The Iowa volleyball team ended last season with two, gritty five-set victories over Michigan and Michigan State.

At Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday, middle hitter Delaney McSweeney and setter Bailey Ortega attributed the late-season surge to “playing for each other.” With Iowa’s first exhibition game on Aug. 19, the Hawkeyes are aiming to keep this same mindset.

“I think that us being able to really play for each other, and focus on everyone but ourselves in that moment, was what really got us those wins,” Ortega said. “I think us returners carrying that and implementing that into this team this year will be really, really important for us.”

In his first year, head coach Jim Barnes led Iowa to the program’s most single-season wins since 2015 at 10-21. He previously turned around programs like Tulane and Baylor, as he led the Green Wave to their first postseason tournament since 2009 and became the Bears’ all-time win leader with 181 victories.

From this experience, Barnes knows that successful teams require more than just talent.

“Talent you can find a lot of different places, but true team discipline is something that’s rare,” Barnes said. “This team has that ability to be exceptionally disciplined and play for one another, and I think that’s going to be our strength.”

Game philosophy

Since Barnes’ tenure started, Iowa’s offense has been consistently run through the middle.

Last year, it was senior middle hitter Amiya Jones who led the Hawkeyes with 2.5 kills and 0.86 blocks per set.

In 2023, McSweeney is expected to take on a higher workload in the middle. McSweeney wasn’t far behind Jones last season, with 1.91 kills and 0.45 blocks per set.

“Part of our philosophy is win the middle. It’s part of our system,” Barnes said. “We were able to make teams defend us in ways they weren’t comfortable with because of how much not only we attacked the middle, but that we stopped their middle so that they become a little bit more one-dimensional.”

McSweeney said she focused on strength and speed this offseason as well as building a better relationship with her teammates, especially Ortega, who she will communicate with frequently on the court. McSweeney said the team has done many bonding activities this offseason like hiking, watching “The Bachelor,” and hanging out by the pool.

“I think we got much closer in the spring than we were in the fall,” McSweeney said. “I was new in the fall, it was hard for me to get super connected with people. I just feel like our connection is really special, and I’m glad that it is the way it is, especially with a setter in the middle.”

Barnes added that McSweeney is “way better than she was last year,” and he is expecting a big season out of the 6-foot-7 senior. 

Barnes utilizes transfer portal

The Hawkeyes brought in nine newcomers, including six freshmen — Gabby Deery, Alyssa Worden, Kaia Mateo, Olivia Lombardi, Rosa Vesty, and Emily Lavin.

The other three who joined the Hawkeyes are Texas State transfer Caitlan Buettner, Denver transfer Maddy Hanson, and BYU transfer Nataly Moravec.

The Hawkeyes were in need after starting outside hitter Toyosi Onabanjo and standout freshman Nia Washington entered the transfer portal in the spring.

Barnes said he isn’t the biggest fan of the transfer portal but wants to use it to help build Iowa. He added that he is picky when using the portal and only wants athletes who are “all in” and a right fit for the program.

“We’ve looked everywhere because you’ve got to get the right players in,” Barnes said. “I feel like we already have in just two years.”