With just five days until No. 21 Indiana volleyball starts its Big Ten schedule, the Hoosiers had one final tune-up before consistently facing some of the NCAA’s most difficult opponents.
Indiana defeated both Coastal Carolina University (25-14, 25-18, 21-25, 25-15) and North Carolina State University (25-17, 20-25, 25-19, 25-19) in four sets over the weekend at the Chanticleer Classic in Conway, South Carolina. Indiana sophomore outside hitter Jaidyn Jager led the Hoosiers with 38 kills over the two matches — 18 against the Chanticleers and 20 against the Wolfpack.
The Hoosiers ended their nonconference slate with a 7-2 record. On the surface, it looks a little different than the Cream and Crimson’s 10-0 nonconference record a season ago, but Indiana head coach Steve Aird scheduled a more difficult 2026 slate.
“I don't want to dodge anyone,” Aird said in an interview with the Indiana Daily Student on Aug. 20. “I want to play the best. And if you're not good enough, you get back in the lab the next day and you go to work.”
This season’s nonconference schedule included three ranked opponents and one that received votes in the AVCA poll, compared to no ranked opponents in 2025 and two that received votes.
It was a strategy to increase the team’s Rating Percentage Index when the NCAA Tournament arrives, Aird said in a pre-season interview with the Indiana Daily Student. While the 2026 Hoosiers don’t have a perfect record, their wins over then-No. 12 Texas A&M University and California Polytechnic State University — the team that received votes — could age well for Indiana, despite their two losses to ranked teams — then-No. 7 University of Louisville and then-No. 22 University of Tennessee.
One of Indiana’s biggest problem areas during its nonconference slate was its performance from the service line. When the Hoosiers served efficiently, they breezed past their opponents, but when they struggled, they often dropped sets.
That was evident in the Chanticleer Classic. Indiana dropped just one set against Coastal Carolina — which is currently 4-4 this season — but that one game was plagued by five service errors, one of which granted the Chanticleers a win in the third set.
Almost the opposite played out Saturday afternoon against NC State. Indiana struggled to gain a significant advantage over its first set against the Wolfpack, but when it did, it was off a 6-0 run that included two service aces from junior opposite hitter Ella Boersema.
Through its nine matches this season, Indiana has 88 service errors and 62 service aces. Indiana has succeeded from the service line in recent years. In 2025 the Hoosiers were fifth in the Big Ten with 1.7 aces per set, and Aird knows that’s where some of his squad’s matches will be won or lost this season.
“I think it's something that if you’re going to be relevant nationally, you’ve got to be a great serving team,” Aird said in a Sept. 11 press conference after Indiana's win over Eastern Illinois University. “Traditionally, we are.”
Indiana’s best serving performances were at its home gym in Bloomington this season. The Hoosiers racked up 16 service aces in two matches at the Indiana Invitational, but it’ll be pivotal for the Cream and Crimson to let their momentum at Wilkinson Hall carry them on the road in the Big Ten.
While serving has been one of Indiana’s weakest areas so far, its pin hitters have been attacking throughout the nonconference slate.
Jager's 131 total kills leads Indiana through nine matches. Jager was set to be the Hoosiers’ primary attacker this season after former Indiana outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles — who ranks eighth in the program for all-time kills with 1,386 — graduated last season.
“She’s insane,” sophomore middle blocker Victoria Gray said after Indiana defeated Cal Poly on Sept. 10. “She’s our anchor... I’m just so happy to play with her because her work ethic is so amazing and just to learn from that is so cool.”
Behind Jager, Boersema is second on the team in scoring even in a position she doesn’t typically play.
During the offseason, Boersema switched from middle blocker to opposite hitter as Indiana lacked depth on the right side with fifth-year opposite hitter Avry Tatum’s eligibility hanging in the balance.
Boersema injured her right lower leg in mid-October last season, ending her sophomore year with the Hoosiers. The now-junior has tallied 95 kills — 20 of which came at the Chanticleer Classic — in her return to the court.
Indiana has had valuable offensive contributions from players like freshman outside hitter Sara Snowbarger — who has 63 kills this season — and fifth-year middle blocker Kiki Granberry — who has recorded 77.5 points. However, Jager and Boersema have been instrumental in the Hoosiers’ success so far, and their production could be the difference in Big Ten play.
After nine nonconference matches, the Cream and Crimson begin their Big Ten slate against UCLA on Thursday at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington, as their quest for the program’s seventh NCAA Tournament appearance continues.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki87731 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
