After a dominant regular season and an opening round win in the national tournament, the No. 4-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University women’s volleyball team continues to exhibit the greatness, unity, and faith-driven purpose that defines their program.
Eva Joldersma, a senior outside hitter from Hudsonville, Michigan, was recently named Crossroads League Player of the Year for the third year in a row. In the Wildcats opening round sweep of Stephens College (Mo.), she posted 8 kills, 10 digs, and an ace to pace the Wildcat attack.
“I think the match was good. The second set was a little bit harder, but we just stuck together,” Joldersma said. “I think that’s been a big thing this season. Even when we’re down points, we really rely on each other and tap into each other’s gifts more and are able to dig ourselves out of that too,” she said.
Although the team has high expectations due to their past success as back-to-back national champions, Joldersma emphasized the importance of playing with joy and fun. She said she tries to push herself and her teammates to see where God takes them.
“It is a blessing to play with talented and great-character girls who love each other and love Christ above all, which is our motivation on and off the court,” Joldersma said. She added that it is important to have teammates who care about her beyond her role as a player.
Joldersma said her coach also has high expectations of the team, always pushing them to do their best both on and off the court. She said she appreciates her coach’s ability to keep the team motivated and striving for excellence.
As her college career nears its end, the two-time national player of the year acknowledged the changing future.
“Yeah, it’s definitely bittersweet. It’s going to be super, super hard leaving the girls and the team behind for sure, but looking back, these years have been a blessing and super great. I’ve grown a lot as a person and with my faith too, with just the sisters around me, so that’s been amazing. It’s definitely going to be sad stepping away from it and a different change in life, but I’m excited for what God has in store for all of us seniors and where he takes us,” Joldersma said.
Joldersma said that in her four years, she learned how to face adversity and the importance of having sisters in Christ to support her. She said she hopes to be remembered for the joy and fun she brought to others and the stewardship of her God-given abilities.
Abbigail Porter, a senior setter from Winona Lake, Indiana, was named the Crossroads League Setter of the Year for the third straight season. Porter attributes the award to her team’s hard work and the support of her teammates.
“It’s definitely a huge blessing to be able to get that award. I think it just shows how much work our team has put into the season. I can’t be a good setter without good hitters like Eva or good passers like Cadee, so I would say that’s definitely a team award. For me, it just shows all the work put in the last four years and just the opportunities that God has given me to use my talents,” Porter said.
The two-time NAIA Setter of the Year said that the team’s connection in their opening round victory was very strong, just as it was in the conference tournament. In the games before that, she felt things were clicking really well, and even when things were not going perfectly, they still found ways to fight back.
Porter said that even when things are not going well, they proved to themselves that they have what is necessaire to win.
“The success we have comes from our unity, team bonding, and trust on the courts. We build trust through off-court activities, such as team bonding and prayer, which is crucial for us,” Porter said.
Porter also acknowledges the difficulty of the national tournament and the focus they need to put into playing well and connecting well with each other as they head to Sioux City. As her career nears its end, she said she is reflecting on the special bond within her class and the legacy she wants to leave behind.
“I feel like my class coming in was just a really special group of girls. Everyone clicked really well at the beginning, and then even when people were added my sophomore year, like Marissa (Mullins) and Day (Luis), and then Jess (Ickes) was added my junior year. Even though they weren’t here all four years, it still seems like they were just because everyone works so well together,” Porter said. “I think a big part of our class was just making the culture something different here, like bringing Both/And into it. I know the athletic department talks about that a lot, but I think that we really did buy into that and want to make the culture a big part of it, which in turn helped with our success.”
Porter said she wants to be remembered for her kindness and ability to bring the team together, both on and off the court.
Head coach Candace Moats is in her twenty-third season leading the Wildcats. She was named the Crossroads League Coach of the Year for the eighth time in her career.
“Being named coach of the year is really not why I do what I do. As grateful as I am to receive the honor, it really is a reflection of the great work the team accomplishes on the court. For the team to receive a first-round tournament win is summed up in all the dedication, hard work and selflessness this team displays every day. I could not be happier for all of them,” Moats said.
Moats said that the opening round performance against the Stars displayed heart. As they now compete in Sioux City, she said that the focus will be on preparing the team to address the characteristics each opponent brings and how to counter their strengths, while also focusing on their own strengths and what has brought them this far in the season. A large factor of that success comes from the senior leadership of this roster.
“Eva and Abbie left a legacy on how to perform the Both/And philosophy our athletics department lives by. They pursue excellence at the highest level but do it all for the Glory of God,” Moats said.
The support the program has received throughout the years is very appreciated.
“This was all accomplished and encouraged because of the fans who supported us. Whether you were a student, a coach, a friend, a parent or just came to see a really good volleyball team, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Moats said.
As the Wildcats progress deeper into the NAIA National Tournament, one theme remains clear; their foundation is built on more than numbers, trophies, or wins. For seniors like Joldersma and Porter, this season marks not just the culmination of years of physical improvement but also the influence of a deep-linked community founded in faith, joy, and shared purpose. Under Coach Moats, that has certainly been reaffirmed. Success is achieved with unity, humility, and an eye to something higher than oneself.
The 4th-seeded Wildcats will play their NAIA Quarterfinals matchup vs 5th-seeded Corban University of Oregon at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 6, at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
