Northwestern volleyball (4-12, 2-6 B1G) is off to a rough start. Halfway through the season, the ’Cats post a dismal four wins and 12 losses. This is not surprising, considering the team replaced their head coach for the first time in eight years and lost five leading playmakers in the offseason. So far, this season has been a learning opportunity for the team, but frustrating for fans who have witnessed this season’s outcomes.

Out with the old, in with the new

Northwestern and former head coach Shane Davis agreed to part ways last December following eight mediocre seasons, complaints about team culture and news of a hazing scandal.

Tim Nollan, Northwestern volleyball’s new head coach, is just what the doctor ordered. During his previous tenure at Grand Canyon University, he took the Lopes from a losing team to WAC Tournament finalists. Before that, he led the USC Trojans to three NCAA Final Fours and six NCAA Elite Eights. Nollan’s specialty is recruiting. He has assembled eight recruiting classes that were ranked in the top 10 nationally over his 19-year career.

Nollan has already made an impact since his arrival, recruiting five transfer players to the squad. Out of this bunch, one Wildcat is standing out. Third-year hitter Buse Hazan has already made a name for herself in the stat book. Hazan sits in the top five for team kills, service aces, digs and blocks. It is difficult to predict how she will grow under Nollan’s watch, but she could be Northwestern’s next volleyball star.

Veteran voices

Two Northwestern veterans have stepped up this year. Graduate setter Alexa Rousseau leads the team with 358 assists and sits second in kills with 123 this season. Her versatile skill set makes her a dominant force at the net. She is the Wildcats’ most seasoned veteran, playing 109 matches over the last five seasons for Northwestern. Rousseau sits fifth on Northwestern’s all-time assists list with 3,673 assists.

Rousseau’s fellow veteran, third-year middle blocker Kennedy Hill, is a leader on and off the court. In Northwestern’s Oct. 16 matchup against Iowa (9-11, 3-5 B1G), Hill radiated positive energy throughout the entire match. Alongside her impressive on-court performance, tallying 12 kills and six blocks, she energized the team as the hype man and played a crucial role in securing a hard-fought fourth-set victory for the ’Cats.

Hill’s role is especially important this season considering the unpredictability that comes with a coaching change. Hill’s teammates look to her as a beacon of hope and positive energy, much needed in a season bound to have many ups and downs.

Good things come to those who wait

Unfortunately for this year’s crew, Coach Nollan’s recipe for success is a multi-year process. Herding the ’Cats is like, well, herding cats. It is difficult to anticipate where they will go next. Luckily for Northwestern fans, Coach Nollan is up for the challenge. A few years from now, Northwestern volleyball just might be the cat’s meow.

Thumbnail photo by Tess Wagner / North by Northwestern