-Big 12 freshman team last year, but Johnson-Lynch said the redshirt sophomore will still have to compete for the spot. Hillegas has been sharing the libero spot with sophomore Sami Hillmer during the spring season.

“I think we’ll continue to make her compete and see if others can push her,” Johnson-Lynch said.

Hillmer and Hillegas will continue to push each other in practice leading up to the fall season, but the relationship between the two will not be strained. Both want what is best for the team.

“We definitely get along really well and I’m really looking forward to being able to have her as a competitor,” Hillmer said. “Either way, one of us or both of us are going to be amazing and push each other. It’s going to be a healthy push.”

With a plethora of young talent at the position, “LiberoU” seems to be in safe hands going forward.