Moments before a serve earlier this season, outside hitter Sarah Kushner found herself in the front row alongside fellow Redbird volleyball seniors Kendee Hilliard ’21 and Nicole Lund. Kushner glanced back from the net at senior libero Kaity Weimerskirch, and with all four Illinois State seniors on the floor, Kushner smiled and exclaimed, “Senior power. Let’s go!”
The Redbirds won the point, and later, the match.
Illinois State’s four seniors have won a lot over the past four years. They’ve gone 65-37 overall and 37-15 in Missouri Valley Conference matches en route to three-consecutive Valley Tournament titles resulting in three-straight automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.
This year, they aim to lead the Redbirds to their fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time in program history. In doing so, the seniors would become just the second Illinois State volleyball class to make the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive years.
“We’re trying to carry on the winning tradition while adding new pieces,” Weimerskirch said. “We’re all stepping up to the challenge and embracing it.”
Picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference, the Redbirds are led by first-year head coach Allie Matters. Also a winner, Matters guided Wright State to two NCAA Tournament appearances in the past three seasons.
“The group of seniors here and their ability to lead has been really great for us as a new staff,” Matters said. “When you become accustomed to winning, it is just a standard. That’s their expectation. And I feed off that energy.”
Kushner, a reigning All-Valley First Team selection, has already made her mark in Illinois State’s record book. She became the 22nd Redbird to reach 1,000 kills during last weekend’s Valley sweep at Indiana State, and she is just the seventh player in program history to reach the 1,000-mark in kills and digs. Weimerskirch, also a first team all-conference pick last season, ranks fifth on Illinois State’s career digs list.
But winning a fourth-straight championship while solidifying the foundation for future success—not individual accolades—is the top priority for the seniors.
“I feel like this program can go even farther in the future,” said Lund who ranks 22nd in career blocks. “It’s just instilling the mindset of wanting to be successful into every class that comes behind us. I hope we can carry on the legacy of those who came before us.”
The seniors have gladly shared the spotlight this season with teammates including junior Kaitlyn Prondzinski and freshman Regan Haith. Prondzinski was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week September 6 while Haith earned Valley Defensive Player of the Week accolades. As a team, the Redbirds recorded a statement victory September 17, upsetting No. 25 Illinois, 3-2.
Following seven-straight road matches, the Redbirds return to Redbird Arena this weekend for their first home conference games of the season. Illinois State hosts Valparaiso Friday, September 30, at 6 p.m. for Pack the Arena Night. Admission is free for Friday’s Family Weekend match as the Redbirds attempt to break the program attendance record—currently 5,641.
Friday’s match is also billed as a “blackout,” with the Redbirds wearing their specialty black uniforms at home for the first time and the first 200 Illinois State students to enter receiving a free black T-shirt as part of Shirtember presented by Young America. The first 600 students will get free pizza from Pizza Ranch. The Redbirds then host newly added Valley foe UIC Sunday, October 2 at 4 p.m.
Hilliard, an aspiring athletics administrator who graduated early and is pursuing a master’s degree in sport management, said she is relishing every moment of her senior season—from playing in front of the home crowd to connecting with her teammates.
“Whenever we’re leading team discussions, it’s like, ‘Hey, we need to be grateful for this moment, because it’s our last,’” Hilliard said.
Kushner added that she and her teammates have grown as players and as individuals over the past four years, and although the composition of the team changes each season, the goals stay the same.
“We want to win the conference. We want to win the tournament,” Kushner said. “We couldn’t have done it before without the seniors and people who came before us. So, now we’re in the leadership role as seniors, and it’s challenging, but I’m glad that we all have each other together as a unit.”
