Indiana volleyball is coming off its most historic season to date.
The Hoosiers achieved a 25-8 overall record in 2025, the most wins and fewest losses in program history. With a 14-6 Big Ten record, they finished the conference slate in fifth place, their best finish since 1999. Indiana made its sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history.
The Hoosiers lost key pieces of their roster following the conclusion of last season, including three seniors, one graduate student and one transfer. However, Indiana is returning a core group of young players who made an impact in the Hoosiers’ historic 2025 season. Plus, Indiana head coach Steve Aird and his staff added players through the 2026 recruiting class and the transfer portal.
Here’s a look at the Hoosiers’ 2026 roster positions:
Outside Hitters
Newcomers: Sara Snowbarger, Izzy Clark
Returning: Jaidyn Jager
Departures: Candela Alonso-Corcelles, Charlotte Vinson, Jessica Smith
The group of three outside hitters has one of the biggest holes to fill this season.
Former Hoosier Candela Alonso-Corcelles, who is the winningest player and ranks seventh for all-time kills with 1,425 in program history, graduated after last season. Sophomore Jaidyn Jager tallied the second-most kills behind Alonso-Corcelles last season, recording 383 kills in her first season of collegiate volleyball.
The other two outside hitters filling the gap left by Alonso-Corcelles are freshman Sara Snowbarger and junior Izzy Clark. Clark transferred to Indiana from the University of San Diego, where she received First Team All-West Coast Conference honors during her freshman and sophomore seasons. Clark recorded 311 and 397 kills as a freshman and sophomore, respectively. Snowbarger, who is the No. 104 overall recruit by Prep Dig, joins the Hoosiers after four years at Wooster High School in Ohio.
Opposite Hitters
Returning: Avery Daum
Departure: Avry Tatum
While the outside hitters will have to fill the production of Alonso-Corcelles, junior Avery Daum will be tasked with replacing another program great. Former Hoosier Avry Tatum led Indiana opposite of Alonso-Corcelles last season, totaling 359 kills on a .315 hitting percentage.
Daum appeared in eight matches last season and three matches her freshman year. She played a situational role throughout her eight appearances in 2025, scoring just 1.5 total points.
Middle Blockers
Returning: Ava Vickers, Victoria Gray, Ella Boersema
Newcomer: Kiki Granberry
Departures: Madi Sell
Last season, the middle blocker position was hindered by injuries. Then-junior Ava Vickers was sidelined for all but two matches with a shoulder injury, while then-sophomore Ella Boersema suffered a season-ending lower leg injury against Purdue on Oct. 16, 2025. In addition to the injuries to Vickers and Boersema, Madi Sell missed 10 matches at the start of the season due to an injury and has now graduated from the program.
All the injuries meant that then-freshman Victoria Gray was the only middle blocker to play in the majority of the Hoosiers’ matches. She recorded 106 total blocks throughout the 2025 season.
Along with the three returning players, Indiana added graduate student Kiki Granberry from the University of Tennessee out of the transfer portal during the offseason. Granberry played just three matches last season before enduring a season-ending injury, but she recorded a total of 240.5 total points and led the Southeastern Conference in hitting percentage with a .455 clip as a junior. If the middle blockers can remain healthy this season, they should be one of the strongest positions for the Hoosiers.
Setters
Returning: Luka Fickell, Teodora Kričković, Sade Ilawole
Indiana’s setter position is the exact same as it was a season ago. With no incoming or departing setters, it’s expected that sophomore Teodora Kričković will be the Hoosiers’ primary setter in 2026.
Kričković earned First Team All-Big Ten and American Volleyball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American honors as a freshman. While the Novi Sad, Serbia, native was an efficient passer with 1,212 assists last season, she also frequently scored points for the Hoosiers, recording 50 total blocks and 54 kills.
Defensive Specialists
Returning: Avery Freeman, Audrey Jackson, Hannah Leftridge, Emma Segal
Newcomer: Ellie Hepler
Last season, Aird and the Hoosiers used a by-committee approach to the libero and defensive specialist positions. Then-freshman Audrey Jackson was the main libero, accumulating 193 digs in 2025, despite never playing the position before coming to Indiana. The other three returning defensive specialists, junior Emma Segal and sophomores Avery Freeman and Hannah Leftridge, served in situational roles throughout last season.
Freshman Ellie Hepler joins the Hoosiers out of Warsaw Community High School in Warsaw, Indiana, where she served as the team’s libero and broke the program’s all-time digs record with 2,007 in four years. Hepler is ranked as the No. 71 overall recruit by Prep Dig.
Indiana officially starts its 2026 season on Aug. 28 against the University of Louisville at L&N Federal Credit Union Arena in Louisville, Kentucky. Until then, the Hoosiers will take on the University of Notre Dame in an exhibition match on Aug. 14 and compete in the Cream and Crimson Scrimmage on Aug. 21. Both the exhibition and scrimmage will take place at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
