Big Ten Volleyball Media Days 2022 Coaches and Athletes Interviews

Check the collection of Big Ten volleyball media days press conference interviews with the transcripts of questions and answers from the coaches and athletes.

di ncaa tournament bracket photo

The Second Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Player and Coach Volleyball Quotes Was A Huge Success

The second Big Ten event was held on August 4, 2023. 

Well here's some big news introdued this year... Washington and Oregon will transfer from the Pac 12 and join the Big 10 Conference



Emily Ehman Quotes About Big Ten Media Day 2023

Lots going on this season with major D-1 teams changing big time conferences...

Purdue at Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Wisconsin at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Penn State at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Iowa at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

What's it like paying at Nebraska?

Minnesota at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event


Highlights of Minnesota's Big Ten Player of the year Taylor Landfair

Michigan with Erin Virtue at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Nebraska with John Cook at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Indiana at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Michigan State at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Northwestern at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Illinois at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event

Maryland at the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day 2023 Event


The 2022 Big Ten volleyball media days event became the first collegiate conference to host an in-person preseason volleyball media event, providing yet another example of the Big Ten’s commitment to elevating women’s sports.  

Seven Big Ten Conference volleyball programs attended the Big Ten Network on Tuesday, Aug. 1 for a series of Big Ten volleyball media days interview sessions and other creative content opportunities to preview the 2023 volleyball season.


Michigan State Volleyball Schedule, Coach and Athlete Quotes at
Big Ten Volleyball Media Days

Michigan State Spartans Volleyball Schedule, Comments and Quotes at the Big Ten Volleyball media Days from Coach Leah Johnson and MSU volleyball players Rebecka Poljan and Nalani Iosia



The Big Ten Volleyball Media Days event on Monday, August 1, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois at the Big Ten Network was attended by interviewees Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson and top players who discussed the Michigan State volleyball schedule, the freshmen during this new upcoming season, and the 'no contact' rule during the summer. 


COACH JOHNSON: Thank you to the Big Ten. What a phenomenal opportunity to be here, to be representing Michigan State at the most elite conference level in the country for volleyball.

The Big Ten never fails to set the event higher and higher. This event is showcasing that. I was telling the athletes when we were arriving that some of my biggest joy is watching them get to shine, and this is an event that gives them another platform to do so.

We're grateful to be here. And thank you to the Big Ten.

We're now four and a half months going strong. 12 new faces to our roster. The majority of the people including myself have yet to play a full Big Ten schedule.

There's going to be a large learning curve. But that's the thing I'm most excited about. Quite honestly the grind, the climb, the process over time is why I coach. It's why I love to compete. That's what I should say. It's why I love to compete. They're why I coach, giving them that spotlight.

So hopefully you have lots of great questions for them and less for me. But I'm happy to take your questions.

Q. Nalani, can you talk about the change, the process, how it came about, what you think, anything?

NALANI IOSIA: I think the change has been something that was really good for me in every aspect of my life. I just needed just a new change, where I could grow as a person and a player. And I think this place was perfect for me.

Coach Johnson has been a huge impact on my life already even though I've only known her for four months. I feel I've known her forever. She's taught me so much about volleyball and who I am as a person and growing into something I've wanted to do for the past couple of years.

I think that's what inspired this change for me. And I think that's what I'm most looking forward to this season, just playing in the Big Ten, one of the best conferences for volleyball, super competitive every week, playing a top 10 seed and just growing in the game.

Q. What are the challenges of so many new faces on one team and kind of building rapport with one another, but also the exciting pieces of getting to do that as well?

REBECKA POLJAN: Being the senior, the one who has stuck around, it's been really cool to see everybody come in. Coach Johnson has done a great job not just recruiting great volleyball players but great people. There's going to be a learning curve when a bunch of new people.

Like, I met Nalani for the first time two months ago. But it's been really cool to see off the court that transition going from strangers to learning how to play around each other, to now being more comfortable and just being around each other more, becoming more of a family. It's been a really inspirational challenge to take on. But also to see everybody else growing so much. I've kind of gotten the privilege to see that behind the scenes and stuff.

But it really is an awesome thing to see so many new girls. We have two more girls joining us still. Very excited.

COACH JOHNSON: From my perspective, to add on to that, what's been impressive is the effort they've put in. Because it's very easy when there's so many new faces. Kind of like they teach you in CPR -- be direct with the person you want to help, right?

