Mustang VBall
Champions

Execution Over Emotion

Reasons for the Mustangs success

The Cal Poly volleyball team is 20-2 overall and 10-1 in Big West Conference play and broke the record for the best start in program history set back in 1985. The Mustangs are currently ranked No.17 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association rankings and has been ranked as high as No. 11 which was the highest the team had ever been ranked since 2008. Much of the success of the volleyball program can be attributed to their head coach, Sam Crosson. In his seven years as head coach of the team he is largely responsible for bringing Cal Poly volleyball back to prominence. This year he earned his 100th victory at Cal Poly but it felt like any other win. One of the biggest reasons for the volleyball team’s success the past two season was the addition of outside hitter Torrey Van Winden. She transferred to Cal Poly from UCLA last year and reunited with her sister Adlee Van Winden (17). Their family has a lot of history in the volleyball program as their mother and aunt were on the 1985 team that defeated UCLA in the NCAA tournament. Earlier this year Cal Poly defeated UCLA in back-to-back nights which gave Cal Poly just the third win in program history over UCLA. Photo Credit: Chris Gateley | Mustang News Last season, the volleyball team qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007 and they made an immediate impact sweeping their first round opponent Denver before falling to UCLA in the second round. It had been ten years since any Cal Poly team had made it that far and that’s been the goal all season. Photo Credit: Chris Gateley | Mustang News There have been a number of new additions to the team this year with several talented seniors graduating last season. Freshman setter Avalon Denecochea and freshman middle blocker Meredith Phillips hvae been key to the Mustangs success this season. The combination of experience, youth and dedication has brought this team together. For the first time since 2006-07 the Cal Poly Volleyball team repeated as Big West Conference Champions.

What does Sam Crosson mean to you?

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Making Program History

Journey to Tourney

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