NIU volleyball’s 2024 campaign has gotten off to a slow start. The Huskies have opened up with a 1-4 record and have struggled with their efficiency and consistency thus far this season.
Despite these struggles, it hasn’t been all bad for the team. Amidst the inconsistency and frustration, there have been a few bright spots on the roster.
Two of the most promising points of the team are a pair of young freshman stars who are already making their marks against opponents: freshman outside hitter Ava Grevengoed and freshman setter Ella Strausberger.
THE STATS
On paper, both these athletes have gotten off to electric starts on the court.
Grevengoed has posted 62 kills and 83 digs this season. Those numbers put her third on the team in kills and second in digs. She has also posted four double-doubles this season, notching one in each game since her debut.
Speaking of her debut, Grevengoed hit the ground running, posting five service aces against Western Illinois University. This is a mark no other Huskie has hit yet this season and it set the tone for Grevengoed’s season so far as she leads the team in aces with 13.
Strausberger has also been a statistical standout. She is second on the team in assists with 101 while also being third in digs with 43 and tied for third in aces with six.
Strausberger has also posted two double-doubles on the year, including in her debut. She has recorded 20 or more assists in her past two games, with 24 against Tarleton State University and 22 against University of St. Thomas.
BEYOND THE NUMBERS
Now while the stats are all well and good, they don’t tell the whole story of these freshmen’s brilliance.
In Grevengoed’s case, it’s obvious that she has also built an immense amount of trust from her teammates and coaches. She is constantly being put in positions to attack, and even when she doesn’t convert, it isn’t long before she’s getting set up to strike again.
For Strausberger, she is a commanding presence on the court. Her elite ability to set up her attackers is evident and the chemistry she has with her team is easy to feel every time she subs in.
Both players look incredibly comfortable every time they step into a matchup, and the team feels confident around them as a result.
BRIGHT FUTURE
Overall, these two players highlight something important about NIU volleyball – that the future is bright.
NIU is still rebuilding; NIU volleyball head coach Sondra D’Amore is only in her second season, and the team is still getting their footing in the new regime. However, in that process they are showing a lot of bright spots that will only be improved on.
Grevengoed and Strausberger are two shining freshmen. While they have already been fantastic, they will only get better with the experience and knowledge that they accrue over their careers.
They will both be pivotal to NIU volleyball’s future, and it’s a future that looks to be pretty fruitful.
