Iowa volleyball’s mission remains the same: Climb in the Big Ten race

CORALVILLE — Delaney McSweeney blossomed into a legitimate Power Five volleyball player last year at Wake Forest. She led the team in blocks and was third in kills.

But home is home, and “I’d been away long enough,” McSweeney said.

“Plus, the (University of) Iowa program, it’s not where it wants to be, and I want to be part of the change.”

A Center Point native, the 6-foot-7 McSweeney is one of nine new faces for the Hawkeyes, who resume their quest for Big Ten relevance this fall.

Jim Barnes is the newest coach to take a crack at it.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s one that any coach would love to have ... an opportunity to be in the best league in the nation,” Barnes said Saturday at Xtream Arena, before the Hawkeyes’ intrasquad match.

The Hawkeyes were 6-24 last season, 4-16 in the Big Ten. They are picked to finish 12th in the league this fall.

Iowa’s last winning season in the conference was in 2000. Its last NCAA tournament appearance came in 1994.

Barnes follows Vicki Brown, who was terminated late last season after a two-plus-year stint that netted a 17-56 mark.

In 24 years as a head coach, Barnes has amassed a career record of 455-345 with nine seasons of 20 wins or more. He spent the last six seasons at Tulane, preceded by stops at Baylor (2004-15), Wyoming (2002-03) and Lamar (1996-2001).

He brings with him two Tulane transfers (Anna Davis and Michelle Urquhart) and two other newcomers who had previously committed to the Green Wave.

Bailey Ortega, a junior setter from Davenport North, called Barnes “very analytical with stats and what we need to do to move up.”

The formula for Iowa to climb, Barnes said, comes on defense.

“If we hold opponents under (a kill efficiency of) .200, we’re going to win half of our Big Ten matches,” he said. “And if we do that, we’ll be hanging a banner, because we’ll be in the NCAA tournament.”

Ortega is one of three returning starters, joining senior middle hitter Amiya Jones and sophomore outside hitter Addie VanderWeide.

“A.J. is going to have a big year,” Barnes said. “We run through our middle, and she’s going to get more kills.”

Jones said the new regime and the new faces “makes this season more fun, an adventure.”

The Hawkeyes open at the Oklahoma Invitational next weekend, facing Gonzaga and Florida International on Friday and Oklahoma on Saturday.

The Big Ten grind begins Sept. 23, at home against Ohio State.

“With nine new faces, I’m pretty impressed with how we’re operating as a team after two weeks,” Barnes said. “This team is as driven as any that I’ve had. They want to get Iowa volleyball right.”

And Barnes feels McSweeney, the local kid, can be an active part of the Hawkeyes’ climb.

“She has so much upside. Her length, you can’t teach that,” Barnes said. “She has picked up our offense quickly. By November, she’s going to be a force.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com