It would have been easy to deflect and defer to someone else to problem solve and bring the group together, because as we all know volleyball has no contact in the summer, unfortunately.

And so they've taken such stride to make themselves a family before I've even entered the gym with them. And I don't know that a lot of people would have put that effort into the level they have.

So I'm very grateful that that's the place that I get to step onto the court, where they provided, they've laid that ground work.

Q. You brought it up, the no contact during the summer. Can sense it bothers you. Do you see any progress there? Do you see it getting to a point where it will change?

COACH JOHNSON: I think it will change. Public pressure seems to influence the NCAA pretty frequently, especially when it comes to things of equity, inequalities. I think they're much more in tune with that.

When you've got the sport of volleyball, which is growing at an exponential rate on the women's and the men's side, the number one sport in girls high school, and then you're looking at this event, the inaugural right here in the Big Ten media day for our sport, it's almost impossible for it not to.

So that's my opinion. Their decision may be different. But I think they deserve -- now I'll tell you, I'm an advocate of letting our athletes have a lot of time of their own because that's where they develop their voice, their leadership. The very story she just told, that doesn't happen when I dictate every step they have to take.

And so I think there's a caution there as well. I want to step out of the way more often and let them guide themselves, motivate themselves. So that will be a balance I'm looking for, but when you've got what I could have done eight weeks this summer, just learning names, let's be honest, right?

Learning positions, repositioning, introducing a system. So we're going to have two and a half weeks before we're expected to win our first game to do all of that with all these new faces. And we're going to do frickin' do it.

Press Conference
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Nebraska Volleyball Schedule, Coach and Athlete Quotes at
Big Ten Volleyball Media Days

Nebraska Volleyball Schedule, Comments and Quotes from Coach John Cook and Huskers volleyball players Kenzie Knuckles and Madi Kubik

The Big Ten Volleyball Media Days event on Monday, August 1, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois at the Big Ten Network was attended by interviewees Nebraska head coach John Cook and top players Kenzi Knuckles and Madi Kubik who discussed the Nebraska volleyball schedule, the upcoming season, the NIL, the recruiting success for the team and a preview on the NCAA tournament.

Nebraska Volleyball Schedule, Comments and Quotes from Coach John Cook and Huskers volleyball players Kenzie Knuckles and Madi Kubik



COACH COOK: First of all, about a month ago, Grace called me from the Big Ten. She said what do you think about this idea. And I just said it's great. Can you pull it off? And obviously she pulled it off.

Thank you to Big Ten for doing this. Incredible experience for the student-athletes. It's a great statement for our sport. One of my hopes and wishes from all this is this is now going to spread to other conferences and continue to validate the growth of volleyball in this country and how big it is and the Big Ten is certainly leading the way in setting the example.

So, again, a big thank you to the Big Ten. And I also want to thank the Nebraska media for coming all the way out here. And I know we're very well represented. And, again, I think it's making a major statement about the importance of volleyball in the state of Nebraska and what this means to everybody who follows us.

Q. Kayla entered the transfer portal last week. How does that impact what you're going to do this season and your plans for the middle block position?

COACH COOK: We still have, last I checked, we still have three middle blockers. They'll compete just like they were going to compete before.

And I think I should probably just clarify how all this went because this is a very unusual situation. I've read some of the things that have been written. Everybody thinks they know what's going on. I'll just elaborate a little bit on what unfolded.

In November I asked Kayla do you want to come back for your super senior year? And she said yes. And I want to get a second master's. She finished the season. Started in the spring. And our compliance people went through months and weeks of work to get her a seventh year. It was not a done deal. It was very complicated. They worked very hard to get that passed.

They also hit us with a year penalty if she was going to play at Nebraska that we could take this year or next year. So we continued to have discussions. I double checked with Kayla -- are you sure you want to do this because it cost us a lot. And we were fully committed to two scholarships to her over two years for her to play her super senior year.

And I only asked two things from her on that. One is to be a super senior, meaning to set an example, be a role model. And two, I asked her why she wanted to come back and she said I want to help us win a national championship; we were so close.

Well, so things continued to unfold. We made a couple of appeals. Some things changed. But by May it was all worked out and the ball was in her court. As far as I knew she was coming back. I was awaiting for her to do her announcements, which all these transfers do, because I think -- it's like going through recruiting again. We were waiting for that. It never happened.

