Following a dominant 40-4 season that saw Heartland finish as NJCAA DII Volleyball National Champions, the Hawks are geared up for a chance to repeat. 

The Hawks are led by Head coach Mary Frahm, who will be entering her seventh season at the helm. Frahm has a career record of 183-41 and has only lost a combined 12 games in the last two seasons. Frahm has been a big reason of why Heartland is a powerhouse in DII volleyball since the program was introduced in 2020. 

After winning a championship and being announced as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA DII Volleyball, there is a target on Heartland's back, but that doesn't change anything. "Even prior to winning a National Championship, our focus has always been the same: trust the process and along that process, build a culture founded in selflessness, resiliency and authenticity," Frahm said. 

The Hawks are returning four players from last year's championship team – Kayleigh Keim, Chase Grevengoed, Addison Pacha and Lexi Robokoff. Pacha was a pivotal piece of last year's team, and will be again this year. Pacha was second on the kills (408), fourth in blocks (50) and was second in kills per set (2.94). "Addi Pacha has physically grown immensely in the offseason and we expect her again to showcase an athletic, fast pace of play on the court as well lead with the grittiness and mental toughness she naturally possesses," Frahm said. 

Robokoff will be an important piece on defense as she was third in blocks last year (70). Keim will be play at the libero position while Grevengoed will likely see an uptick in offensive production after being second on the team in hitting percentage (.400). 

A key transfer for the Heartland is Elizabeth Schuster from Cloud County CC. Schuster will be an important part of the defense as she totaled 83 blocks and 86 digs last year. She also ended the year with 171 kills at 1.49 kills per set. Her dual threat ability will be a big piece of the Hawks 2026 season. 

Schuster, Robokoff, Keim and the rest of the Hawks have brought a level of defensive tenacity during the preseason that exemplifies the Heartland standard. Specifically, the Libero position has been a standout during exhibition games, led by Keim, Ella Haines, Lucy Burris and Ava Bercot. Last season, Heartland was one of the premier defensive teams in the country, ranking 9th in digs and 8th in blocks all season. The talent the Hawks have brought in and shown during the preseason will propel them to even better defensive numbers. 

The newcomers and transfers are bringing a lot of excitement to Heartland volleyball. "Our new players are a mix of three transfers, and seven freshman who have all had winning experiences through their previous institutions so we look forward to seeing their unique backgrounds shape the identity of our program," Frahm said. 

The mix of talent has given the Hawks a unique group of players, but it's taken them almost no time to gel and buy into the process. "It's been really special to see a group with so many new additions really buy into the standard in which we operate at Heartland. I think that is a testament to not only this group, but to the foundation that was laid by the alumni of this program.

Heartland will be tested all season, having 17 matches against opponents who were ranked in the top 25 last year. If the parity is anything like it was last year, these matches will help test the Hawks to see what type of team they will be come the tournament at the end of the season. 

Heartland Hawks Volleyball begins their quest to another National Championship tomorrow against No. 10 Iowa Central at the opening weekend tournament in Rockford, IL. They will also face off against Lurleen B. Wallace CC, Schoolcraft and Dakota County TC.