Iowa volleyball won nine non-conference games to start the 2025 campaign, one win short of their total wins from the entire 2024 season. A new year has seen a roster made of explosive new talent and program veterans alike come together to potentially have a season for the record books.
What triggered more success for the Hawkeyes so early in the season? For starters, Iowa has stayed healthy.
Last season, an early injury kept then-third-year Claire Ammeraal off the court for nearly half the season, a major blow to the Hawkeye offense given the setter’s versatility.
A year later, Ammeraal is back at full potential, logging 71 kills and a team-high of 392 assists in Iowa’s 12-game non-conference run. While injuries can be spontaneous and occur even with preparation, Ammeraal still gives credit to Iowa City’s programs and staff.
“Our sports medicine staff is so helpful,” Ammeraal said. “Our team doctor is great. Our trainer is very helpful.”
The fourth-year also noted how the Hawkeyes’ training regimen has boosted important muscle groups.
“We’ve been doing shoulder prehab, which I think is helpful, especially because a lot of volleyball players have shoulder problems,” Ammeraal said. “The stuff we do in weights is preparing us and strengthening the muscles, which is helping strengthen those joints and keep us going.”
Fourth-year head coach Jim Barnes also shouted out Ammeraal’s
impactful return.
“Claire’s having a heck of a season,” Barnes said. “She’s just really tearing it up.”
Iowa’s health has led to a 9-3 showing in non-conference play, with each of the three losses going to five sets.
“We’ve done a really good job this season of applying the pressure, not letting us feel any pressure,” third-year Gabby Deery said. “We’re focusing on our side and not really worrying about the competition. If we’re able to play our game and worry about ourselves, I think the game will take care of itself. That’s what we’ve seen.”
The pin hitter also noted, win or lose, the competitiveness of each game has enabled the Hawkeyes to improve
their performance.
“Every single one of those losses, we’ve been able to get in the gym after and work on it,” Deery said. “It exposed some of our weaknesses. If anything, some of those losses have made us stronger.”
Iowa’s greatest strength is its talented roster, which consists of 19 athletes, 10 of whom return from last season.
In addition to Ammeraal and Deery, third-year Alyssa Worden collected 56 kills in this season’s first 12 games, the sixth-most on the team. Second-year Aleksandra Stojanovic, who redshirted last season, has created 68 kills of her own as an efficient middle hitter.
“The heart of our team is all our returners from last year,” Barnes said. “We returned 10, and if they’re not on the floor on game day, they’re a big part of helping the players who come in to get ready. They’ve helped build this program to
be respectable.”
In addition to the returners, the Hawkeyes welcomed nine newcomers to Iowa City, each with a unique role to play. Representing five U.S. states and four different countries, the new faces have made a deep impact on the court.
Deery said adding new players into the mix keeps things competitive and brings out stronger performances from the veterans.
“It definitely adds new faces and experience,” Deery said. “It makes our gym more competitive. You’re playing against other great hitters, and it just makes me that much better, having to fine-tune my shots.
The Burlington, Iowa, native also noted the correlation between good practice and payoff on the court.
“If anything, scrimmaging in our practice gym makes us that much more prepared for Big Ten games, just because we get to see those more experienced players every single day,” Deery said.
Iowa’s top two leaders in kills at the end of the non-conference season were both newcomers, namely sixth-year Chattanooga transfer Chard’e Vanzandt, who tallied 112 kills in 12 contests, and first-year Estonian recruit Carmel Vares, who grabbed 97 kills of her own.
Fourth-year libero Milana “Mo” Moisio transferred in from Miami to anchor the Hawkeye defense, recording 166 digs in Iowa’s dynamic start. Moisio, who brings three years of postseason experience, also fills a role previously left open by recent graduate and libero Joy Galles.
“Bringing in Mo, bringing in Chard’e on the left side, bringing Carmel on the right side, they’ve made an immediate impact,” Barnes said. “That’s what we were hoping for. I really love the mentality of these ladies that are driven. They love being Hawkeyes and they can get so much better too. I think through Big Ten play you’re going to continue to see the team improve.”
Ammeraal also credits Iowa’s early success to a change in mindset.
“We’re having more fun this year,” Ammeraal said. “Last year, we got a little tense when we played those smaller schools, because it’s a ‘must-win’ game, and that was not a good mindset. We haven’t had great years in the past, we haven’t really established ourselves as a program.”
Ammeraal said it’s important that the Hawkeyes don’t underestimate any of their opponents.
“They might be a smaller school, but that doesn’t mean they’re worse at volleyball,” Ammeraal said. “[We’re] just taking every team the same and having a good time while we’re doing it. That’s worked pretty well for us.”
While Barnes agrees that Iowa is playing at a high level to begin the season, he knows his team is ready to be competitive in Big Ten play.
“We’ve been able to really upgrade the talent,” Barnes said. “With every coach, you’re just hoping they can stay healthy as they go through the season. We’ve been able to do that, and we’ve got good depth. This team is capable of winning a lot more.”