Last week she said she was done. That's about all I know. But it's made me think a lot about a lot of things. And I'll tell you, first of all, I learned about super seniors. There's only two reasons they should come back. One, to finish unfinished business; and, two, to get a master's degree. And she already has a master's degree. And I think once she lost that motivation to get that second degree, I think they lose their way on why they're at a university. And at that point it's probably time to go play pro if you want to go play pro.

The other thing that really has made me realize is what NIL has done to college sports and these athletes because now you see who is transferring and who is leaving. And I could go through several examples. It's all about where can I get the next best deal.

And this has infiltrated college sports. And it's a sad deal. And so it just takes me back to a scene in the movie about the 1980 U.S. hockey team when their coach asked them, are you playing for the team on -- the name on the front of your jersey or are you playing for the name on the back of your jersey.

All I know is at Nebraska volleyball I want kids we're going to recruit kids that want to play for Nebraska and that's what they're here for and that's what they want. If there's things that come along with that, with NIL and other opportunities, great. But that's the most important thing. I hope I've got a group of kids -- we start next Tuesday -- that they're playing for the name on the front of their jersey.

Q. I think Kayla made an Instagram post saying the coach said she would not have a scholarship available this fall?

COACH COOK: I just told you we were fully committed to her financial situation for two years. She had everything covered.

Q. I understand when you said you were under penalty, she would count double scholarship or --

COACH COOK: That is correct.

Q. She would count for -- if she would have come back she would have counted as two scholarship players?

COACH COOK: That's correct.

Q. In the future you would lose a scholarship for four years?

COACH COOK: No, just for one year, one year penalty. Now, if you want to go into why that happened, we don't have enough time today. But that's an NCAA rule. They basically hit us with that because she's a very unusual situation, and it really penalized her to get her master's is what happened. She should never have graduated with her master's in January, which was originally her plan when she came to Nebraska. That really messed things up. It would have been better to tell her, don't -- but we didn't know at the time, because it goes through a process and it happened in the spring.

Ohio State Volleyball Schedule, Coach and Athlete Quotes at
Big Ten Volleyball Media Days

Ohio State Volleyball Schedule, Comments and Quotes from
Coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg and Buckeyes Mac Podraza and Kylie Murr

COACH FLYNN OLDENBURG: First of all, we're just really appreciative to be here, first-ever event. It's really exciting for the sport of volleyball for our conference and for our student-athletes that are here today and tomorrow to be part of this event.

It's remarkable, and it's exceeded expectations. So thank you to everybody at the Big Ten that have pulled this off and made it pretty wonderful and for everybody here today that is also part of this event.

Q. You should be really good this year, shouldn't you?

COACH FLYNN OLDENBURG: I would think so. I think with the returning corps that we have and the experience we have in really key positions, the expectations are high. But this team's hungry and have really worked hard since that last ball dropped against Georgia Tech to put us back in the mix.

And our goals are lofty. But I think the work they've put in the offseason should speak volumes. And hopefully it does because our schedule is not light.

Q. Can you both talk about that?

MAC PODRAZA: I think what she said, the last ball dropped against Georgia Tech, and in that post-match press conference I said I want a Big Ten Championship. We're going into my senior year and we've got a good group, like J-FO said.

We're returning most of our girls, I think our core is there and we're ready to get going. We've been ready to get going. I think J-FO scheduled us well and we're really excited to compete against some of the top teams in the nation and some really historic programs. So I'm excited.

KYLIE MURR: Talking about experience I think that's going to be our strength this year. When you get to the end everyone is good and everyone has talent. I think it's going to be about who has the best chemistry and who is willing to fight for one another.

So I think that's really something that we have going for us considering a lot of us are returners and three or four-year starters. Yeah, we may have not got all five, six transfers, but we have each other and we've built like a big community.

Q. Mac, in the, quote, way too early preseason video, Emily from the Big Ten Network said you're her pick for setter of the and player of the year candidate. What's it like to have that accolade so early on and having the whole offseason to think about something like that?

MAC PODRAZA: It's an honor to have those accolades and have those things being said about me and my name even being thrown in the mix. It's a huge honor, I think I'm really focused on this season and getting this team as far as we can.

