Playing against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the NYU women’s volleyball team were ahead 16-14 with the match tied 1-1 in the second round NCAA Division III tournament matchup on Nov. 22. Despite their determination, it was the last time the Violets led, conceding the following two sets to lose 1-3 and finish the 2024 season with a 22-13 overall record and 4-6 in the UAA.
Although underclassmen made up more than half of the roster, NYU entered the season as the No. 6 ranked team in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll after winning the 2023 UAA Championship and being eliminated from NCAA D-III tournament in the Final Four round.
With eight new players, the Violets started their season with a six-match winning streak but found themselves 9-4 before their first UAA match against Carnegie Mellon University. The “toughest Division III conference” UAA schedule followed according to head coach Andrew Brown, where all but one team finished with a winning record and six of the eight schools qualified for the NCAA tournament. NYU only picked up two wins in their first five matches of the conference, defeating Brandeis University and Case Western Reserve University.
“This year emphasized how strong our team culture is, especially when you have a more novice team compared to the previous seasons,” said Brown. “For a lot of these players, this was their first time contributing more on the court, and it’s allowed them to be really confident and go out there and take each opportunity — whether we won or we lost — as an opportunity to grow both individually and as a team.”
After winning 2023 AVCA Freshman of the Year, outside hitter Grace Nelson continued to be a key part of the team, both offensively and defensively. The sophomore earned herself a spot on the UAA First Team, finishing with the second-most service aces in the UAA with 63, and top-30 in the country in kills with 418 — a team record as well.
“Grace is a very dynamic player and super special on the court,” Brown said. “You feel like you’re backed into a corner, and the next thing you know, here comes Grace to score that next point for us. We see her make these plays day in and day out. It’s still surprising when you see it live, but when you’re used to that level of play and that level of commitment to working hard, it becomes routine.”
During practices, Brown emphasized the importance of maintaining constant communication with teammates on the court, especially the newcomers. As a result, the Violets developed a strong bond that extended beyond the gym and the court.
“We’re always cracking jokes or sharing embarrassing photos in the group chat,” Nelson said. “We’ve built a really positive and supportive environment. We love to laugh, have fun and just enjoy being around each other, so we’re all really close.”
The team’s welcoming atmosphere worked, as graduate student Yooni Park, who transferred this season from Division I Columbia University, ended her season ranked No. 1 for digs in the UAA and 6th in D-III with 698 digs. The group’s camaraderie allowed the libero to fit in seamlessly and display her fearless play on the defensive end.
“If you look at our lineup, we’re a very young team,” first-year pin hitter Chloe Hynes said. “Competing the way we did this season and seeing the growth from our first week to how we finished in the tournament just shows how much potential we have.”
Hynes delivered a spectacular rookie season — she followed Nelson with 299 kills of her own, second-highest on the team. Hynes recorded back-to-back double-digit kills in September against Kean University and Stevens Institute of Technology. As the season went on, she was involved in more sets, tallying double-digit kills in three of her five postseason matches.
Senior Taylor Odum led the defensive effort for the Violets, finishing fourth in the UAA with 113 blocks for the season. The 6’1” middle blocker was named an AVCA All-American honorable mention and recorded 174 kills for the year.
Junior setter Ava Launsbach delivered pinpoint passes for teammates to capitalize on and has been the glue holding the Violets together on the floor. With an ability to read plays before they unfold, Launsbach finished seventh in the UAA for assists with 696 and third in service aces with 57.
“We just developed a great connection during the season,” Hynes said. “No matter where the ball was in the air, Ava could just whack it, and I’d know it was coming to me. That really helped build my confidence throughout the year.”
While the Violets weren’t named D-III NCAA Champions, the season cannot be considered a failure. With a refreshed squad, the challenge was always going to be replicating the results of a team that learned how to play with each other for multiple years. However, Brown views it as being one step ahead of the rest of the competition.
“Coming into next season, we have another stellar group of incoming players,” Brown said. “I think a lot of these teams in our conference are going to have a changeover, and I feel like we’ve already gone through that process this past fall. So I’m really excited to start to build that momentum towards this next season. Yes, we want to win at the end of the day, but those are just fleeting moments. What we have is a family and that’s the most exciting thing — you’re experiencing it with your best friends and as a family.”
Contact Jonathan and Logan at [email protected].
