The Ball State University Athletic Department unveiled new, state-of-the-art TaraFlex volleyball courts to the men’s and women’s teams this morning. After years of elite play, an all-time record of 1,242-527 for the men and a mark of 995-633-2 for the women, the program has earned the upgrade.

Coaches and players from both teams met this morning on the Worthen Arena concourse to enjoy drinks and donuts before heading to the gym to check out the field.

“It was a great morning,” said senior Aaron Hernandez. “We made it a big special event, obviously with the men’s team and the women’s team as well. It was a great time for everyone before they came out here to see this amazing new surface.”

The new surface is a TaraFlex floor, which is used by most high-level volleyball programs. Talks about installing a floor have been ongoing since Donan Cruz, the men’s team head coach, arrived on campus in 2021.

“I came to the arena for the first time and felt like the only thing missing from my wish list was a TaraFlex floor,” Cruz said. “I felt like our program profile for volleyball just made sense and that this was the right fit for us.”

Over the last decade, both programs have proven they are at a higher level. The women’s team is at the top of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and won the conference title in 2021. This type of rise has been achieved through the consistent success of the coaches and players.

“When I came here, I was just so excited,” said women’s head coach Kelli Miller Phillips. “I was so proud and had so many emotions. I was excited and speechless at how far we can grow from here.”

“It feels like we have endless opportunities to build on what we’ve already built here and how we can continue to grow with this program. We can’t be satisfied with where we are now, but need to focus on the possibilities of where we can go.”

In women’s volleyball, the NCAA requires teams to have a TaraFlex playing surface in order to host a regional tournament. Not only can the Cardinals host a regional tournament, they are the only team in the conference with a TaraFlex playing surface.

“We want to keep Ball State at the top of the MAC and we have incredible support from guys like Jeff Mitchell and the entire administration,” Miller Phillips said. “They have been so supportive throughout the entire process and have done so much for our programs. It shows how important volleyball is here.”

The new surface has a wood-paneled center and a black out-of-bounds area. At both ends of the court, “Ball State” is written in red and white, creating a simple yet unique design that inspires players to perform at their best.

“It’s really awesome,” said senior Megan Wielonski. “It gives us another reason to look forward to competing here. Obviously we can’t wait to get back out there and compete, but it gives us another reason to look forward to it besides competing as a family.”

Contact Logan Connor via email at [email protected] or at X @_loganconnor