IU volleyball team plays together, wins together

At the beginning of  the season, IU coach Sherry Dunbar coined the motto, “Together we get better.”

The IU volleyball team has shown that togetherness on and off the court in its best start to a season since before the turn of the millennium.

“We have a close family, a staff who cares about the kids, and a team that plays together,” Dunbar said.

Senior middle blocker Ashley Benson chose to come to IU three years ago to turn the program around.

“Freshman year, I came into a program that finished 1-19 the year before in the Big

Ten, and I told Coach Dunbar that I never want to play that way again,” Benson said.
Benson’s motivation to make the team better is the same thing that drew other players to IU.

“I came to IU to make a difference on the court,” junior setter Mary Chaudoin said.

The team has found it easier to play with each other on the court because their
personalities click while off it.

The players say they like to make each other laugh, which helps their connectivity in play.

“We are all really goofy,” Chaudoin said. “We do silly, funny voices and accents off the court, which bring us together.”

Dunbar said the Hoosiers want to lessen the intense atmosphere on the court, which leads to frustration and mistakes in crucial five-set matches.

“We have been working on a fun-focus mentality, which is relax in tough situations,” she said.

Traveling, playing, practicing and off-court group activities have the Hoosiers spending a lot of time with each other.

During its 12-day European tour in May, the team played six matches against international teams from Italy, Maribor and the Czech Republic.

The Hoosiers also spent time together sightseeing.

“You get to know each other on a different level,” Benson said.

Dunbar said the team also represents the school well by the honor they have for it.

“The team likes to play for Indiana and has pride for the school,” she said.