The jury was still out on Northwestern volleyball coach Kevin Renshler.
He had experienced his ups and downs with the Wildcats — and last year’s 4-26 (2-18 Big Ten) record was the lowest point. But it appeared the program was rounding a corner in its rebuilding after signing a nationally ranked recruiting class.
Despite the potential turnaround, the third-year coach resigned last week and decided to become the head coach at Auburn.
“We had a fine relationship with him,” senior Carmen Burbach said. “He was a good coach and did a lot for the program.”
Added senior Jennifer Armson, “Things happen for a reason and we have to take it in stride and make the best of it.”
The Cats’ two assistant coaches also resigned so the next coach will come from outside of the program. Within the next week, possible candidates will meet the players, who are excited about the possibility of a coach interested in creating a successful program.
“The Big Ten is the strongest conference in the nation and everyone wants to be a Big Ten coach,” Armson said. “It is the best feeling when someone wants to be here and is really passionate about improving.”
NU was a young team last year that relied on the performance of freshmen in large roles. Sophomores Sarah Ballog and Kelli Meyer both excelled last year in their first season.
Ballog, a middle blocker, gained a lot of experience last year and teammates noticed improvement in her blocking, hitting and consistent play.
Meyer was the team’s setter and floor leader. She sparked the team’s offense and broke a single-season school record with 1,101 assists.
“Coming in as a freshmen setter in the Big Ten is a lot of responsibility,” Armson said. “Kelli handled herself really well.”
Another bright spot on the team was the play of co-captain Burbach, an outside hitter, who is within reach of the 1,000 kills and digs mark.
Despite some noteworthy individuals, the team struggled through close setbacks, and the Cats sometimes wished the season was over. But as a unit, NU survived the tough campaign.
“We hit some frustrating times during the year,” Burbach said. “But we are the closest team I’ve played on and that helped a lot to know we’re all in it together.”
Team unity will be even more critical in the upcoming year as four seniors depart and five freshmen step in. The team’s makeup will consist of two seniors, six sophomores and the five freshmen.
Although the incoming recruiting class has been ranked as high as No. 4 in some polls, the newcomers will not face the same pressure as last year’s freshmen. Current players have been assured that the incoming freshmen have remained committed to NU despite Renshler’s departure.
“Next year, the freshmen will contribute but we aren’t in a desperate need,” Burbach said. “The big roles are already filled and we have leaders.”
NU’s optimism for the fall comes from winning three recent tournaments en route to an impressive 14-2 spring record. The Cats have traveled to Arkansas, Tennessee and Nevada, and while the team didn’t compete against Big Ten squads it did play several top 25 teams.
The Cats’ schedule was challenging this past year with out-of-conference opponents including Pacific and Louisville. And the upcoming year promises to be just as hard. NU plays Nebraska, Colorado State and Georgia in the first three games of the year, followed by the conference season.
If the freshmen are prepared to contribute, if the sophomores can build on last year’s experience and if the seniors can lead the team, then NU can accomplish its goal of making it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 1984 season.
“If we come out and play like we know we can then we can finish in the top half of the Big Ten and make the NCAA tournament,” Burbach said.
