WAUKESHA, Wis. - There is a difference between hoping you can compete and knowing you can. For the Carroll University volleyball team, that belief was reinforced throughout the 2025 season. Whether it was pushing nationally-ranked opponents, taking a set from Illinois Wesleyan, or battling Mary Hardin-Baylor to five sets, the Pioneers repeatedly showed they could stand toe-to-toe with some of the top programs in Division III.

Now comes the next challenge.

After reaching the CCIW Tournament last season, Carroll enters 2026 determined to build on that success rather than simply repeat it. The expectations within the program have evolved. The goal is no longer proving they belong in those matches. The goal is finding ways to win them.

Head coach Emma Mertler believes this year's team has embraced that mindset from the moment preseason began. The Pioneers return a group eager to compete and hungry to continue raising the standard. Just as importantly, they genuinely enjoy doing it together.

"This is one of the closest teams I've ever coached," Mertler said.

That connection has become one of the defining strengths of the program. Practices are competitive, demanding, and energetic, but underneath that competitiveness is a genuine care for one another that continues to drive the team's culture. The players challenge each other daily, celebrate each other's successes, and have developed a trust that carries onto the court when matches become difficult. That culture has been intentionally cultivated since Mertler arrived at Carroll. From the beginning, the emphasis has centered on becoming the best version of yourself both on and off the court. The program takes pride in developing student-athletes who represent Carroll at a high level in competition, in the classroom, and throughout campus. As that culture has matured, confidence has grown alongside it.

The biggest lesson from last season may have been simple: Carroll is capable of more than it realizes. The experiences gained against nationally-ranked competition gave the Pioneers confidence, but confidence alone does not sustain success. That responsibility falls to a veteran group determined to continue raising the standard within the program.

Captains Kylie Wittnebel, Payton Depies, and Audrey Rosenbaum have emerged as the leaders of the group. According to Mertler, their impact extends far beyond the scoresheet. They hold teammates accountable, lead by example, and care deeply about the people around them. While the program graduated several influential seniors from last year's team, the current leadership group has embraced the responsibility of carrying those standards forward. Their experience is especially valuable because they have already navigated some of the toughest challenges Division III volleyball can offer. This group has competed against nationally-ranked opponents, traveled across the country to face elite competition, and learned firsthand what separates good teams from great ones. That experience provides a level of stability and confidence that cannot always be taught.

Rather than being satisfied with those experiences, the Pioneers used them as motivation throughout the offseason. The understanding that they were close to taking another step forward fueled an offseason dedicated to improvement. Mertler noted that this team genuinely enjoys the work required to improve. The Pioneers have embraced strength and conditioning as an important ingredient to success, and the results have been noticeable. Throughout the offseason, the team made significant gains in overall strength, endurance, and physicality.

Rather than viewing the weight room as an obligation, the players have embraced it as an opportunity. That mindset has produced noticeable growth throughout the roster and has positioned several returning players for expanded roles this fall. Carly Hicklin has developed increased confidence and consistency in her game and appears poised for a strong season. Samantha Miserandino continues to establish herself as a dominant back-row presence and is expected to play a significant role in Carroll's success. Combined with an experienced supporting cast, both players represent examples of the growth the coaching staff hopes to see throughout the roster.

While the returning group provides a strong foundation, the Pioneers have also added new pieces capable of expanding the team's ceiling. The freshman class arrives with a combination of size, athleticism, and diverse volleyball backgrounds. Players from across the country bring different experiences and perspectives that should strengthen both the offense and defense. The added height at the net and athleticism throughout the roster provide Carroll with additional versatility and depth as the team continues to develop.

The combination of experienced returners and a talented freshman class gives Carroll more depth and versatility than it has had in recent years. With the personnel beginning to take shape, the focus for the coaching staff now turns to how this group can continue to evolve on the court. Much of that growth starts offensively, but it is built upon a defensive foundation that already exists. Defensively and in transition, Carroll established itself as a competitive team throughout conference play last season. The Pioneers were effective in both blocking and digging, allowing them to extend rallies and stay within striking distance against some of the region's best opponents. The next step is finding ways to transform those competitive performances into more victories.

Mertler would like to see the Pioneers become more efficient and productive throughout the attack. While the defensive foundation is strong, improving offensive consistency and generating more points will be critical if Carroll hopes to turn competitive sets into victories against top-tier opponents. If that improvement materializes, the Pioneers believe they have the potential to become one of the more dangerous teams in the conference. Fortunately for Carroll, the early-season schedule will provide plenty of opportunities to begin answering those questions.

The season opens in Texas, where the Pioneers return to a tournament that produced several valuable experiences a year ago. The event includes another matchup with Mary Hardin-Baylor, providing an immediate measuring stick against a nationally respected opponent. Carroll pushed the Crusaders to five sets last season and is eager to see how it stacks up against that level of competition once again. Those early-season matches are about more than wins and losses. They are opportunities to evaluate growth, identify areas for improvement, and prepare for the challenges that await later in the season. Facing nationally-ranked programs and demanding schedules helps prepare Carroll for the reality of conference play, where consistency often proves just as important as talent.

That lesson becomes especially important in the CCIW.

Year after year, the conference ranks among the strongest volleyball leagues in Division III. Travel, back-to-back matches, and a relentless conference schedule test every roster. For Mertler, the formula for success is straightforward: understand your role, trust the system, and bring the same level of execution every single match. The Pioneers will be asked to do exactly that immediately, beginning conference play against Illinois Wesleyan, which once again enters the season among the conference favorites.

Consistency has become a recurring theme throughout the program. Mertler believes that if the Pioneers can consistently execute their system regardless of opponent or circumstance, many of the team's goals will take care of themselves.
Those goals, however, extend beyond the conference standings. While Carroll certainly has competitive aspirations, the coaching staff continues to evaluate success through the growth of the program as a whole.

Mertler wants to see continued growth in the overall level of play. She wants the Pioneers to compete confidently against highly-ranked opponents, earn statement victories, and continue proving they belong among the region's top programs. Sometimes growth does not always show up in the final result, but it can be seen through performance, competitiveness, and the confidence a team develops over time.

There is also unfinished business.

Last season, Carroll accomplished its goal of reaching the CCIW Tournament before falling to Wheaton in five sets during the quarterfinals. While earning a postseason berth represented an important milestone, the ending left the Pioneers wanting more. The objective entering 2026 is no longer simply making the conference tournament. It is taking the next step once they get there.

If Carroll reaches its full potential by November, Mertler believes it will be a team capable of making a deeper postseason run while continuing to elevate expectations within the program. Opponents may also discover something else along the way.
According to Mertler, this team does not take "no" for an answer very well.

The Pioneers compete with relentless energy, embrace challenges, and possess a stubborn determination to find ways to win points. Whether the situation calls for grit, composure, or pure competitiveness, they continue fighting until the final point has been played. By season's end, Carroll hopes that mentality becomes one of the defining characteristics of the program. If that happens, the 2026 season may mark another significant step forward for a team that believes its best volleyball is still ahead.