In recent years, there have been longer runs than the one the 2019 Southwestern University Pirates volleyball team took to the SCAC Championship semifinals, including SCAC Championships and numerous trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Still, few seasons have been as valuable under Head Coach Don Flora in building a culture set in the Pirate way.
"This season was a really big marker in terms of what our culture looks like in walking and talking the Pirate way," Flora said. "This team is one of the top five I've ever coached in taking care of their teammates, taking care of their sister next to them, which is huge in the Pirate way."
Early team cohesiveness bodes well for a team likely to spend multiple years growing and developing together. This year's iteration was comprised almost entirely of first years and sophomores with seniors Landri Brown and Jazmin Howard the lone upperclassmen.
"When you think of seven new starters and 15 underclassmen, there's a lot to that," Flora said. "Part of it is not only understanding our systems, but understanding the people next to you. Not just your own personal skills but how you mesh and get comfortable with those next to you."
It was baptism by fire early for the young Pirates, facing the eventual College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin champion Carthage Lady Reds and eventual Northwest Conference champion Whitworth Pirates in the opening weekend at the Southwestern University Fall Invitational.
After two losses to those national powers, the Pirates showcased their capacity for learning and adapting with a victory the next weekend against Pacific Lutheran University, ranked No. 23 in the nation at the time of the match.
"It's important to have a high volleyball IQ, a high learning IQ, because learning is job number one," Flora said. "We like to play chess and do a pretty good job of being good on the fly and being able to make quality in-game adjustments."
Adapting on the fly was both the obstacle and key to success on the season for a team that had to practically learn its offense from scratch in the preseason, then tweak it completely midway through once it lost starting first-year setter Katelyn Whitehead for the remainder of the year.
Whitehead was averaging 9.37 assists per set, a mark that would have led the SCAC had she played enough matches to be eligible, when health issues cut her season short after 16 matches.
For a team with plenty of young arms to swing in the front row while passing in the back, losing the one player directing it all could have been a damning blow if not for the versatility of sophomore right side and setter Lauren Crabtree.
Crabtree stepped in as the full-time setter while reserve setter Jess Mayer caught up to speed and retained setter duties as the team switched between a 5-1 and 6-2 setting alignment as Mayer eased into a larger role. And Crabtree didn't so much change roles as she simply added more responsibilities to those she already had.
"With Lauren, one of the things you have to compliment her on is handling such a demanding workload," Flora said. "In the chess match we like to play, we can do so many things next year because what she was able to do and learn this year, handling all the injuries, the rookies, and the varied workload."
In this chess metaphor, Crabtree was like the queen, able to mimic the moves of every piece around her from one spot on the court, finishing with 277 kills, 528 assists, 55 service aces, 349 digs, and 41 blocks with four triple-doubles on her way to earning First Team All-SCAC honors.
"It is truly special to watch such a strong, powerful woman really blossom," Flora said. "She has the ultimate skill set, from having the most aces and hitting the hardest in the gym to having to block the opponent's best attacker and defending all while running the offense, she does it all."
Next to Crabtree, first year middle blocker Riley Brantley had a strong debut, earning Second Team All-SCAC honors after producing 255 kills on a .273 hitting percentage with 82 blocks and 13 service aces. She established herself as a potential centerpiece in the Pirates' on-the-fly style showcasing the ability to vary her swing patterns and attack angles to keep defenses off balance, working with multiple setters and through an arm injury over the last half of the season.
"Handling the number of things we asked her to learn and develop was tremendous," Flora said. "And to go through a painful arm injury and handling that from a technical, emotional, and physical level, we give her a lot of credit. Her quiet, intense demeanor was really powerful and an important part of her and the team's success."
Whatever individual success came this year was part of a team effort, built on versatility, intelligence, and a strong passing game led by Ali Grona, starting in her first season at libero after the Pirates graduated former SCAC Back Row Player of the Year Brandi Campos.
"Ali is so physically talented and sees the game at a high level, so now it's just emotionally managing herself while technically, there are a few things where she can be more efficient," Flora said. "We talk about simple over complex and her eyes are starting to see this game at a high level, so it's just about fine tuning things.
"I think, when you look at her passing numbers, this was her best passing year. The team was solid all year long I serve receive and if you can serve and pass at a high level, you will be in a lot of matches."
As the season wore on, there were few matches the Pirates weren't competitive in, giving top 10-ranked Trinity University and Colorado College all any team could handle in a four-match set with inexperience often being the lone difference in the few details that swing such high-level matches.
"Our team learned the demands of how the rhythm of this conference goes and what it takes to manage the demands of our daily work," Flora said. "Ultimately, you can't fabricate experience. There's experience individually and experience with the teammates next to you.
"I think once we settle in and have a solid spring to work, the sky will be the limit with this group next year and beyond."