3 Takeaways From IU Volleyball's 3-1 Loss Vs. USC

Hoosiers Continue To Be Close To Big Win But Falling Just Short

Wilkinson Hall On Sunday As Indiana Took On USC In Bloomington

Volleyball Program Has Taken Huge Step Forward But Has Bumped Up Against A Ceiling For Now And Waiting On Breakthrough

Bloomington-Indiana’s volleyball program has historically been one of the very worst the Big Ten has to offer in what has been an elite conference. The one exception to this was a small window in the late 2000s when All-Americans Erica Short and Ashley Benson (daughter of IU basketball great Kent Benson) were on the team.

As a result, those squads were much improved from 2007 to 2009, competing with the top of the league but falling short, while dominating the bottom half. However, without signature wins, they fell outside of postseason play each time.

Finally, in 2010, the Hoosiers held serve at home all season knocking off some of the best sides in the country. As a result, they had their breakthrough year, getting to the NCAA Tournament and for the first time ever won two postseason matches to make the Sweet 16.

However, once Benson and that era departed it was right back to the bottom. Finally, current head coach Steve Aird came in 2018 with struggles continuing. However, improvement has finally happened and for the third season in a row, Indiana is back to 2007 to 2009 levels taking out lower-level opponents and giving better ones a scare.

When a 2010-like breakthrough is coming though remains an open question. Sunday was the latest example of that proverbial ceiling being hit with a 3-1 competitive loss vs. elite USC.

Aird said taking that final step is not always easy but they are working on getting to the top.

“It’s really hard,” Aird said. “What I like about the group right now is they are resilient. Details are the next thing and the ability to make plays late in games.”

The Hoosiers’ RPI currently sits below 70 and well out of the postseason picture regardless of what Sunday’s result was. IU will likely finish around .500 in league play once again and not in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th straight season. This is because that ability to beat top teams remains elusive, despite the massive improvement.

Crowds Grow With Better Play and Newer Facility But Hoosiers Were Behind For Many Years

One of the major reasons IU struggled for so many years was the lack of a good facility. For a long time, the team competed at an old high school gym well off campus that was not easy to get to.

The quality of a program’s stadium is a big deal as other historic bottom feeders Iowa and Northwestern shared the basketball facility for home matches. The Hoosiers and Hawkeyes have since built new state-of-the-art stadiums. However, with a top-flight Big Ten, there is more to do to be competitive.

Indeed IU’s Wilkinson Hall is as nice as any in the Big Ten but opened only in 2019. As a result, Indiana has been working with good facilities for five years rather than decades. Also, moving to a much more visible arena on campus next to Assembly Hall has greatly helped attendance.

After a sellout Friday of 2,857 against Purdue and a few others before that, Sunday had another huge crowd that looked roughly 80-90% full. Still, the program has a lot of catching up to do with places that have had this atmosphere and modern amenities for a long time with tons of winning to go with it.

Grae Gosnell Returns

Grae Gosnell made her long-awaited to Bloomington on Sunday in the opposing uniform. After a solid four-year career wearing a Hoosier jersey, she was in Trojan colors in this match.

She was also bestowed the honor of singing the national anthem and was given a huge ovation by the opposing crowd when introduced. Both of these things prove how beloved Gosnell’s time wearing Cream and Crimson was and no one holds any ill-will for her grad transferring to an elite program.

Aird reiterated he had no issues with her going elsewhere for her final year.

“I’m happy for her,” Aird said. “I think at the end of her time here she had her degree and she had graduated. She is a wonderful young woman. She is with a great program and I am happy for her.”

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Postgame press conference with Aird can be seen below: