New Coach. New Season. New Program

When you look at a 14-18 record, you may not be impressed.  But behind every record, every team, and every coach, there is a story.  This is Sharon Dingman's story.  

But first....meet Sharon Dingman.

Dingman has been coaching for 18 seasons and posts a 350-229 record.  Before she came to Iowa, she coached at Illinois State, Butler and Auburn. 

In December of 2007, Coach Cindy Fredrick resigned her position with a 46-82 record during her four years at Iowa.  Her record in Big Ten Conference play was 9-71.  

So in March, Dingman was named Iowa's eighth women's head volleyball coach.  And she knew there was work to be done.  When she was hired, her goal was to get Iowa back on the winning track.  The Hawks finished 9th in the Big Ten at 6-14--the most wins for an Iowa team since 2000.  This was also the first time since 2000 the Hawkeyes haven't finished in one of the two bottom sports of the conference.  

But helping them win matches wasn't the only thing Dingman brought to the team.  Senior Laura Kremer says her senior year was the most successful, thanks to the coaching staff....

Freshman Mallory Husz says Dingman's attitude was nothing the team was used to...

Dingman not only led the team to the best season since 2000, but she also left a few more marks:

-Iowa won seven-straight matches from Sept. 13-27, tying the 4th longest winning streak in school history.

-She helped break the 39-match losing streak against Ohio State and a 18-match losing streak on the road in Big Ten play.  

-Iowa's upset over number 18 Wisconsin broke the 26-match  losing streak against the Badgers, going all the way back to 1994. 

-On November 14th, Dingman earned her 350th career win.

-This season, Iowa broke the average attendance record with an average of 1,146 fans.  

-Five of the 10 largest crowds in volleyball history were set this season, including the 2nd largest crowd in school history at 1,7466 against Michigan State.

-Iowa had their first winning record at home since 1998.  

So yes, the Hawks had a losing season with a record of 14-18, but that's returning from a 9-22 record in 2007.  In Dingman's first year as the Iowa head coach, she accomplished her main goal of turning the program around.  I'm just curious to see what she'll do in years to come....

If you didn't get a chance to see the women's team this season, I put together a few clips from random matches...enjoy.