Leadership is key for any team, and for Iowa volleyball that is no different.

Iowa volleyball’s outside hitter Meghan Buzzerio is entering her senior year and will take on a major leadership role this year. Buzzerio is one of three captains for the 2019 season, working toward one main goal: making the NCAA tournament.

“As a team, we grew confidence in each other,” Buzzerio said. “We’re pushing ourselves to be uncomfortable a little bit, to grow in our skills as a team. A big [goal] is to make the NCAA tournament this year. We kind of have that in the back of our mind, that every match is important to help us get to our goal. Every match is one that we have to focus on because it all will lead to our bigger goal at the end of the season.”

Last year, Buzzerio marked career highs in attack percentages, attempts, assists, blocks and kills. There was almost no question that she would be starting this year in her prime position. 

“She gets it,” interim head coach Vicki Brown said. “She understands this game, she understands how to score, but then she also knows how to contribute other elements for us.”

For Buzzerio, growing up under her mother, a University of California Irvine volleyball alumna, it would have been hard to not know about the game. Meghan’s mother – Dana – coached her at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California, before she became the collegiate star that she is now. 

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A change in the team’s coaching staff didn’t put a pause on the work that Buzzerio and the team are preparing to do throughout the season. If anything, this single change added motivation to the team. 

“I was excited,” Buzzerio said. “Vicki’s great. We’ve had her for two years now and she’s already had experience being a head coach for a year. She’s done well with the opportunity and we’re excited to play for her this year.”

The off-season was the perfect time for the fifth-year senior to perfect her skills before her final year on the team. 

“We focused more individually on our skills,” Buzzerio said. “Just for me to be more of a physical attacker and just take charge in that area of our team. Especially passing as well, as an outside hitter you have to play six rotations, so just [tuning] up those little skills.”

Every match does count, even the opening weekend of the season. The team played in the James Madison Invitational against Stony Brook, Washington State, and James Madison.

Leading the team in the first game against Stony Brook with 19 kills, Buzzerio is already taking control of the new season.

Add to that a lead in the second game with 12 kills and a set-high of 6 kills, followed by a tie with younger sister Courtney leading the third game with nine kills. Starting the new season with as much momentum as this, it only makes sense that Meghan Buzzerio was added to the all-tournament team. 

Leading the season already with as much grit as she can, Buzzerio can be found on the court Sep. 6-7, playing Colorado for the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge.