Seniority: Washington State volleyball driven by ‘unfinished business’

Washington State volleyball has so many fifth-year players, grad transfers and seniors that the program is planning a senior weekend in November instead of a traditional senior night to divvy up the tributes over two matches instead of one.

The Cougars list 16 on the roster, including five fifth-year players, two grad transfers and four seniors.

The fifth-year players – including at least two who could have made healthy paychecks internationally had they turned pro – are using an extra COVID season of eligibility for one more shot at a Pac-12 Conference title and an extended run in the NCAA Tournament.

“Honestly, definitely the volleyball,” three-time All-Pac-12 outside hitter Pia Timmer said of her decision to come back. “We’re a team that could have something big in front of us. I don’t think we’ve fully reached our potential.”

Coach Jen Greeny is thankful the fifth-year crew opted to return with the 13th-ranked Cougars off to a 6-1 start entering the meat of their nonconference schedule. They entertained Towson late Thursday in refurbished Bohler Gym prior to a showdown against No. 8 BYU on Friday night to close the Cougar Challenge. WSU visits No. 14 Baylor on Wednesday and No. 7 Texas two days later.

“They feel like what they’ve helped build, not that it wasn’t good before they got here, but it’s kind of unfinished business,” said Greeny, who has guided WSU to five consecutive conference finishes in the top five.

Timmer, a native of Germany, and three-time All-American Madga Jehlárová, from the Czech Republic, never imagined they’d spend five seasons at WSU, thousands of miles from home. As Jehlárová pointed out, nobody could have predicted a pandemic would interrupt the sports world a few years ago.

“I was a little unsure,” Jehlárová recalled thinking soon after arriving in Pullman.

The two thrived immediately as freshmen on a 23-win team. They quickly grew fond of Pullman and WSU. They’ve become close with teammates and the coaching staff.

“I’ve always cared a lot about education and there was an opportunity to get one more degree paid for,” said Jehlárová, who has a degree in human resources management and is working on a master’s in business administration. “I just know we have an amazing team. We get along really well, I enjoy playing with the girls and I have a lot of friends here.”

Jehlárová and Timmer were part of the 2019 recruiting class that included Julia Norville and Weronika Wojdyla. Norville is a fifth-year defensive specialist/libero and Wojdyla is a redshirt senior outside hitter.

Fifth-year Cougars include Shea Rubright, back for her second season after tearing her ACL in the 2022 season opener, and Karly Basham, in her third season in the program after playing two seasons at Texas A&M. Rubright, a Yakima native, played at Minnesota for three years before transferring to WSU.

The fifth-year players started talking about the possibility of returning near the tail end of last season, but each came to their own decisions. The coaching staff obviously was eager to hear their plans to determine the team’s recruiting needs.

“We did talk about it, but I don’t think we knew what everybody’s final decision would be,” said Timmer, who is finishing up her social sciences degree with two minors. “I think they (the coaches) were stoked, happy to have us for another year. It was really exciting to hear all the girls wanting to commit to that.”

Jehlárová put her professional career – and likely a six-figure contract – on hold to complete a fifth season at WSU. She enjoys being able to attend college and play high-level volleyball, something that would be “hard slash impossible” to do simultaneously in the Czech Republic.

“I knew it would be really difficult to play (professionally) at home while getting a good, quality education,” she said. “I like how it’s interconnected here and you can do both on some level and still have a life.”

The Cougars boast plenty of match experience throughout their roster with setter Argentina Ung; opposite hitter Katy Ryan (Lakeland High grad); middle blocker Jasmine Martin, who replaced Rubright before suffering a torn ACL last September; and grad transfers Iman Isanovic (Arizona State) and Lana Radakovic (UC Davis).

Isanovic leads WSU in kills after pacing ASU in that category each of the past three seasons.

The squad has short- and long-term goals, the former beginning with an opportunity to make a statement nationally with matches against three ranked foes in the next eight days.

“There’s a huge chance if we were to beat BYU and took care of business (vs. Towson) that we’d be in the top 10,” Jehlárová said. “That’s something we haven’t done since I’ve been here. I also hope we have a full crowd.”

WSU was picked second in the Pac-12 preseason poll, the final season before 10 schools bolt for different conferences. The Cougars have played in seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments, but the last time they reached the Sweet 16 was in 2018, one year before Timmer, Jehlárová, Norville and Wojdyla arrived. WSU went 1-1 in the tourney each of the past two seasons.

“I’m really proud, we’ve always had really solid seasons, especially last year when we ended up really well in the Pac-12,” Timmer said. “Just making it further than the second round of the NCAA Tournament would be a great start. It’s like the last ride (in the Pac-12), why not go all out and win this?”