UNI volleyball coach Bobbi Petersen welcomes ‘huge responsibility’ of maintaining an elite mid-major program

CEDAR FALLS — Bobbi Petersen has made 17 NCAA tournament appearances and captured 11 Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles in 24 seasons as Northern Iowa volleyball coach.

Asked at Friday’s media day what keeps her motivated after back-to-back regular-season conference titles, the veteran coach — a UNI alumna herself — answered amid a couple deep breaths that held back emotion.

It was clear just how much the program she’s built into an elite mid-major over three decades means to her.

“Our staff, our players, being a part of a program that you just love,” Petersen said of her continued motivation. “I think that’s why the grind is still OK, because you just have so much belief in what so many people have put in to get it here. So, you just have this huge responsibility, in a good way, to want to keep it going.”

That passion and care for UNI volleyball is already noticeable on a 2024 team that features six newcomers.

Asked about what little she does know about her team that’s yet to play a match, Petersen mentioned intangibles.

“I’m not saying we do (the intangibles) perfect, but, we do it better than most teams this early have done,” Petersen said. “They are figuring out that even in a practice situation when things are rough we have to come to the middle and say something other than ‘let’s go’ — there has to be a real effort.”

Defending its MVC regular-season and tournament championships will be no small task after losing last season’s leader in kills (Emily Holterhaus) and setter (Tayler Alden).

Junior Sydney Golden is poised to capture the starting setter spot, but is being challenged by freshman Reese Booth.

“Sydney got a lot of reps and she basically took control of our offense this spring because she was the only (setter),” Petersen said. “We’re trying to implement a couple new things offensively, so she got to be the one doing that. When you look at Reese Booth — she’s a coach’s kid, she’s come in and definitely has the work ethic and volleyball IQ. I really foresee us using both of them at times.”

All-MVC returnees Kira Fallert and Erin Powers will anchor UNI’s attack and defense, respectively.

Fallert — who finished second on the team with 3.51 kills per set last season — enters her senior season equipped to handle all that opponents are likely to send her way.

“She’s done a really good job over the years of trying to find ways to score based on being keyed on,” Petersen said. “We call it a toolbox — different tools that you have — she really has them all.”

UNI begins the season with matches Aug. 30 against Florida International and Dayton at the Dayton Flyer Classic in Ohio.