Photo Creds: Glen Devitt
The Indiana Wesleyan University Volleyball team once again found themselves on the mountaintop after repeating as NAIA National Champions dramatically.
Things went smoothly for the Wildcats in the opening round of the NAIA Championship Tournament, losing just one set all the way until the championship match. Then, on Dec. 10, the fifth-seeded Bellevue University gave them everything they could handle in an epic five-set thriller.
It took an unprecedented eight straight points in the fifth set for the Wildcats to ultimately claim the red banner, something neither the coaches nor the players had ever seen the likes of. Eva Joldersma, a junior who repeated as NAIA Player of the Year this season, couldn’t help but feel doubt when the Wildcats trailed 14-8 in set five, but she and her team refused to give in.
“At that point, it was an option that we might lose the game,” Joldersma said. “But I specifically remember looking at our setter, Abbie and we didn’t have to say anything, but we just kind of made eye contact and nodded, and we’re like, yep, we’re going to keep fighting. We’re not going to let up.”
Autumn Colehour, a freshman from Chandler, Arizona, was behind the service line for eight straight points to lead the Wildcats to a national title. Colehour felt a lot of pressure and nerves at the moment but was encouraged by her coaches and teammates and relied on muscle memory to perform without flaw.
Throughout the season, the Wildcats faced many highs and lows before heading to Sioux City, Iowa, for the NAIA Championships. They suffered two losses in their first five games, but it didn’t rattle them and may have actually been a blessing in disguise.
“We anticipated that we were going to lose at some point down the road,” Moats said. “So when it happened early on, I was really grateful, actually…it didn’t devastate us like I thought.”
From start to finish, the Wildcats did everything this season for the glory of God. Moats said the team met once a week for a prayer meeting and prayed on the court after every match, oftentimes with opposing teams.
The way the season ended for the Wildcats was nothing short of a miracle. When asked how they could pull it off, the Wildcats point back to their foundation, which is their faith in Christ.
“Looking back, I have no words other than it was like a miracle and a gift from the Lord,” Joldersma said.
The back-to-back NAIA National titles are the only two championships the IWU Volleyball team has. In the past two seasons as champions, the team has racked up an impressive 75-2 record.
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