Amherst volleyball Head Coach Sue Everden joined elite company Saturday, picking up her 500th win en route to a three-game sweep of Rivier College, Roger Williams University and the University of New England at the Roger Williams Invitational. With the win, Everden became one of only 22 head coaches in Div. III to ever achieve the milestone, and she is the only coach from the NESCAC to reach that mark.
Saturday’s games were the first of the season for the Firedogs, and while early-season games are usually characterized by silly errors and careless mistakes, the Firedogs were in midseason form, taking down all three of their opponents in three straight sets and winning some games by as many as 13 points.
“We played well,” said middle hitter Jackie Berkley ’11. “Obviously, there’s always room for improvement, but overall, it was a very good start to the season.”
One question going into the weekend was how the first-years would handle their first taste of college volleyball. The newcomers quickly put any doubts to rest, though, as first-years Katherine Kanoff and Cristy Mier combined for over 20 kills.
“The freshmen looked great,” said opposite hitter Claire Holton-Basaldua ’09. “This year, we’re really deep—every single player on the team is capable of getting playing time.” In addition to the first-years, explosive sophomore Laura Hyman had 20 kills of her own over the weekend, leading a front line attack which also included Mary Reiser ’12, Berkley, and seniors Hannah Wirth and Holton-Basaldua. The front line was assisted by an impressive array of sets coming off the hands of senior Sara Heller and sophomore Kate Jordan.
Jordan had an exceptional match against Rivier, tallying 26 assists in the win. The most notable play in the tournament, however, came from Wirth and sophomore Rachel Yorke. Wirth was solid all weekend and was rewarded with a spot on the All-Tournament team, while Yorke played just as impressively, making over 30 digs en route to earning Most Valuable Player honors.
The biggest story of the weekend, however, was Everden, who entered the invitational with a coaching record of 497-202. Watching the Firedogs play, it’s almost impossible not to notice Everden’s enthusiasm and intensity, which sometimes culminates in her actually diving on the sidelines during games to demonstrate how to go for the ball.
“She’s so enthusiastic in everything she does,” said junior Bethany Belisle, “and it’s contagious—we feed off her energy.” Holton-Basaldua agreed, saying that “most coaches coach to win, but Sue doesn’t [have] winning as her main goal. She wants you to work hard and have fun, and winning just comes from that.”
And come it has; over her 23 years at the helm, Everden has won over 70 percent of her games, including nine seasons in which Amherst has won 25 games or more. Last season was Everden’s most successful to date, with the ’Dogs going 30-5 and making it to the Elite Eight. And while Everden is undoubtedly a fan-favorite at LeFrak Gymnasium, her biggest supporters may be those playing on the court.
“We love Sue,” said Belisle. “That’s all there is to it—we can’t get enough of her.” Holton-Basaldua echoed Belisle’s sentiments, calling Everden the “perfect” coach.