MUNCIE, Ind. — Before Donan Cruz was officially named the Ball State men's volleyball coach last June, he remembers a video call he had with some of the veteran players and athletic director Beth Goetz.
On the call, Cruz said the players "made it clear that they wanted to win." While Cruz had success at the NAIA level, going 211-55, Ball State was his first Division I heading coaching job. And Ball State, while it had winning seasons, hadn't made it to the NCAA Tournament since 2002.
Fast-forward 10 months. There's Cruz, with the same group of veteran players inside Worthen Arena, celebrating Ball State's first NCAA Tournament berth in 20 years.