by Ball State women’s volleyball was right where they wanted to be in 2024: the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship game. But the season ended that match as the Cardinals fell 3-0 to Western Michigan.
It’s a feeling this year’s team still hasn’t forgotten.
“You can ask anybody in our gym, it’s what we work for every day, and we never want to feel like that again,” junior setter Lindsey Green said. “I think the fact that most of the people on this team have undergone that now, it’s like, ‘Okay, this is what we need to do to get better.”
One year removed from the loss and a 22-10 overall record — and a 13-5 MAC mark — the Cardinals know they can get back there. However, the program welcomes many new additions to its roster.
Because of this, Ball State head coach Kelli Miller Phillips mentioned there have been numerous moving parts throughout the offseason. However, she said this group’s ability to be coached has helped the transition.
“It was unknown how our chemistry was gonna be, what our identity was gonna be, and that’s something we worked really hard on in the first two weeks here,” Miller Phillips said. “This group has been incredibly receptive to coaching, incredibly receptive to whatever it takes. You tell them what they need to do and they’re all in.”
Miller Phillips enters her 10th season in 2025. Over that time, she has led Ball State to a 171-98 record while posting a 105-44 record in the MAC. Though this team features Cardinals who didn’t play in the title game, she said she wanted them to understand what this program is capable of.
“We were right there a year ago,” she said. “Now we have to do whatever it takes to just try to get a little bit better and put ourselves in that position again.”
Some Cardinals returning this season include sophomore outside hitter Carson Tyler and Green. Last season, both proved to be key components for Ball State’s success as Green had 291 assists while Tyler had 371 kills, which helped her become the 2024 MAC Freshman of the Year.
They aim to once again be a force on the court.
“We have big goals this year and we want to achieve them,” Tyler said. “We want to win the MAC, both the regular season and the tournament, and then go to the NCAA Tournament.”
While the Cardinals bring back other experienced players this year, such as junior middle hitter — and Wapahani High School graduate — Camryn Wise, three true freshmen and a few transfers are joining the team.
Green said the newest Cardinals have bought into the team’s mindset, and it has helped returners see some things in a different light.
“It’s really interesting because there are girls who have gone through it and girls who are transfers,” Green said. “They have a different perspective on what volleyball is like in college, so it’s kind of cool to understand them and what they’ve done and [it shows] what we have here is special.”
The Cardinals begin the 2025 season with the Minnesota Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ball State opens the event with its first match of the season against St. Thomas Friday, Aug. 29, at 5 p.m.
The Red and White will also face Minnesota and Cal Poly in the event. Whatever the result of the road trip is, Miller Phillips wants the Cardinals to trust their gut and remember everything they’ve been working on throughout the offseason.
“I told them the other day, we shouldn’t be playing our best volleyball today. We shouldn’t be playing our best volleyball a week from now,” Miller Phillips said. “We want to make sure we’re playing our best volleyball come November. For me, it’s remaining patient, trusting that process and reminding them to do the same.”
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu, zachcarter039@gmail.com or via X @ZachCarter85.
