After sweeping the final home weekend of the season, Cal Poly volleyball clinched their first Big West Conference title in ten years Saturday night, sweeping third-place UC Irvine in three sets. 

For Cal Poly head coach Sam Crosson, the title marks the apex of a five year reconstruction of a program that went 4-26 in the year before he arrived. For the three seniors on the roster — Raeann Griesen, Savannah Neiman, and Taylor Nelson, the team’s 19th win in a row came on Senior Day at Mott Athletic Center. 

Mott dominance

Cal Poly finished their home season without losing a match at Mott all season. One thing that’s helpful is that they don’t play any non-conference games at home. But the Mustangs weren’t just good at home. They were dominant. In TOTAL, Cal Poly dropped just three sets at home in eight matches — two of those sets were against Hawai’i in their five-set victory. Cal Poly isn’t likely to host any NCAA Tournament games, but crowds definitely grew over the course of the season and you can bet that the Mustangs will start next season with about as big a home-court advantage as you can have in the Big West, aside from Hawai’i.

The right mix

Cal Poly used a familiar formula on the attack on Saturday night. Names like Van Winden, Nelson, Greisen, and Neiman led the way. Even in a three-set match in past years, Greisen or Adlee Van Winden would have a hugely disproportionate number of attacks and kills. Because they have such a depth of talent this season, Cal Poly has been able to limit each player’s number of swings. 

Volleyball health can be a cumulative thing. With the conference wrapped-up, it will be interesting to see if any players get days off or far less game usage on the road this week in preparation for the NCAA Tournament at the end of the month.

Mott Madness

Mott Athletic Center has been rocking the past few weeks. Starting with the Hawai’i game, Cal Poly drew 3,032, 2,781, 2,234, and 1,624 fans. Drawing almost 2,500 fans per game down the stretch is a pretty great number at Cal Poly. Being a top-25 team, this group certainly deserves all the attention they’re getting.

Alumnae on-hand

The conference-clinching match came in front of many of Crosson’s first freshman class that included Taylor Gruenewald and Shannon Fouts, among others. Those players endured 12-17 and 9-17 records in their first two seasons with the program, attended Cal Poly before there even was a beach program, and helped groom many of the younger players who are undefeated in conference play with just two matches left.

I didn’t pay a lot of attention to volleyball prior to Crosson’s arrival, but I know the culture wasn’t what he wanted it to be early-on. Changing culture isn’t always easy. This group has done it, and come out on the other side with all the success they could have hoped for. 

Congratulations are, certainly, in order. 

Photos from Friday night below by Owen Main. 

For more photos, or to purchase photos, click here.  If you just want to contribute to the cause, Venmo @Owen-Main or paypal owen@fansmanship.com. 

The Cal Poly Volleyball team is off to their best start since I was just a few months old (1981) and their best start in the Division I era at 15-2 overall and 6-0 in Big West Conference play. This is, or could be, arguably, the best Cal Poly Volleyball team the school has ever put on the court. On Saturday, they’ll be tested by perennial powerhouse Hawai’i.

The Rainbow Wahine have their first new head coach since the mid 70’s, but are still a force to be reckoned with. They are 10-5 on the season and also undefeated so far in Big West Conference play. Cal Poly has beaten Long Beach State at the Pyramid, have a higher RPI, and were effectively ranked 26th in the nation in the coaches poll this week.

Torrey Van Winden, a transfer from UCLA and Adlee’s younger sister, has been a revelation for Cal Poly’s already high-powered attack. By Owen Main

With Torrey and Adlee Van Winden, Raeann Griesen, and Savannah Niemen leading the attack and Taylor Nelson setting the table, the Mustangs have only lost to two teams in the top-25 and beat the only other ranked school they played. Torrey Van Winden already has two Big West Player of the Week honors this season and Taylor Nelson earned one recently as well. If they win at Hawai’i, they’ll almost certainly deserve to crack that top-25 poll. It will be anything but easy. 

In sports like volleyball and against a team like Hawai’i, nothing is given. Cal Poly is just 4-39 all-time against Hawai’i. So, the Mustangs might be the better team this season. The numbers would say they are. But until they go into the Stan Sheriff Center and come away with a match win, I’ll simply maintain a healthy optimism.

From what I saw two weeks ago, this year’s Cal Poly team has more weapons than any Mustang team I’ve seen. Last week, Cal Poly won in Long Beach. A win in Honolulu would be another strong message to the Big West and the rest of the national college volleyball scene: Cal Poly is dangerous. 

Raeann Greisen had 10 kills for Cal Poly on Saturday afternoon, but it wasn’t enough against LMU. By Owen Main

Cal Poly volleyball was out to their best 10-game start in 14 years, but none of that mattered on Saturday afternoon. With tailgaters lined up between Mott Gym getting ready for the football game, the volleyball team lost a match that might have been closer than the four-set box score indicated.

Tied at one set apiece, Cal Poly led the third set 14-9, before LMU finished the set on a dominant 16-4 run to take a 2-1 lead.

The Mustangs also led at about the same point in the fourth set before another LMU run helped them to the three sets to one victory.

Cal Poly played the match without injured middle blocker Taylor Gruenewald.

Cal Poly, 8-3 in pre-conference games, gets a week off before starting their Big West Conference schedule against the conference’s best team in Hawai’i. First serve is slated for 10:00pm Pacific time on Saturday night.

Photos by Owen Main — Click here to view 

Sam Crosson is beginning his fourth season as Cal Poly volleyball coach. He also leads the sand volleyball team. By Owen Main

Cal Poly volleyball hasn’t had this good a start in almost 10 years. At 5-1, Sam Crosson finally has his program on what seems to be the right track.

Coming into the year, Crosson’s overall record over his first three seasons was 25-60 — a .294 winning percentage.

This season, though, the seven freshman that played on last year’s team are all sophomores, with a full collegiate season under their belts. Add to that mix Adlee Van Winden, the two-time defending Big West Freshman of the week, along with a few seasoned veterans like Nicole Kessler, Hannah Schleis Maddie Kuber, and Taylor Gruenwald (who happen to be the only four upperclassmen on this year’s roster) and Cal Poly’s attack looks like it has a chance to compete in the top half of the Big West once again.