MaxPreps 2015 volleyball national champion Indianapolis Cathedral was so good, we won't forget them

Video: Volleyball Player of the Year watch list

When Cathedral (Indianapolis) volleyball coach Jean Kesterson first heard of her team's proposed 2015 team motto "Be so good they can't forget you," she thought it was a "bit bold ... maybe too cocky.

"But that was what the team wanted, so they designed the practice shirts and we went with it," said Kesterson, moments after being informed that her unbeaten Fighting Irish had won MaxPreps' 2015 mythical volleyball national championship.

As it turns out, the preseason motto was dead on.

The Fighting Irish captured Indiana's Class 4A title (their seventh overall) and went 36-0, losing just nine sets while winning 96. No Indiana Class 4A team had ever finished undefeated before the Irish, and the last Indiana team to go unbeaten was 2A Burris (Muncie) in 2010.

"These are great athletes and they care about each other," said Kesterson, who has coached seven state championship teams. "They are thoroughbreds. This is the best ball control team I have seen in Indiana in 25 years. Their hard work paid off."

Kesterson noted that in some practices, the players worked so hard that they would go through two or three T-shirts each.

Cathedral, which was ranked 16th in the first MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Volleyball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard in mid-August, moved to the top spot on Sept. 16 and never relinquished it.

Since winning the 4A state tournament on Nov. 7 (a 3-0 sweep of 34-4 Carroll-Fort Wayne), Cathedral players have been waiting for Oregon, Michigan and California to wrap up their seasons and for the final Xcellent 25 - which expands to 50 teams for the final week.

Despite impressive runs from No. 2 Jesuit (Portland, Ore.) and No. 3 Gabriel Richard (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Cathedral got the national championship call Monday morning. Kesterson, who has been head coach at Cathedral since 1990, said there were four ingredients to her team's 2015 success:

- "Have some of the best floor defense the state has ever seen. Tenacious ball pursuit and superb serve receive."

- "Have great, consistent setting by the hardest worker in the gym. As all of the coaches are in sweatshirts most of the season, our setter, Maria Schorr, was going through two or three T-shirts (every practice).

- "Have more than one or two great hitters. If opponents focus on stopping one hitter at the net, have two other attackers that can put the ball away."

- "The binding ingredient, the most important ingredient, is to have incredible team chemistry. Have a team that loves each other like close sisters. Have a team that has unquestionable trust in each other. Have a team in which they all have a passion for the game of volleyball."

That sounds like a team that won't be forgotten.

To a player, they felt team chemistry was vital. Several of the players joked that they spend more time with one another than with their actual families. Senior Kendall White said they have been friends and playing volleyball together since they were 8 years old.

"These kids just love playing the game," said Kesterson. "They love being in the gym. They have a love for the game."

The quest to never be forgotten started a little more than a year ago. After losing in the 2014 state finals, players felt as if they had "let their seniors down." It was, after all, a terrific season – 32 wins, a 20-match win streak and a state runner-up trophy.

"It was great senior leadership and everyone bought in," said Kesterson. "It was hard work. It was about caring for one another."

The goal of going unbeaten and winning a national title wasn't talked about.

"Our focus was always to get better each day," said Kesterson. "We were aware of our record, but we talked about each opponent, each practice and just getting better. Our focus was on being the best in Indiana volleyball history."

In 31 matches, the opponent did not win a set against Cathedral. The four teams that did win a set against Cathedral had a combined 125-25 record and at one point during the season each was nationally ranked.

The Nation's No. 1 ranked team featured six seniors, seven juniors and three sophomores. Six of the players are 6-foot or taller.

All six seniors -- White (who has signed with Penn State), Anna Jensen (Ball State), Jasmine Smith (Butler), Meaghan Koors (Indiana), Audrey Adams (Xavier) and Megan Sloan (Louisville) -- are committed to Division 1 programs.

Three juniors – Nia Parker-Robinson (Wake Forest), Payton White (Auburn) and Schoor (Dayton) – are committed to D-1 colleges as well.

All total, that's nine who will play at the next level. At last count, only six are on the court at the same time.

"And three others are considering offers," said Kesterson, who noted that her team has a combined 3.8 grade point average as well.

To say the team had depth would be an understatement. Kendall White, Schoor, Sloan and Robinson were named first team all-state players in 4A. Ten players played in 55 or more matches and no one player played in all 105 sets (Kendall White led with 101 sets). Six players had more than 100 kills (led by Parker-Robinson's 340). The team kill average was 47.4 percent and they blocked 252 shots (led by Jensen's 68).

The Irish served 91.4 percent and recorded 267 aces (2.5 per set). Junior Payton White led with 40.

Kesterson admitted that it was very early in the season when she realized just how special this season could be.

"When we beat Assumption (a perennial power from Louisville, Ky.), I knew we had the talent. It was only our second match of the season, but you could see the potential." said Kesterson. "This is such a physically strong team."

Kesterson knows talent. She has never had a losing season and has had only three seasons with double-digit losses while compiling a 794-173 record.

She had teams that finished second and third in the country, but "this is the best team I have coached."

And like the team's motto says, "Be so good they can't forget you."