Red Wolves - IU East

Can you hear them howling?

The Indiana University East volleyball program plans to make some noise at the national level during the 2010 season.

The Red Wolves hope to build off of a 30-12 season in 2009 that included the program's first Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships.

IU East capped its season with an appearance at the NAIA Volleyball National Championships.

"We want people to hear us howling and know who that is," said Red Wolves coach Charlie Brown, whose team adopted the motto "They hear us howling" for the 2010 season.

"It's a very simple statement. It says we're starting to make noise and people are starting to see and hear who we are."

IU East returns six players, including the most productive hitter, setter, server and defensive player from the 2009 team. Brown also recruited seven talented newcomers who combined for a 195-38 record with their respective teams in 2009.

"We're eager to see the next step in the evolution of IU East volleyball, and these girls are that next step," Brown said.

The roster

Red Wolves fans already know the name Breezy Strete (Troy, Ohio/Troy High School). Strete is a 6-0 sophomore middle hitter who already is the most decorated player in IU East volleyball history.

Strete earned Tachikara-NAIA All-America honorable mention recognition after leading IU East in kills and attack percentage.

She is the first All-American in IU East volleyball history

Strete also won the KIAC Player of the Year award and made the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Northeast Region team.

IU East fans also know names like Courtney Flory (New Paris, Ohio/National Trail High School) and Victoria Hicks (Lynn, Ind./Randolph Southern High School).

Flory is a 5-9 junior outside hitter who ranked among IU East's leaders in kills and attack percentage for the second consecutive season.

Hicks is a 5-10 right side hitter who performed well when called upon.

Red Wolves fans soon will get to know names of newcomers like Caitlin Burroughs (Richmond, Ind./Northeastern High School), Sarah Shilling (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community High School), Allison Nicley (Lebanon, Ind./Western Boone High School) and Paige Lay (Bloomington/Normal, Ill/Parkland College).

Burroughs is a 5-11 freshman middle hitter who earned Class 2A all-state honors at nearby Northeastern High School.

Shilling is a 6-0 freshman outside hitter, a multi-sport athlete who helped her high school volleyball team to a 29-5 record as a senior.

Nicley is a 5-11 freshman outside hitter who has the potential to be "an absolutely dominating hitter."

Lay is a 5-9 junior right side hitter who helped her junior college team finish third in its national tournament two consecutive years.

"We don't have a weak rotation in the front row," Brown said.

Red Wolves fans already know the name Lauren Crump (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial High School).

Crump is a 5-8 sophomore setter who broke every significant IU East assists record during her freshman season. Crump earned first team all-KIAC honors and also received All-Northeast Region recognition.

IU East fans also know names like Madison Qualkenbush (New Castle, Ind./New Castle Chrysler High School) and Kristin Waechter (Muncie, Ind./Daleville High School).

Qualkenbush is a 5-7 junior defensive specialist/libero who holds IU East's season and career records for digs.

Waechter is a 5-5 sophomore defensive specialist/libero who set IU East's school record for single season serve reception percentage and also led the team in aces.

Red Wolves fans soon will know names like newcomers Sarah Berlatsky (Thomasboro, Ill./Parkland College), Meagan Stoker (Celina, Ohio/Celina High School) and Ariel Cox (Ansonia, Ohio/Mississinawa Valley High School).

Berlatsky is a 5-5 junior defensive specialist/libero who played with Lay at Parkland College and ranked among the best in serve receive in the NJCAA.

Stoker is a 5-6 freshman defensive specialist/libero who led her successful high school team in digs and serve receptions.

Cox is a 5-7 freshman defensive specialist and setter who earned all-district recognition in Ohio.

"Defensively, our defensive specialists are very good," Brown said. "Our hitters are very proficient. I think the combination of the two is going to make for an exciting season."

The schedule

If the Red Wolves truly are among the nation's best teams, they'll get plenty of chances to prove it.

"Our schedule is immense," Brown said.

The 2010 schedule includes six matches against teams that received votes in the final 2009 Tachikara-NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Volleyball Poll.

Three of those matchups are Oct. 15-16 during the University of St. Francis/Asics Munciana Invitational in Yorktown, Ind. IU East's slate for the Asics Munciana tournament includes a match against likely top 10 opponent Indiana Institute of Technology.

"If I said I wasn't a little nervous I'd be lying," Brown said. "Those matches make for a great morale booster or a true wake-up call. Either way we will know where we stand against the best in the country."

"You have to put those matches in perspective. If you are competitive against those teams you've made yourself successful. If you get beat by a better team and learn from it, the other matches become that much easier. If you knock off a few it's icing on the cake.

Brown said the Red Wolves will stay equally hungry against KIAC competition.

"We expect that every team in the KIAC has recruited to overcome the talent level we had last year, and we will certainly have the bull's-eye on our backs," Brown said.

"We can't afford to slip because we only play each other once in conference. We've got to approach each conference match with a kill-or-be-killed attitude."

The goals

Brown frequently uses the term "step function" when describing the progress of the IU East volleyball program.

It means the program progresses a little more every year.

The talent level gradually gets higher, and so do the expectations.

IU East won the conference and advanced to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round in 2009.

The "step function" for 2010 is to win the conference and advance to the NAIA National Championship Final Site.

"Our goal right now is to finish strong in the conference, win the conference and go deeper in the national tournament," Brown said.

"But the No. 1 goal is to play IU East volleyball day-in and day-out."

And what is IU East volleyball?

"We're establishing that every day," Brown said. "It's a high-level game, high-level commitment, high-level execution. They are proud of who we are, and that pride carries you a long way.

"But just like (Indianapolis Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning says, just because someone says you are great doesn't mean you're going to be great. You've got to put the work in. And they are not afraid to put the work in."

Do you hear them howling?

Click here to view the 2010 IU East volleyball roster

Click here to view the 2010 IU East volleyball schedule