With a shift in the coaching staff, Notre Dame volleyball is looking to take this season by storm. The squad will face tough competitors off the bat, starting with their season opener against Texas Tech on Friday. That will be followed by two consecutive games against Mississippi State and Milwaukee.
Although new, head coach Salima Rockwell is well-equipped for the upcoming season. Rockwell was not only a vital student-athlete — she was a three-time All-American setter in her years at Penn State — but she was also an admired assistant coach at her alma mater. Rockwell also coached at the University of Texas, where the Longhorns won the National Championship for the first time in over 20 years.
“The biggest challenges as a new coach here have really been just getting to know all of the ins and outs of Notre Dame,” Rockwell said. “The best part about it all is that everyone is so eager to help. It's been the people here that really separates Notre Dame from any other place.”
Notre Dame certainly hopes that Rockwell’s transition to coaching the Irish will help push the team to what it needs to be revitalized.
Rockwell brought along former colleague Craig Dyer as associate head coach. Dyer has a plethora of coaching experience, previously working at Creighton, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Seton Hall and Rutgers.
Following the announcement of Dyer, Rockwell secured two more staffing positions: associate head coach Sara Matthews and volunteer assistant Lauren Plum. Matthews has spent the last five seasons as head coach for the Delaware Blue Hens. While at Delaware, the Blue Hens saw major improvement under Matthews. Now, she hopes to continue her streak in South Bend. Plum, on the other hand, spent the past few years as an assistant coach at Arizona and Villanova. She played collegiately at Oregon from 2010-2014 before playing overseas for 6 years. Rockwell has brought together a solid coaching staff to help bring the Irish to victory.
Rockwell and her coaching staff are not the only fresh faces on the squad. The Irish welcomed five freshmen this year, as well as welcoming graduate transfer outside hitters Clare Delaplane and Maddy Waumans, as well as middle blocker Kaylyn Winkler.
In addition to these new faces, the Irish welcome back some key players who will help tie the new in with the old. One major player is Junior Libero Hattie Monson; in the 2021-2022 season, Monson played in all 103 sets and led the team with 407 digs in her sophomore season. Now as an upperclassman, Monson is expected to play a key role in the Irish defense.
“It's too early yet to say on court who those will be, as they are battling every day,” Rockwell said. “But off the court, I have already seen leadership from our three grad transfers and several returners as well. The upperclassmen have been so committed to helping the freshmen assimilate and I think that is a huge part in why our team chemistry and culture is so strong. I'm grateful for them.”
Among others, Monson will be working with freshman middle blocker Bella Tehrani on defense. Tehrani was a highly sought-after recruit, playing on Canada’s U18 team before college.
Alongside Monson are senior liberos Kiara Okenla and Nancy Kane, both of whom will surely help the Irish to victory. Okenla averaged 1.27 digs per set in her junior season and Kane averaged 0.39 per set.
While Monson and Tehrani are both stable defensive players, the Irish will be looking towards Winkler, Delaplane and freshman outside hitter Avery Ross on offense. Throughout her four years at Villanova, Delaplane recorded 600 kills, 662 digs and 100 blocks. Comparatively, as a senior at SMU, Winkler had the second-best hitting percentage mark in American Athletic Conference play at .388 and ranked fourth in the league with 1.09 blocks/set. Ross, although a freshman, is coming in with high expectations. Over her high school career she earned over 1,500 kills and led Indiana with 597 kills in her senior season.
The Irish are bringing on quite a few new faces, but they are also losing some important ones. Setter Zoe Nunez joined Michigan State University as a graduate transfer. Nunez was second in the ACC last year with 10.61 assists per set and 753 total assists. Nunez was also named team captain, a spot that still needs to be filled going into the 2022 season. However, new additions will hopefully fill the gap that Nunez is leaving.
Although the Irish surely have an impressive squad, they are not facing easy competition. The Irish visit No. 4 Louisville on October 26. The Irish faced the Cardinals twice last year, falling 0-3 and 1-3. With new coaching and players, the Irish hope to redeem themselves. Notre Dame will also face Miami and Florida State, and while they are currently not ranked in the AVCA coaching poll, they both had honorable mentions.
When asked about the challenges this season, Rockwell said: “I'm looking forward to going to battle with this team every single day. They are so much fun to be around and they have made this journey for me already worth it. I just love this group.”
Rockwell is of course looking to open this season up with a win, but she would also like to see the team “play as a cohesive unit, execute the game plan and stay patient and focused throughout the matches from start to finish.”
“We would like to establish an energy and a vibe that people are drawn to, playing relentless defense and while keeping our offense balanced,” Rockwell said.
The Irish open up their season at home on Friday against Texas Tech. The match starts at 7 p.m. and is televised on the ACCNX.
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