After leading Indiana volleyball to its most historic season in program history, head coach Steve Aird agreed to a contract extension through 2031, according to an IU Athletics release Tuesday.
Aird, who will enter his ninth season as Hoosiers’ head coach in 2026, signed the extension after leading the team to a 25-8 overall record — which marked the most wins in program history. Indiana also earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament for just the sixth time in program history and first time since 2010.
In the release, Indiana University athletic director Scott Dolson said this season the Hoosiers helped turn "Wilkinson Hall into one of the best environments in Big Ten Volleyball."
"On top of that, with an amazing group of returnees back in the fall plus a talented incoming recruiting class, I believe that the future is even brighter,” Dolson said. “We look forward to Steve's continued leadership as we build on this momentum and pursue even bigger things in the years to come."
The Hoosiers finished ranked fifth in the Big Ten standings — the first time since 1999 the program ended the season in the top five of the conference. They also saw their highest placement in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, finishing the season ranked No. 13.
Aird last signed a contract extension in January 2024, which put him under contract until 2029. During that season, Aird helped Indiana to a 21-12 overall record, which marked just the sixth time the program reached 20 wins in a season.
Indiana had three first team All-Big Ten selections during the 2025-26 season with Aird at the helm — outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles, opposite hitter Avry Tatum and freshman setter Teodora Kričković. It marked the first time in program history that three Hoosiers received first team All-Big Ten honors in the same season.
The 2025-26 season also marked the first time an Indiana volleyball player was drafted in the Major League Volleyball Draft. Alonso-Corcelles and Tatum were selected in the second and fourth rounds, respectively.
Aird and his staff will now be tasked with replacing the production of Tatum, Alonso-Corcelles and two others via graduation. The Hoosiers brought in one player from the transfer portal — middle blocker Keondreya Granberry from the University of Tennessee — will return key players from last season and have signed three top-ranked recruits.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball offseason.
