IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa volleyball team closed its spring season with scrimmages against Creighton, Quincy and UNI inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday.

In an altered format, Iowa won three matches and dropped a pair of close battles with Creighton.

The Hawkeyes were led offensively by newcomer setter Claire Ammeraal, middle hitters Anna Davis and Hannah Whittingstall, and outside hitter Gabby Deery.

Defensively, libero Joy Galles led the Hawkeyes in digs and serve receive.

“The transformation was inspiring to be a part of this spring,” head coach Jim Barnes said. “We added four newcomers and rebuilt our entire team. We have implemented my favorite offense to take advantage of the talent and developed our leadership core. Our team put in long, mindful hours and has improved in every area. The team understands how we want to play and has taken ownership of that.”

HEAR FROM HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS

Claire Ammeraal – Jr. (S)

“The team showed a lot of resilience, especially against a high-level team like Creighton. This tournament showed our strength and what we need to work on. My first few months at Iowa have been a learning experience and it has been great to form so many connections on and off the court.”

Joy Galles – 5th Year (L)

“We came out with plenty of energy and fight, like we have all spring. This team plays with a lot of joy for the game, which makes for an awesome environment. With that being said, I do believe we could have been sharper. We made some errors in crucial moments, which made it hard to finish out sets. Our team has made so much progress since January. It’s been a privilege and pleasure to work with these women and this staff. Our coaching staff is special. Nothing about this program is transactional and that has incentivized our team culture. I was grateful to see the fans that came out to watch us play.”

Hannah Whittingstall – So. (MH)

“Our team has been working hard during the spring and Saturday showed our potential. I am excited to see where we can go moving forward. This is a team that is supportive on and off the court. The past few months at Iowa have been great. The team and staff are very welcoming, in addition to the community. I have enjoyed my time training with the team and getting to explore Iowa.”

The Hawkeyes have concluded their spring season and will return in the fall.