I think those end-of-season accolades are awesome and they kind of show how hard you worked throughout the year. But I think the real prize is that Big Ten Championship or that national championship at the end. I think that's where my mind's at. That's where my mind's been at. That's where -- I'm ready to go.




Penn State Volleyball Schedule, Coach and Athlete Quotes at
Big Ten Volleyball Media Days

Penn State Volleyball Schedule, Comments and Quotes from
Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley and Nittany Lions volleyball players Taylor Trammell and Anjelina Starck



The Big Ten Volleyball Media Days event on Monday, August 1, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois at the Big Ten Network was attended by interviewees Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley and top players Taylor Trammell and Anjelina Starck who discussed the Penn State volleyball schedule, the upcoming season, the NIL, the recruiting success for the team and a preview on the NCAA tournament.

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: I want to thank Commissioner Warren, the Big Ten office, our senior women's administrators who pushed for this event. We're really lucky and fortunate to be here. And I'm excited for our players and the future of volleyball. And we're happy to be here.

Q. Of course with Coach Rose leaving, big shoes to fill. The question most coaches have been asked this weekend. How will you honor him and his legacy, and what are you going to bring to the table?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: Like I've said before, I feel a great deal of responsibility to continue the traditions and the legacy that Coach made this all possible, not only for Penn State volleyball, but I think Big Ten volleyball and the country, that he's kind of set the tone and paved the way for so many people.

I'm excited to continue that, and I want Penn State volleyball to continue to rise and always be great.

Q. With so many newcomers coming to the program, how have you addressed adding them and getting the team cohesion together?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: With not being able to train in the summer, the girls have been lifting and doing conditioning with our strength coach. But everyone's been here. I'm proud of how they've been treating each other and working together. And I'll let you know in a week how it is in the gym. But I'm excited to get in there with everyone.

We have four transfers, four freshmen, nine returners, I'm looking forward to getting them together and getting them working and being on the same page.

Q. What have you seen from Anjelina and Taylor so far this week, this summer?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: Anj was back this spring. It was great to see her in the gym. She improved. Got a lot stronger.

Anj works really hard. She's going to do things on her own that will separat her from other athletes. Excited what she'll do this year. She'll definitely make an impact.

Taylor, we're happy Taylor chose Penn State the second time around. Obviously she has the experience in the Big Ten that we need and we're looking forward to her holding down the middle and do some great things.

Q. Taylor, what did you see from Penn State when you were lining up from them across the net, and what ultimately led you to the program, joining them this year?

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: Everyone knows Penn State has like the best legacy there is when it comes to volleyball. And seeing their team was going to be fresh was something I was looking for, a fresh start.

I just felt really welcomed when I got here. Just the overall energy was something that really intrigued me.

Q. (Question about departure of Jenna).

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: I think Maddy did a really great job in the spring. Cassie's doing really nice things. Quinn has come in, she'll be able to help us out. But who is going to be in that position yet? I don't know.

Q. Also setter, you have a couple of options with (indiscernible).

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: We have two new setters, a freshman Katie Hurta and Seleisa, who is our transfer. We'll see what they do in the gym and who will earn that spot.

Q. Can you tell us where you started and all the stops to get to this spot in this building?

ANJELINA STARCK: Too many.

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: It's been great. No complaining on our part.

ANJELINA STARCK: It's been a lot of fun.

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: The podcast, SiriusXM. That was nice. Making all the TikToks, it's been great. Treated us with kindness. I'm happy.

Q. Do you remember all the stuff you did?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: I mean, I do.

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: We started off with the interviews downstairs. And then we went to another interview room.

ANJELINA STARCK: We went to the radio podcast.

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: Radio. ESPN. TikToks. Came up here. Did the Big Ten. And then --

ANJELINA STARCK: More TikToks.

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: More TikToks.

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: They're a big fan of the TikToks. But this is the most important one, right?

Q. What did you do on TikTok?

ANJELINA STARCK: We danced.

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: A lot of dances.

Q. Did coach get involved?

ANJELINA STARCK: Yeah, a little bit.

Q. How similar is Taylor's style to Kaitlyn Hord, and how much do you have to kind of change the offensive attack with a big piece leaving like her?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: Taylor's Taylor. I'm not going to compare her to anyone. Taylor brings a lot to the table. She's who she is. And she's going to help us and she's going to be a force in the Big Ten.

