2024 Final Notes

2024 NEWS

• The Hawkeyes improved in several offense categories from a year ago, including kills/set (12.10), total kills (1,440), assists/set (11.03) and service aces (178).
• Defensively, Iowa allowed fewer kills/set (12.89) and tallied more blocks than a season ago (250.5).
• As a team, Iowa won more matches overall and within the conference than in 2023 and placed higher than its Big Ten preseason projection in 2024.
• The Hawkeyes swept a conference opponent for the first time since 2022 and began Big Ten play 2-0 for the first time since 2008.
• Iowa finished the regular season fifth in the Big Ten with 178 aces.
• Michelle Urquhart set Iowa’s program record in aces in a single season (43), surpassing Becky Walters' 41 aces from 2010.
• Hannah Whittingstall's 10 blocks against Drake tied the tenth-most in a match and most in a four-set match in program history.
• Gracie Gibson recorded the program’s 12th-best hitting percentage (.700) in Iowa's 3-0 win over Indiana.
• Junior setter Claire Ammeraal eclipsed 2,000 career assists in the opening weekend, recording a double-double against Liberty and a triple-double against Providence.
• Ammeraal posted Iowa’s first triple-double (34 assists, 17 digs, 11 kills) since Courtney Buzzerio in 2021. It was the third time a Hawkeye has achieved a triple-double since 2005.
• Six Hawkeyes hit over .300 in Iowa's win over Indiana on Nov. 14, leading to a season-high .371 team hitting percentage.
• Redshirt freshman Alyssa Worden posted her first career double-double at Penn State on Nov. 1. Worden set career highs in digs (14) and kills (10).
• Michelle Urquhart notched a pair of career highs in October. Urquhart recorded a .471 hitting percentage against Washington on Oct. 4 and tallied 20 kills against Illinois on Oct. 27.
• Freshman Malu Garcia set a career high with 20 kills in Iowa's match against No. 10 Purdue.
• The Hawkeyes finished 4-0 in five-set matches, including wins over Maryland and Rutgers.

HEAR FROM COACH BARNES

"2024 was the beginning of building our program into a winner. We had many improvements on and off the court and appreciate the commitment of our student-athletes to our team. With several newcomers getting a year in our program, the foundation is solid and next year we expect to see great achievements on the court."

PUERTO RICO SWEEP

Iowa picked up a pair of wins in Puerto Rico to kick off the season. The Hawkeyes swept Liberty for their first win of the year. Junior Claire Ammeraal started the season strong, recording a triple-double in her second match as a Hawkeye, an Iowa win over Providence. Ammeraal tallied 34 assists, 17 digs and 11 kills in the win over the Friars. Additionally, the Madison, Wisconsin, native eclipsed 2,000 career assists in the opening set. As a team, the Hawkeyes hit .233, while holding Providence to a .184 hitting percentage. Iowa had a distinct advantage in kills over the Friars, edging Providence 57-41. Iowa used a late run in the first to take the opener. The Hawkeyes lead from start to finish in the second set with sophomore Hannah Whittingstall recording two service aces and three kills. Providence took the third set. Iowa bounced back in the fourth, taking the lead early on and never giving it up. Senior Anna Davis rattled off four kills in a row, giving Iowa momentum to close out the set and win the match.

STARTING HOT

The Hawkeyes opened Big Ten play with five-set road wins over Rutgers and Maryland. Iowa started conference play at Rutgers with Garcia leading the Hawkeyes with 17 kills and setting a new career high of nine blocks. The Hawkeyes had two players record double-doubles: freshman Jenna Meitzler had 51 assists and 10 digs and Urquhart had 10 kills and 10 digs. Senior libero Joy Galles recorded a then-career high 23 digs in the match. After dropping a close first set, the Hawkeyes fought back to even the match at 1-1. The third set saw 16 ties and 9 lead changes. This was the longest set the Hawkeyes played all season, winning it on a Rutgers error and ace from Urquhart. The Scarlet Knights forced a decisive fifth set, where the Hawkeyes came out in dominant fashion taking an early 8-3 lead. The win over Rutgers was the first conference victory for the Hawkeyes since 2022. Continuing their trip out east, the Hawkeyes outlasted Maryland in five sets to secure their second conference win. Sophomore pin Gabby Deery led the charge for the Hawkeyes, setting a new career high with 20 kills while hitting at a .410 clip. Urquhart recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 16 digs. Iowa found momentum early, taking the first set. The Hawkeyes hit .312 while also recording five service aces. The third set saw both teams trading runs before Iowa took a 2-1 set lead. Another fifth set battle came down to the wire. Urquhart used the hot hand for the Hawkeyes to close out the Terrapins and start the Big Ten season 2-0.

