The Hamilton varsity volleyball team is entering the 2026 season with experience, high expectations and a much greater familiarity with second-year head coach Courtney Cronkright.

The Hawkeyes are off to a 6-1 start after finishing 23-11 overall and advancing to the District Finals in 2025. Hamilton will return home Tuesday, September 1, to face Spring Lake at 6 p.m.

For Cronkright, the difference between her first and second seasons leading the program is already noticeable.

“This is my second year, and it’s already a night-and-day difference,” Cronkright said. “They know me now, and they know what to expect. Last year was almost like a honeymoon phase of them trying to figure out who I was and me trying to figure out who they were. This year, I feel like we could go right out of the gate.”

That familiarity was evident during the Hawkeyes’ preseason scrimmages, when Cronkright saw a team that appeared more organized and prepared than it was at the same point last year.

“We were just more put together,” she said. “Everything is running smoother this year, so I’m really excited for what’s to come.”

A senior-heavy roster has helped accelerate that progress. Hamilton has eight seniors who have taken ownership of the team and helped set expectations for the rest of the program.

“They’ve taken charge and taken the lead,” Cronkright said. “A lot of other schools graduated some big senior classes last year, and luckily, I have my biggest one this year. I think we can really compete and do well in the conference standings.”

The Hawkeyes now understand what their head coach expects from them—and that those expectations are high.

“They figured out that I’m tough, to put it bluntly,” Cronkright chuckled. “I have really high expectations, but I also have a big soft spot for these kids. I put a lot of love and energy into them. They’ve learned that I love them at the end of the day and not to take things personally.”

Cronkright brings a structured coaching style to the program and expects consistent hard work from her players. That approach is represented by three words displayed on the team’s shirts: attitude, commitment and effort—or “ACE.”

Each month of the season, the Hawkeyes place added emphasis on one of those values.

“This month is commitment because you have to commit to the team first,” Cronkright explained. “Next month is effort because you’re in the bulk of the season. You’re tired and exhausted, but you still have to give effort. The final month is attitude because you’re ending the season, playing time might look different than it did at the beginning, and you still have to maintain a good team-first attitude.”

With eight seniors leading the way, a strong start already behind them and a clearer understanding of what it takes to meet their coach’s expectations, the Hawkeyes believe they are ready to take another step forward in 2026.

You can find the Hamilton volleyball schedule on our athletics website here.