We replaced quite a few players that graduated and went on to new schools, and I'm confident the players we brought in are going to embrace being in the Big Ten. It's a Big Ten school and it's Penn State.

Q. How has being a head coach changed since you were a head coach to know with the different responsibilities?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: It's all the media stuff, right? No, I've been fortunate the schools I've been at. UIC and at UPENN, both schools that really did the best they could with volleyball. I've been fortunate to be around a lot of really good people. I'm happy to be here.

Q. How has the transfer portal changed? It wasn't much when you were (indiscernible). How has that changed, knowing it gives you an opportunity to refresh and kind of define (indiscernible) your own?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: It's changed the game for sure. I liked it because we were able to get players like Taylor and Seleisa and Zoe and Cass, and players that are going to make an impact in this conference.

We were in a position that we had to get transfers. I would like all of our players to stay. But they have this unique opportunity to go somewhere for grad school or maybe it wasn't the best fit. And I think it's a wild world, but I'm happy with the ones we ended up with.

Q. Where were you when you heard UCLA and USC (indiscernible), and what were your thoughts on them joining an already super strong conference?

ANJELINA STARCK: I don't remember exactly where I was, but I'm excited because it just adds even more really good competition to the Big Ten, more -- I don't know, I'm really excited for it.

TAYLOR TRAMMELL: I found out through social media, and I hate to be superficial but I was excited. I was like we get trips out to Cali now, so I was fine with it. But they're two really good programs out there, and I'm excited to play them. I'll get like a year with them, a season. But I'm excited.

Q. Zoe Weatherington, she may hit the hardest ball of anybody. When she's on, she's a really good player. Could you tell us how you got her and what she might do for you?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: Zoe was one of the ones that went in the portal. We reached out to her and started those conversations. I think she really took her time.

She visited a couple schools, and we really connected when she came on campus. And I'm excited to see what she's going to do here. We'll look for her to be more of a right-side player, but we'll see.

Like I said, we haven't been in the gym at all with these girls this summer. So it will be a lot of new things right away.


Penn State Volleyball Schedule, Comments and Quotes from
Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley and Nittany Lions volleyball players Taylor Trammell and Anjelina Starck

Q. Anjelina, you said the teams are going through a lot of change this year. What have you seen from coach that she's put her stamp on the program to make her own, what differences have you seen?

ANJELINA STARCK: One thing that's always stuck out to me is being -- like, during the spring we started it, is being grateful for everything you have.

Before practices, we always have our grateful circle, even if it's something small. And just showing that everything we have we can't take for granted for.

Q. What do you miss about Coach Rose?

ANJELINA STARCK: I really loved playing for him. I don't know what I miss. I'm trying to think of stuff. But I'm just happy that I got the opportunity because I learned so much from him because he's been around the game for such a long time.

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: He sends his best. Called me this morning.

Q. How important is Chicago and the Midwest in general in terms of recruiting?

COACH SCHUMACHER-CAWLEY: Midwest has a lot of good volleyball going on. We have quite a few kids from Illinois on our team now. We'll continue to recruit the best players that will fit into Penn State.


Big Ten Volleyball Media Days
Illinois Press Conference



Big Ten Volleyball Media Days
Iowa Press Conference

Big Ten Volleyball Media Days
Maryland Press Conference

Big Ten Volleyball Media Days
Minnesota Press Conference

Big Ten Volleyball Media Days
Rutgers Press Conference

Big Ten Volleyball Media Days
Wisconsin Press Conference




Watch the 2022 NCAA women's volleyball national championship match, played between Texas and Louisville in Omaha, Nebraska.

Texas sought its first title in a decade while Louisville was playing in its first-ever championship game.



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Sign up now!Private or semiprivate volleyball indoor/sand lessons are an excellent way for young Las Vegas high school volleyball players to quickly improve their individual skills through a private or semi-private coaching experience. These lessons are conducted by former pro volleyball player, former USA Volleyball High Performance instructor and Evaluator and Tstreet Vegas 18s head Coach April Chapple on a weekly basis. Sign up now!


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You might like these pages below about when is NCAA volleyball championship and other important volleyball tournaments. . 





  1. Improve Your Volleyball Performance with Private Volleyball Coach April Chapple
  2. Volleyball Tournaments Manhattan 6 Man and Other Summer Tournaments
  3. Big Ten Volleyball Media Days 2022 Coaches and Athletes Interviews


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