When Steve Shondell first appeared as Ball State's women's volleyball coach, he did with a team that was picked next to last in the Mid-American Conference West Division but wound up finishing the season 24-5 with a 14-3 conference record.
After losing five starters from an NCAA tournament team in his second season, Shondell is to surprise the doubters once again.
"In the conference, most of the players from the other teams in the MAC West are returning so we're not going to be a team that's going to go in favored but two years ago, we were picked next to last and did well," Shondell said. "Our goal is to exceed those expectations."
But it won't be easy. Ball State had four starters graduate and one starter transfer to Tennessee from a team that went 25-8 lost to Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament, including both its starting middle blockers in Jennifer Boyd and Kelsey Brandl.
Shondell said because of what the team has lost, he expects it to be a work in progress, at least in the beginning of the season.
"We have a number of new players that will be playing for us this year and it's going to take time for the group to gel together," Shondell said. "We are a work in progress but I am optimistic that we will come together and evolve into a good team, but it is going to take some time to replace those five girls that have gone on to other things in their lives."
Despite losing some size up front, Shondell is confident in the team's blocking and defense thanks to Lisa Scott, a transfer from Maryland.
"Mindy Marx's strength is her blocking," Shondell said. "She will very likely be one of our starting middle blockers this year. We have a transfer middle that played three years from Maryland that's got some good blocking numbers as well. I feel like those two would be able to step in and do what we need to have done from a blocking standpoint.
"I'm not overly concerned about our blocking. When it's all said, [it] will actually be better than it was last year."
Junior libero Catie Fredrich said the team will have players step up to be as good as they were last season.
Her expectations overall haven't changed for the season.
"Every year, I expect us to win the MAC and make it to the NCAA tournament but I think last year we had that nice start in the tournament," Fredrich said. "I want us to end up making it further and further. We're not very content with just, 'We made it to the tournament.'"
Ball State dealt with a myriad of injuries leaving spring practice but for the most part, it should have everyone healthy for the start of the season. Shondell said Kelly Hopkins will miss at least half the season because of a stress facture that hasn't healed correctly. He said she probably won't be back until October.
Junior setter Jacqui Seidel, who suffered an ACL injury last season, said she is practicing fully and should be ready to go. Even after missing time, she expects to be one of the leaders on the court and singled out Fredrich as someone who could step up as a leader as well.
"I would love to take a leadership role," Seidel said. "As a setter, I think it's important that setters have to take charge and I think it would be good if Catie took a leadership role. She's always on the court, she's always controlling the backcourt."
Ball State will begin its season in a home tournament at Worthen Arena against Gardner-Webb on Aug. 24. And despite the challenges that face Ball State this season, Shondell said teams won't feel any better about having to come to Muncie to play the Cardinals.
"We have a great tradition here," Shondell said. "I think our program is respected around the country and certainly within the MAC. We've earned that respect over the course of time."
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