After earning back-to-back First-Team All-WCC honors at San Diego, Izzy Clark returning from injury can only give Indiana another gear shift with an additional experienced outside hitter as the Hoosiers work to find consistency against these stronger Big Ten opponents.
Clark has missed Indiana's first 14 matches of the season through injury before making her debut against USC on Oct. 11. She recorded a kill on her first and only swing of the match, so the next step is to see the progression she develops as she returns to the competition.
During Clark's season in San Diego from 2025, she finished second on the team and fifth in the WCC with 397 kills, recorded a .211 hitting percentage, 205 digs, 54 blocks, had four double-doubles, totaled 23 double-digit kill performances, registered 21 kills and eight digs in a five-set defeat to top-25 USC, and had a combined 29 kills in weekend matches against Arizona and Washington.
With the progression of rotations picking up and Indiana traveling for these next few weekends, adding Clark back in the workflow alongside her Hoosiers could boost this team's depth, adding a sharper edge in Indiana. Some of the best teams in the AVCA poll have extreme depth on their rosters, establishing a safety net that the Indiana Hoosiers could graciously add to their already deep, experienced roster.
“I started to change combinations on lines on some people, I was just trying to find a mix that could ignite some energy,” Steve Aird said after the loss to USC. “I mean, the league is tough. Everyone is good.”
Roster depth separates national championship contenders from teams that heavily rely on their starting six. Clark returning gives the Hoosiers a way to examine whether Indiana can become more competitive against the deepest teams in the AVCA top 25. Examining No. 1 Nebraska, alongside Pittsburgh and Louisville, the AVCA poll measures performance in the teams and their reputation. Indiana's motto is to play hard and play fast this season. We've witnessed the growth and cleanups along the way to give Indiana that reputable reputation.
At the start of Indiana's season, the Hoosiers only saw the Louisville Cardinals for three sets. In the beginning, the Hoosiers had an untested lineup and unclear vision of what comes next for improvements against elite opponents, and started off with some uncharacteristic slopiness. Indiana's hitting efficiency against the Cardinals was .043, and now the Hoosiers' season average is .262. While Clark and Avry Tatum were not available in the Louisville opener, both have since appeared. In Clark's return, it gives Indiana another six rotation attackers, while Tatum's production against Wisconsin shows the difference an experienced player can make immediately.
Depth is a crucial role in the consistency of success in volleyball. We’ve seen this recurring throughout this year for the Hoosiers, adding confidence and consistency piece by piece with Ella Boersena playing out of position but breaking her record in kills in the preseason, Victoria Gray becoming a fierce name for the Hoosiers hot out the gate with 78 kills and 28 blocks this season, and Teodora Krickovic totaling 573 assists, averaging a little over 10 assists per set, while these players continue to make changes.
To top it all off for Indiana, Clark is back on the court, depth and versatility will continue to establish itself in Indiana, and specifically the setter Krickovic. Setting makes up for the majority of volleyball, and with Indiana's depth in offense, Clark's recovery can mend Indiana's recent efforts and losses in Big Ten play to apply the pressure every team is looking for, and give Krickovic an additional promising outside hitter she can trust and value on the court.
“It's early enough in the year, there is tons of room left for growth,” Aird said after the USC game. “When people can come in here and play that well, good for them, we have to find a way to do the same thing on the road.”
Though Clark's return may not erase the setbacks Indiana has faced, it gives the Hoosiers another flank attack teams will not be expecting. The Hoosiers are back on the road, competition will continue to creep in with No. 11 Oregon Oct. 16, No. 20 Washington Oct. 18 and Ohio State Oct. 23.
The focus must continue to shift from not only individual performances from Indiana's roster but how Indiana can bring its pieces together as they have from start to finish so far. With depth at the net from the middle, Krickovic’s ability to distribute the ball, and Jaidyn Jager’s offensive production alongside Tatum, they have given Indiana a foundation to build on throughout the season, continuing on as Indiana's roster makes speedy recoveries due to injury. Now, Clark's return can add another experienced attacker to the mix, giving the Hoosiers another exciting opportunity to challenge opposing defenses and create more offensive balance.
