After the Ball State University women's volleyball team hired Steve Shondell in April as the sixth head coach in the programs' history, Shondell knew there was a lot of work to do.
Shondell didn't worry about his coaching staff or schedule. Instead he was most concerned with meeting with the players on the roster and securing his first recruiting class.
Mission accomplished.
In the five weeks Shondell has been on the job, he has received three verbal commitments for the 2011 recruiting class. All three commitments were the top prospects on Ball State's board.
The latest verbal came last week from 6-foot-3-inch middle blocker Hayley Benson. The junior from Hilliard, Ohio, had been in contact with assistant coach Marci Peniata as she narrowed down her options to Ball State and the University of the Pacific.
Muncie Central junior middle blocker/outside blocker Marquita Marshall and Kokomo middle blocker Kelly Hopkins also verbally committed to Ball State.
Due to NCAA regulations, Shondell could not comment on any of the verbal commitments until they sign their National Letters of Intent.
In addition to the verbal commitments, Shondell has been busy securing the services of walk-ons. Claire Farkas, an outside hitter, has joined the Cardinals. She was invited by former Ball State coach Dave Boos, and Shondell has honored the agreement.
"Claire came out this spring at the invitation of Dave Boos. I don't know how they ran into each other, but we have a shortage of left side attackers. Hannah Sullivan is the only one, so Claire fills that void," Shondell said. "Whitney Heeres came in the spring, but was injured and wasn't able to practice. Claire was a really good high school player with a great attitude and made a tremendous amount of progress in my three days of spring practice with her. She's very coachable. She soaked up everything I said."
Senior Alexis Shonkwiler has also rejoined the team after a two-year hiatus from volleyball. Shonkwiler, a 6-foot middle blocker/outside hitter, started 26 of 29 matches as a freshman under Boos. In 2007 Shonkwiler recorded 93 kills, 35 digs, four solo blocks, 89 block assists and notched career-high nine kills and eight blocks against Toledo.
"Alexis played for Munciana for a portion of her senior season and became injured," Shondell said. "She came to Ball State and started at middle blocker for most of the year and for several reasons decided to step away. Well, the first week I got here, the girls were in the weight training room and it just so happened that Alexis was observing the training for a class. When I walked in and glanced down to the other end of the room, she waved at me."
The chance meeting turned into something more. As Shondell asked Shonkwiler her name, he remembered her from Munciana and 2007.
"I asked her if she'd have any interest in rejoining the team knowing she'd have two years of eligibility left, and we needed another right side attacker," Shondell said.
Shonkwiler told Shondell she had missed volleyball and would return to the team.
"It was just luck or fate," Shondell said. "It's amazing how these things happen sometimes in life. We had a need, and she fills that need. It turned out to be a great thing that happened and we've hit it off wonderfully. She's kept herself in good shape over the last two years, and I can't wait to get her back in the gym. I'm thrilled to be working with her to get her to develop into the player and athlete she can be."
Ball State finished last season 15-16 and lost to Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. Following the season, Boos resigned to accept an assistant coaching position at the University of Florida.
Shondell said he is excited about the roster taking shape for the fall. There will be between 16 and 18 student athletes on the roster — the most in more than five years.
"We're going to have at least one freshman on the floor at all times this year," Shondell said. "The outside hitters are going to be important with us being thin out there."
Other loose ends have been tied up by Shondell in recent weeks. The schedule, which has been a composite of Boos and Shondell, has been finished. Volleyball Sports Information Director Brad Caudill said last week that there is no timeline of when the schedule will be released.
The next phase of Shondell's off-season begins with summer camps and beginning to recruit for the junior class ahead.
"I'll be working with a lot of young athletes at the camp this summer," Shondell said.
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