The Ithaca College volleyball team will hang up a Liberty League championship banner in Ben Light Gymnasium for the fourth consecutive year and the Bombers are “striving for more” as they begin the journey to an NCAA Division III National Championship. They have been dominant for years, yet the Bombers agree it feels like this is their year to advance further into the NCAA tournament. The Bombers have a 0.867 winning percentage, the highest since 1995. 

The Bombers concluded their regular season Nov. 8, finishing with a 24-4 record. Each loss came from a non-conference away match, three against nationally ranked opponents. From Sept. 13 to Nov. 1, the South Hill squad embarked on a 18-game win streak, attracting national attention. The American Volleyball Coaches Association poll placed the Bombers at the No. 12 spot the week going into the NCAA tournament.

The Bombers swept the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds in the semifinals of the Liberty League Championship Tournament on Nov. 14. Both the offense and the defense played efficiently, earning 47 kills and a .333 hitting percentage and allowing just 26 total points

The next day, the Bombers returned to Ben Light Gymnasium for the final against William Smith College. Both fought hard the entire match, but the Bombers reigned supreme 3-2 after winning a thrilling fifth set 15-13. 

Despite having absolute control over the Liberty League throughout the past four years, the Bombers struggled when it came time to the NCAA tournament. The past two seasons, the Bombers fell short in the third round with 16 teams . 

Head coach Tara Stilwell ‘19, a former libero of the Ithaca College volleyball team, stepped into her position in 2024. Since then, she has realized her players have been hungry for a title. 

“My seniors this year have won [four] Liberty League championships, but they’ve also lost in the NCAA tournament three [times],” Stilwell said. “And I think that they’re annoyed … and same with my junior class. … It’s the difference of setting a standard versus setting a legacy.”

The Bombers have yet to win their first NCAA tournament in program history. As the Bombers collected wins, junior outside hitter Naomi Clauhs and her teammates’ motivation grew stronger.

“I think when rankings started to come out and [we were] moving up the rankings, it kind of felt more real and more like we need to hold on to this,” Clauhs said. “We need to protect this. But I do think since day one, everyone has been fully present and expecting good things.”

After defeating No. 4 Johns Hopkins University and No. 7 Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Sept. 12 and 13, Stilwell had an abundance of confidence in her team to take home an NCAA title. Stilwell got close as a player for the Bombers, reaching the NCAA semifinals in 2017. The 3-1 victory against MIT also was the beginning of the 18-game win streak. 

“After that weekend, I was like … we can do this,” Stilwell said. “I’m a very superstitious person. However, I think that if we’re gonna do it, this is the year to do it.”

Stilwell credits the shift in energy to the thriving team culture the team spent plenty of time creating. The team met in pre-season to refine values, goals and get everyone in the same headspace. They put emphasis on building relationships with teammates, tackling any difficulties together and operating as one unit who has a deep level of trust in each other. 

Clauhs and her teammate, graduate student libero Ellie Benedict, agreed that the sisterhood the team created with each other made this year’s squad stand out to previous years. 

“Honestly, our team has always been close, but I think this year is just something really special, because we’re just that much closer, and we didn’t even think that was possible,” Benedict said. “I think just the closeness of our team, and just seeing how that has carried us throughout the season is really fun.”

The strong team relationships began from day one. The players were willing to hold each accountable and push each other, including the new members of the South Hill squad. During a difficult pre-season drill, Stilwell said first-year middle blocker Addison Leadbetter yelled to the team that the drill they were working on was not easy, but neither is making the Elite Eight. 

Stilwell also ensured the team stayed in check throughout the season, reminding them of the importance of matches and setting goals. In matches against less strong opponents, she played a game she called “Bomber bingo,” which challenged the athletes to reach certain statistical numbers. 

The Bombers’ had multiple starters with personal statistical career highs, including Clauhs and junior outside hitter Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu with kills, Benedict and senior defensive specialists Karina Garcia and Bridget Altland with digs, and junior setter Wesley Slavin with assists. 

While simultaneously creating a strong environment on the court, much of Stilwell’s work to lead her team to championships is done behind a desk and computer. She explained that the Liberty League matchups are set years in advance, but it is her responsibility to schedule non-conference games. She strategically designed a 2025 schedule with nine nationally and 19 regionally ranked teams, including No. 1 Juniata College, who won the NCAA tournament the past three years. 

“I created our schedule that way, so that when it comes to the NCAA tournament, we have already seen teams [in the tournament] at any point,” Stilwell said. “It puts in perspective that we challenged ourselves when a lot of other teams, especially in our region, did not. It’s by design, so that we’re prepped for a higher level of competition and postseason.” 

In 2024, the Bombers only battled five nationally ranked schools. 

Clauhs said the schedule helped the team see the potential in themselves, set a standard and put the team into the right mindset for end of season goals. 

Stilwell said the hiring of assistant coach Mark Lucas on Jun. 16 gave the Bombers a new perspective compared to previous seasons. 

“It’s just so unique right now to have a young woman head coach and an older man assistant coach,” Stilwell said. “I think that allows us [to] connect with the girls, because I get them a little bit better and how they work. … but [Lucas] has 20 plus years of experience … so he’s just this well of knowledge that we all get to pull from. I think that has a really good impact on our team.” 

Clauhs also gave special recognition to a coaching staff member, Donté Garcia ’23, the Bombers’ assistant strength and conditioning coach. 

“On the offensive side, I think that everyone’s jumping higher, hitting harder, getting to balls faster,” Clauhs said. “I think that kind of having the schedule and having the coaching that we did … they were all working in unison all season to make sure we were getting what we needed.” 

The Bombers will begin their journey to a NCAA national championship title on Nov. 20 against The Plymouth State University Panthers. Regardless of the result, the Bombers 2025 team will be known as one of the most dominant in South Hill history.