Volleyball | 8/22/2025 6:44:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop

 

Chris Lamb coached many strong setters during his 26 seasons at Wichita State. Sometimes, he coached two at the same time.
 
Abby Harsh and Andee Hartig played together early in Lamb's tenure, 2004 and 2005. Mary Elizabeth Hooper and Chelsey Feekin overlapped in 2008 and 2009. Feekin tutored Emily Hiebert in 2013 before Hiebert took over the starting job.
 
Three is a new circumstance.
 
The Shockers hold their Black and Yellow scrimmage at 3 p.m. Saturday at Koch Arena and fans can get a look at what Lamb calls his deepest setting group. Admission is free.
 
"Never one through three did it look like this," he said.
 
On Saturday, Lamb said he plans to mix up teams with redshirt freshman Sarah Musial, a returner, and newcomers Hannah Hawkins and Jordan Heatherly swapping sides to evaluate connections with attackers. Hawkins, a junior transfer from High Point (N.C.) University, joined the Shockers for spring practices.
 
Heatherly, a junior transfer from Memphis, is the latest arrival. She entered the transfer portal in the spring and signed with Wichita State in June. At Memphis, she ranked fifth in the American Conference with an average of 9.49 assists a set and fourth in service aces (0.39 a set) in 2024.
 

That trio will compete to replace Izzi Strand, who earned All-American Conference honors and honorable mention All-Region North honors in her two seasons at WSU.
 
Heatherly, from Western Springs, Ill., impressed Lamb with her performance the past two seasons. While the Tigers went 23-36, Heatherly's numbers put her among the conference's top setters. She totaled five kills, 39 assists and eight digs in 3-1 loss to the Shockers in September. In the rematch, she handed out a career-high 51 assists and recorded 11 digs in a 3-2 loss.
 
"She was one of the problems in the conference last year," he said. "She's not somebody you have to start from scratch with."
 
Heatherly, a 5-foot-10 lefty, comes by her volleyball I.Q. with deep family roots in the sport. Julie Heatherly, her mother, played college volleyball, as did three aunts. Her mother also coaches club volleyball in Illinois.
 
"My entire family is in the volleyball world," Heatherly said. "I've grown up learning from all of them. It's been amazing."
 
The Shockers are well-known for setting the middles frequently. Heatherly enjoys that strategy.
 
"I feel like when you get in that rhythm, it's hard to stop, especially if everyone else is producing," she said. "Middles are super important. Once you get them involved, it opens up opportunities for everybody else."
 

Musial, from St. Charles, Ill., took advantage of spring practices, Lamb said. Hand placement on the ball, he said, is improving fast.
 
"A completely different volleyball player," he said. "A completely different brain. The game doesn't look too fast for her now. It did at times last fall. She's very talented, long and strong."
 
Hawkins, from Manson, Wash., helped High Point to a 23-7 record and a Big South title on their way to the NCAA Tournament. She recorded 406 assists while sharing time at setter.
 
"What we're doing with her, for her, is helping her," Lamb said. "She's a smoother mover for the ball, more efficient. She's stronger, so her hip level is more consistent and she's under the ball better than she's ever been."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
 
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.