Indiana volleyball fans stood on their feet cheering and clapping as the announcer proclaimed “She’s back!” enthusiastically over the speakers inside Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington.
Fifth-year senior Avry Tatum had just earned her first kill in her return to put the Hoosiers up 5-1 over Maryland. It was the first of several big plays from the opposite hitter in Indiana’s 3-0 victory over the Terrapins on Saturday.
Following a fight for eligibility, the opposite hitter was granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA on Sept 23, allowing her to rejoin the Cream and Crimson on the court.
The addition of Tatum is crucial for the Indiana volleyball squad. Last season, Tatum recorded 359 kills — ranked third on the team — and held an attacking percentage of .315. She was also selected as an All-American honorable mention and earned First-Team All-Big Ten.
Against Maryland, Tatum picked right back up where she left off last season. Tatum finished with 10 kills, six blocks and held a .350 hitting percentage. And while she adds talent to the roster, she also brings leadership and experience.
“She’s adding just one sense of calmness, and we always know that we can rely on her because she’s a senior again, I think,” sophomore setter Teodora Krickovic said with a laugh postgame. “So, I think it’s great having her back as a leader and as a player on the court.”
With the addition of Tatum, junior Ella Boersema was moved from the opposite hitter position to middle blocker. The transition was seamless for Boersema as she spent the last two seasons in that role.
“Just going back to it feels good,” Boersema said postgame. “I’m just getting back to, I guess, my roots as everyone’s been saying.”
Boersema led the Hoosiers with 11 kills and a .667 attacking percentage. She also tallied four blocks and just one error.
For most teams, a change in positions and lineups takes some getting used to. But for this Indiana group, the lineup change wasn’t hard to adjust to with similarities to last year’s roster.
“We played like that for the most of last season,” Krickovic said. “So, I don’t think it’s like a big adjustment to make, I just think that we need to get used to it again. I think that we just got away from it like a little bit, but we’re gonna be fine.”
Boersema echoed the same sentiment.
“It almost feels normal.” Boersema said.
With the addition of Tatum, the Hoosiers gained depth. Something that Indiana head coach Steve Aird said was key to elevating the program.
“The last thing to come on a rebuild of a program, and it’s funny because it’s taken me nine years, but the last thing to come is real depth,” Aird said. “Where you’ve got Big Ten kids that aren’t in a match, that very well could be.”
With Boersema moving to the middle position, sophomore middle blocker Victoria Gray did not see time on the court. This season, Gray has tallied 66 kills and hit at a .277 rate. She had a season high 11 kill performance in the Hoosiers’ victory over the University of Southern Indiana on Sept. 7.
Junior transfer outside hitter Izzy Clark also did not see time in the game. Clark was sidelined at the start of the season with an injury, but is working her way back to the court.
“You know, Vic Gray didn’t play tonight, you know Izzy (Clark) didn’t play tonight,” Aird said. “We’ve got real talent.”
Despite its roster not at full strength, Indiana still managed to earn a No. 18 American Volleyball Coaches Association ranking. The continued additions and growth to the offense allow the Hoosiers’ ceiling to rise.
Indiana will look to improve to 3-0 in the conference and 10-2 overall when it faces No. 6 Wisconsin on Oct. 1 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki87731 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
