Playing at four different schools, working all the way up from junior college to the Big Ten, and switching to a new position — any one of these tasks would be challenging on their own.
Iowa volleyball sixth-year Chard’e Vanzandt, however, has taken all of them in stride. After two seasons at Chattanooga, Vanzandt decided Iowa City was the place to be, competing at a high level in the Big Ten and working under head coach Jim Barnes, who she personally connected with.
“When I spoke with him, he said a lot of things I absolutely loved,” Vanzandt said of Barnes. “The main one [was] him being a God-fearing man, telling me about how he likes to pray for the team before [games].”
In the decade before Barnes took over the program, Iowa produced just one winning season compared to two winless campaigns.
Yet Vanzandt didn’t shy away from the team’s unproductive history. Rather, she wanted to rewrite their future chapters and produce success.
“I’ve always had the underdog mentality,” Vanzandt said.
Vanzandt began her career at Blinn College, a junior college in her home state of Texas, before starting her NCAA career at Louisiana Tech in 2022.
Three years later, the former middle hitter found her
on the left side of the Hawkeyes’ offense. Vanzandt primarily played in the middle during his career, and shifting spots required a change in responsibility.
“The hardest position on any team is really that left side, that’s going to get a ton of sets,” Barnes said. “They need to come through for you. She’s someone we really believe in, and she’s
made a big difference.”
The fourth-year head coach also admired Vanzandt’s commitment and devotion to Iowa early on.
“From the minute she committed, you could just tell she was all in,” Barnes said. “There were other schools trying to get to her, and she was a Hawkeye from the moment she committed.”
As a sixth-year, Vanzandt also stepped into a major leadership role for younger players on the team despite her own status as a newcomer.
“Chard’e’s like the mother to us,” first-year Gia McGrew said. “She’s just a wisdom ball. She has all the knowledge that we needed to know.”
McGrew also credited the positive dynamic between Vanzandt and Barnes.
“They respect each other so much, and I think that they just bounce,” McGrew said. “I think she’s just something special, and she’s just an incredible player.”
While Vanzandt’s accomplishments have only skyrocketed over her career, the hitter is quick to give credit to her teammates, including players like Claire Ammeraal. The fourth-year’s timely setting propelled Vanzandt past 1,000 career kills in Iowa’s Sept. 25 sweep against Maryland.
“Claire does a great job of setting really fast balls to the pins, which allows us to hit over the block and around the blockers, because we are an undersized team,” Vanzandt said. “I think that’s really worked out for us.”
Vanzandt also shouted out her younger teammates, including McGrew.
“Everyone is so funny, and they’re like my little sisters,” Vanzandt said. “I can always laugh with them in the gym, or if I’m sad or something, someone is going to make me laugh, especially Gia. I love them.”
Barnes ultimately expressed hope Hawkeye fans will come out to support Vanzandt and the program, especially with Vanzandt being in her
final year of eligibility.
“[She’s] just a class act,” Barnes said. “We really want the fans to get out and see her. We only got her for a season, and she’s worth the ticket.”
Vanzandt similarly encouraged people to attend more Iowa games, especially with two contests, an Oct. 17 match against USC and an Oct. 19 contest against UCLA, set to be played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
“Pack the arena,” Vanzandt said. “Come to the games. Come support. And cheer more.”