HOOSIER SWEEP

On Nov. 14, Iowa picked up a crucial win over Indiana at Xtream Arena. After a grueling start to November with matches at No. 3 and eventual national champion Penn State and No. 7 Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes knocked off Indiana in three sets to pick up their 10th win of the year. Iowa's offense came to life, with six Hawkeyes surpassing the .300 hitting percentage mark and, as a team, hit a season-best .371. Middle Gracie Gibson was a scorching .700 on the attack. The win resulted in the Hawkeyes’ first sweep of Indiana since 2016 and their third-straight win over the Hoosiers at home. Iowa picked up its fourth sweep of the season and second of a conference opponent.

MICKEY'S CAREER CAMPAIGN

Senior Michelle Urquhart checked off several career-high boxes during the 2024 season. In Iowa's match at UCLA on Nov. 27, Urquhart climbed to the top of Iowa's all-time single season service aces list, notching her 42nd ace of the season. In the rally scoring era, Urquhart passed Becky Walters' 41 aces set in 2010. The Virginia Beach, Virginia, native also posted career highs in matchups against Washington and Illinois. Iowa's veteran pin shattered her previous best with a .471 hitting percentage against the Huskies on Oct. 4. On Oct. 27, Urquhart drilled 20 kills against Illinois to update her career best. Her previous best was 17, which she accomplished three times while at Tulane. She also matched her high for total attacks (52). Earlier this season, Urquhart tallied double-digit kills in six consecutive matches, helping Iowa win three Big Ten contests.

THE FRESHMAN PHENOM

Outside hitter Malu Garcia was named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Week on Sept. 30. The freshman from Hilo, Hawaii, tallied 28 kills and 14 blocks in Iowa's east coast sweep. Garcia matched a career high with 17 kills in the conference opener at Rutgers, while filling the stat sheet with nine blocks and eight digs. She finished the weekend with 11 kills and five blocks in Iowa's five-set win at Maryland. Garcia is Iowa’s first Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Brie Orr earned the honor in September of 2017. It was Iowa’s first weekly conference recognition since Courtney Buzzerio was the Big Ten Player of the Week in the spring of 2021.

GETTING IT DONE

Iowa had 10 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors after the season. Claire Ammeraal, Anna Davis, Gabby Deery, Joy Galles, Emily Lavin, Kenya Prescott, Michelle Urquhart, Rosa Vesty, Hannah Whittingstall and Alyssa Worden earned the distinction. Ammeraal and Davis had unblemished GPAs throughout the fall semester. Additionally, Gracie Gibson and Urquhart were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team, achieving at least a 3.50 GPA and having played in a minimum 90 percent of the team's matches.

HAWKEYE GRADUATES

Anna Davis, Joy Galles, Gracie Gibson and Michelle Urquhart wrapped up their careers as Hawkeyes in 2024.

Davis spent her final two years at Iowa after following Coach Barnes from Tulane. Davis appeared in 46 matches as a Hawkeye, recording 182 kills as a middle hitter and blocking 104 attacks. Davis finished with a .252 hitting percentage while repping the Black and Gold.

Galles came to Iowa as a graduate transfer from the University of Arizona. Galles appeared in 52 matches as a Wildcat, tallying 180 digs and 57 assists in 2023. The Truckee, California, native took the reigns as Iowa's starting libero and shined in her final year of eligibility. Galles led the Hawkeyes with 444 digs and 3.73 digs per set. She also tallied 28 aces from behind the service line. As a Hawkeye, Galles set career highs in digs (24), assists (8, three times) and aces (4).

Gibson was part of a strong group of middle hitters in 2024. The graduate transfer from Lafayette College led Iowa in hitting percentage (.331). She notched 197 total kills on 438 swings. Gibson had more kills at Iowa in her fifth year than in any of the four previous seasons played at Lafayette College. Gibson was second on the team with 106 blocks, trailing fellow middle hitter Hannah Whittingstall and creating an obstacle at the net.

Michelle Urquhart completed a full career, spending three seasons and playing in 87 matches at Iowa. Known for her serving prowess, Urquhart improved her ace total in each season as Hawkeye, including a program single-season record 43 aces in 2024. Primarily an outside hitter, Urquhart was crafty from the pin, tallying 581 kills during her time at Iowa.