The Marlins hold a 26-1 record and are 9-0 in ODAC play.
The setter gracefully leaps toward the net, sending a high-arching set to the outside hitter who times the perfect moment to explode off the floor, release a powerful swing and slam the ball into the opponent’s court, executing a clean kill. The outside hitter returns to the floor and joins her celebrating teammates.
The VWU Women’s Volleyball team began the season with 21 straight wins. The team remains undefeated in the conference, despite having one loss to Salisbury University, and is ranked No. 22 in the NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball Rankings.
This season, Setter Niya Nash, a junior, reached 1000 assists and Outside Hitter Hannah Smith surpassed 1000 kills and 1000 digs, which were astonishing milestones.
Graduate student Hannah Smith is a Virginia Beach native who played for the D1 Beach Elite Volleyball Club before being recruited by her hometown university, VWU. During her time here, she has received honors such as First-Team All-ECAC, First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-State.
Nash began her volleyball journey at 13 years old. After achieving 1000 assists, she now strives to reach her new goal of 2000 in the current season.
“It’s definitely a big accomplishment because I was right there with 972 in high school, so it was something that I was glad that I finally got to do,” Nash said.
Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Karissa Cumberbatch attributes the team’s success to the positive energy from the new players and the team’s traditionally strong serve and pass game.
“Everybody wants the same thing out of the season, but trust and chemistry are huge in a sport like volleyball,” Cumberbatch said.
Cumberbatch said that Nash and Smith have significantly contributed to the program’s success and are respected leaders. “I’m really proud of Niya and Hannah for their accomplishments, and there’s more to come. They’re both here for another year, and that’s exciting. I think they will be in the program’s top record holders by the time they are done here. They both deserve it, and they both work hard,” Cumberbatch said.
She said that they both embody what it means to be a fierce leader. “They’re both pretty resilient, whether they are playing well or not. They always find a way to positively affect the game,” Cumberbatch said.
Nash attributes her success to trusting her hitters and the strong team chemistry. “I wouldn’t reach it if they weren’t putting down the ball, so all of it goes to them,” Nash said.
Even during intense games, Nash said she enjoys the competitive atmosphere. “I love pressure. I’ve played best in high-pressure situations. When it’s a tight game, it is not time for mistakes and goofing off; it is time to lock in because I know that is what I’m capable of,” Nash said.
Nash chose Virginia Wesleyan for its supportive coach and family-like environment. “I have 17 other sisters here,” Nash said. “We care about each other so much off the court. Even when we don’t have to be with each other, we are.”
During recruiting, Nash said that she knew VWU was the right choice because of Coach Cumberbatch’s efforts to envision her future. “I could feel that she wanted me here for me, not just because of volleyball, and her persistence really showed in the tournaments when she was recruiting me.
Cumberbatch said she started watching Nash play during her sophomore year of high school at club tournaments. “I knew I liked her, and I knew that she was what we needed,” Cumberbatch said.
Cumberbatch’s early admiration for Nash’s talent grew into deep respect for her leadership. Nash proved that her impact extended far beyond her performance on the court.
“Niya does everything outside of the gym that you need a captain to do, and she takes on a lot of the responsibility as far as the team and how they’re getting along, workouts and holding people accountable,” Cumberbatch said.
Sophomore Kathryn Liles, a setter and defensive specialist on the team, sees Nash as a powerhouse player and a teammate she seeks to emulate. “I definitely look up to Niya a lot as a mentor, and especially as another setter. She’s been very inspiring for me and someone that I strive to be like and play like,” Liles said.
After Smith graduated with her bachelor’s degree, she realized she needed to come back to VWU and tend to some unfinished business on the volleyball court.
“I went to Salisbury at the beginning of this year and then transferred back to Virginia Wesleyan because I’ve already broken a couple of records here, so I wanted to add on to it. I felt like I could break a lot more, so I didn’t want to give up that opportunity,” Smith said.
Smith said she is a very driven athlete and happy to hit two major milestones this season, hoping to lead the team to the championship this year. “I’m all about beating my prior goals, so I want to do better than we did last season,” Smith said.
Coach Cumberbatch emphasized that Smith’s leadership plays a crucial role in contributing to the team’s chemistry and performance. “Hannah is a great physical leader,” Cumberbatch said.
Smith said she aims to always be a reliable teammate and handle pressure so that nerves do not get the best of her. “I’m a calm source for everyone on the court, especially if it’s a chaotic situation,” Smith said. “I tune out everything that’s around me, whether we are at home when there’s a bunch of people in the stands, or we are at an away game and the student section is heckling me.”
According to her teammate Liles, Smith is someone the team can count on during games and she was super excited to celebrate her for this accomplishment. “She is a great player. She’s probably one of our core players on the team,” Liles said.
Nash expressed how much she enjoys having Smith on the court in front of her and noted how they must work together to succeed in matches. “Hannah feeds into my assists and I feed into her kills at the same time,” Nash said.
Even after a loss, Smith viewed it positively, believing that it could help prevent the excessive pressure of being undefeated going into conference playoffs.
“We have one loss, but I think that needed to happen to get us back on track with our goals, so I’m not upset about it,” Smith said. “We want to prove that we should be ranked and that we should be competing against these top-level teams.”
To Nash, leading by example is the most important way she can show the team expectations. “I feel like showing the aggression, my relentless pursuit, and grit, especially to the new girls, goes a little bit longer than saying it. You can say all you want, but if you’re not doing it, what’s going to make them want to do it?” Nash said.
Nash and Smith envision their goals of making it one step further than last season’s team. “We went to the championship last year and fell short, but it’s a different group with girls who are here because they want it,” Nash said.
Liles shared similar thoughts on post-season play. “I think we are trying to take it one game at a time. We definitely do see ourselves in the tournament, but there is still a lot of work to be done to get there. We’re focusing on this moment, finishing out the regular season and moving on to ODACs,” Liles said.
As the playoffs are approaching, this team is on the grind of making every practice count. You will not want to miss the Marlins this postseason.
