What a Difference Six Years Makes

AMES, Iowa - After six short years at the helm, Iowa State head volleyball coach Christy Johnson-Lynch has become the winningest volleyball coach in Cyclone history. Johnson-Lynch garnered her 136th victory in the Cyclones' 3-0 win against Texas Tech Saturday.

Johnson-Lynch's success as Iowa State's head coach extends far beyond wins and losses. NCAA appearances, conference contention and attendance have all increased with the help of Johnson-Lynch. The Cyclones have produced four All-Americans during her time and have been nationally ranked since 2008.

When Johnson-Lynch received her first head coaching position in 2005, she was served a plate of challenges. Iowa State was coming off an 8-21 season (1-19 Big 12) in 2004 and had just eight conference victories in the previous six seasons.

Starting Off Strong
The two-time All-American at Nebraska knew there was a mountain to climb when she took the position with Iowa State and didn't know what to expect. She certainly didn't expect to increase fan attendance by 400 percent or advance to the Elite Eight after just six years. But she did.

"I never dreamed we'd advance to the Sweet 16, and the Elite Eight and have some major wins like we did over Nebraska and Oregon," Johnson-Lynch said. "So it's been a really nice surprise to exceed expectations."

Johnson-Lynch has been exceeding expectations since her first team meeting with the staff and players of the 2005-06 squad. Johnson-Lynch sensed some apprehension in their first gathering, but felt the players wanted to improve and were willing to do whatever it took to become successful.

"[Christy] expected players to step up and achieve a level of play no Cyclones had achieved before," former Cyclone Katie (Churm) Danielson said.

Among the 14 players at that first meeting was sophomore middle blocker Erin (Boeve) Metzger. Metzger went on to become the only member of the 1,000-kill, 500-block club at Iowa State.

"I give all the credit to Christy and her staff that she surrounded herself with for making me the player I was," Metzger said. "She had a great coaching style which was unique to each player. She really knew how to get the most out of each of us, making us the best team we could be."

She not only got the most out of Metzger, who still holds the record for most triple-doubles in a career, but also junior outside hitter Katie Jessen. Jessen led the team in kills from 2004 to 2006 and ranks 10th in single-season kills at Iowa State.

"After meeting Christy for the first time in 2005, I don't think any of us had any idea where this program was about to go." Jessen said. "The returning players of 2004 saw an immediate impact from Christy and her coaching staff. Previously a team at the bottom of the Big 12, she quickly restored our confidence, believed in our talents, developed our skills and we were tournament-bound from that point forward."

For Johnson-Lynch, molding the team she had just met meant starting with the basics. She focused on passing and defense. To this day Johnson-Lynch says every play must start with a solid pass.

"We immediately upped our defensive numbers," Johnson-Lynch said. "Our ball control, our passing, so that even against teams that were maybe more athletic, we were able to be right there and sometimes win just because we were able to handle the ball and our setter could put up a hittable ball."

Johnson-Lynch embraced the challenge and led the Cyclones to a 16-15 finish (9-11 Big 12) her initial season. The transition period for Johnson-Lynch lasted just one year. The following season, the Cyclones received an invitation to the NCAA tournament, a moment Johnson-Lynch says she'll always remember as the team watched the brackets appear on TV.

Post-Season Progress
Iowa State has appeared in the NCAA tournament every season since 2006 and the Cyclones have advanced to the Sweet 16 twice. The Cyclones' 2008 comeback victory over No. 7 Oregon was one of the best moments for Iowa State volleyball and for Johnson-Lynch herself. Iowa State advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history after being down 2-0 against the Ducks.

The Oregon victory is one of many highlights from the Johnson-Lynch era. Other major successes include Iowa State's first-ever victory over Nebraska in 2009 and the upset of No. 2 Texas the same season.

Johnson-Lynch led the Cyclones back to her alma mater and shocked the Husker nation in a 3-2 victory for Iowa State's first win in the series.

"For me, always going to Nebraska is special just having played there," Johnson-Lynch said. "I just have a tremendous amount of pride taking a team back there that's competitive."

In conference play, Iowa State has finished in the top half every year under Johnson-Lynch and placed second overall in 2009. Expectations for the Cyclones now are to finish in the top two of the Big 12 every year, a mindset Johnson-Lynch has worked to instill in all her players.

After advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2007, a weight of pressure was set on the Iowa State volleyball program. External expectations rose and internally the Cyclone coaching staff and players felt pressured at times. Now, Johnson-Lynch says the pressure is enjoyable.

"We are a top 20 program and working hard to get into the top 10," Johnson-Lynch said. "And we're enjoying that and not necessarily feeling we have to do anything in particular. We just have to work hard, continue what we're doing and those wins and that step into the top 10 are going to happen."

Hilton Magic
After the Husker victory in 2009, the Cyclones turned around to defeat the highest-ranked opponent in school history. Iowa State topped No. 2 Texas on Nov. 4, 2009 and what followed was Iowa State's highest ranking in school history as the Cyclones were slated at No. 5 in the country in the Nov. 30 AVCA Coaches Poll.

As Johnson-Lynch increased Iowa State's ranking, she also increased the Cyclone fan base. Just three days after stunning the Longhorns, Hilton Coliseum was filled with a state of Iowa-record 10,203 fans. The Cyclones finished the 2009 season ranked ninth in nation in attendance.

Before Johnson-Lynch, Iowa State had never sold season tickets for volleyball. Now, players hand-deliver them to season ticket holders within the Ames community. Iowa State also implemented the "CYd-Out Crew" student section in 2009 after total season attendance at home games increased from 8,430 in 2004 to 38,275 in 2009.

Molding Individuals
Four Cyclone volleyball players became All-Americans under the direction of Johnson-Lynch. Setter Kaylee Manns (2006-09), outside hitter Victoria Henson (2007-10), libero Ashley Mass (2006-10) and middle blocker Jamie Straube (2009-present) have all earned All-America honors in their Cyclone careers. Mass and Henson are the only Cyclones in program history to garner first team All-America honors.

Manns was a two-time AVCA All-American and a prime example of the type of setter Johnson-Lynch loves to have on the court. The setter position has been a strong one at Iowa State since Johnson-Lynch's arrival. Someone Johnson-Lynch referred to as a coach on the court, Manns wasn't a flashy setter, but instead made being one of the top setters in the nation look easy.

"When it comes to setters I don't like anything fancy," Johnson-Lynch said. "I leave a lot of the decision making up to the setters. I feel like part of their training and development is being able to make those decisions on their own."

With the help of Mass in the back court and Henson at the net, Manns became the first player in Big 12 history to record 5,500 assists, 1,000 digs, 300 kills and 300 blocks in her career.

Mass became a three-time Big 12 Libero of the Year and holds the most weekly Big 12 awards in school history (15). Henson is the only player in conference history to post 400 kills and 300 digs in a season and holds the Iowa State record for most kills in a career with 1,726. Straube continues to be an active force for the Cyclones and finished third on the team in kills last season.

Family Life
While Johnson-Lynch has grown and adapted to the Cyclone family, she has also been busy with her own. After arriving in Ames, Johnson-Lynch married her husband, Joe Lynch, who was at the time a paid assistant. After living and breathing volleyball for their first year of married life, Joe took on a volunteer position as the two had their first child, Jamison. In the winter of 2011, the Lynches welcomed a daughter, Addison, now nine months old. Both children travel with the team at times and are present at home games in Hilton.

"I've grown a lot just learning how to balance it all, how to delegate, how to spend time on what's really important at work and then leave that work and go home and enjoy my time there," Johnson-Lynch said. "But I like to think having a family now makes me a better coach. I can see things in a little bit better perspective.

I think I understand a little bit more now when a parent sends their child off to Iowa State that there's a lot of anxiety. They're sending them off and trusting that you're going to take really good care of them and treat them well and treat them with respect and be fair to them. Having kids of my own now I really feel that's what I want to do for those parents. I want to treat their child the way I would like another coach to treat mine."

Amanda Craig, a senior when Johnson-Lynch took over the program in 2005, thinks that is exactly what Johnson-Lynch has done.

"[Christy] influenced my life so much in just one short year both in terms of my volleyball career and personal life," Craig said. "She had an incredible way of motivating all of her players so that you never wanted to disappoint her on or off the court. She never raised her voice at the team like you see many coaches do. She had the ability to turn each and every player that stepped into her gym into a Big 12 and, often times, national contender."

To watch the full interview with Christy Johnson-Lynch, click on the embedded media player below.

Players Mentioned

Victoria Henson

Ashley Mass

Jamie Straube

Jamie Straube

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics