After regional volleyball loss, Iowa City Regina's excitement for future rules the day
FAIRBANK − Iowa City Regina Catholic's season to remember came to an end Monday after a 3-0 Class 2A regional semifinal loss at Wapsie Valley. Scores were 25-17, 25-10, 25-13.
The Regals ended the year with a 19-15 record, their second-highest win total of the past five seasons.
Regina's success was a welcome surprise after many expected the team to be in a rebuilding stage after losing seven seniors from the 2021 team.
That allowed upperclassmen who had not gotten much playing time in the past a chance to step up. Younger players earned opportunities too, as multiple freshmen carved out substantial roles for themselves.
"We told the girls in the huddle that I thought this was going to be a rebuilding year," co-head coach Brandon Mills said. "They have far exceeded my expectations and I am super proud of them. They came in every night ready to work and were great in the gym. It was completely unexpected."
In addition to the influx of new players, the arrival of co-head coach Lauren Hansen proved to be a welcome change.
Hansen said before the season that she wants to build something special at Regina, and that plan is quickly coming to fruition.
"Right after this match, players were coming up to me asking what they could do to be ready for next year," Hansen said. "They tell me that they are ready to grind. That is what makes coaching this team so exciting because they are willing to buy in, take that extra step, and move forward."
The team's three seniors, Brooke Greiner-Gonzalez, Jillian Panthers and Courtney Kessler, all stepped up in their larger roles. Greiner-Gonzalez, in particular, made a major improvement. Coming into Monday's match, she had 86 kills and 49 blocks. Last season, she had seven kills and no blocks.
While Greiner-Gonzalez's personal growth was a bright spot, it was those around her that made this season one she will never forget.
"We have great coaches and so much talent with these young girls, which is what sets us apart," Greiner-Gonzalez said. "Every one of these girls has stepped up and become a leader, including freshmen who I never expected them to, but they have."
Noticing the hard work the group put into their final season, Mills said they have grown so much since he met them as middle-schoolers.
"I have been with most of these girls since they were in seventh or eighth grade," Mills said. "It has been like night and day watching them grow. Brooke (Greiner-Gonzalez) is a prime example of that just by seeing the work she put in during the off-season. She left for a year and played club volleyball, and when she came back I did not even recognize her. I cannot say enough about Brooke and all of our seniors."
As hard as it is to say goodbye, Regina will bring back a lot of talented players next year.
Freshman Reese Naeve has already begun making noise on the state-wide level after finishing top-15 in the state in kills. Joining her will be other starters such as setter Sydney Wagner, middle hitter Kiley Devery and outside hitter Caitlin Martin.
With so many starters coming back next season, Hansen said she cannot help but be excited for what the future holds.
"We are young, which is super exciting," Hansen said. "What Reese Naeve and Kiley Devery have started to impact on this program is phenomenal. If we can start getting kids in the gym like that, with Sydney Wagner as our senior leader next year, it is going to be pretty incredible."
The sky is the limit for how high Regina can fly in the coming seasons.
"All of the girls on the team are going to be amazing next year," Greiner-Gonzalez said. "I see nothing but promise on this team and I have never been able to say that before. Every girl on the court deserves to be there."
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City Regina volleyball excited for future despite regional loss
