The plot thickens. Just saw a post on X from one of the parents who wrote: “unbelievably sad day for all the ladies on the team except one of them”
@vu72 to me this sounds like what I was thinking probably happened- some sort of team incident where Coach Avery dealt with it in a way that led to complaint(s) and ultimately the university sided with the player(s) or Carin decided she had enough. Both she and her husband (when he was men’s soccer coach) have been huge on culture so maybe something happened and she punished/held someone accountable in a way that technically violated ncaa rules etc
It certainly doesnt sound like she lost the locker room, especially as only 2 have transferred since last season.
i really would have been very shocked if it turned out she’d done anything criminally or willfully violated ncaa rules, and if it is some sort of broken promise or falling out with the administration then it doesn’t make sense why it has taken so long (evidenced by her not being at the coaches tour)
Very sad for the athletic department and I hope at some point she’s able to be celebrated (if she wants to ever set foot on valpo’s campus again!)
and now I’ve just seen this by an ex player on Facebook
What a disappointing and heartbreaking decision by the AD. And let’s just say it how it is: Carin held a player accountable for being disrespectful to her teammates.. and now she’s being punished for doing exactly what a coach should do.
As a former player of Carin’s, I was held accountable many times throughout my time in HER program, and I came out a better person because of it. It’s incredibly disappointing to see Valpo turn its back on the values it claims to stand for as a Christian university.
Her success on the court speaks for itself, but the family she built over the past 20 years mean so much more. Valpo volleyball will NEVER be the same💔
After reading that I'm sure volleyball program has lost any support they had from alumni...
Reading the side-by-side statements from Laurel Hosmer and Carin Avery, the tones are significantly different. Hosmer's is cold : a sentence declaring the university is "parting ways" with Avery, followed by a summary sentence without much feeling ("The University gratefully acknowledges..."), especially considering they are written about a beloved coach who has served remarkably for more than a quarter century. Meanwhile, Avery's comes across as caring and warm toward colleagues, friends, players, and families ("wonderful friends" "incredible people" "Blessed to coach").
Hosmer speaks of "the stellar won-loss record compiled," while Avery writes: "Valpo Volleyball has always been about so much more than a game. It's about the people we share the journey with, the relationships we build along the way, and the people we become because of the time we spend together."
A number of Avery's players were in my classes; all were excellent student-athletes and fine representatives of the university who held high regard for their coach. This sad development is hard to understand without further clarifications.
Now contrast Hosmer's comments when announcing the contract extension for Avery in November: "Coach Avery runs a program with a team culture that is second to none and shows continuous commitment to supporting the holistic development and experience of the athletes in her program," Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation Laurel Hosmer said. "She consistently recruits and retains well-rounded student-athletes who succeed on the volleyball court while also excelling in the classroom and serving as great representatives of the volleyball program and the University within the community. It's been my privilege to have a front-row seat to watch her teams succeed over the last two seasons, and I'm looking forward to many more great years for Valpo Volleyball under her leadership."
It seems whatever this issue is has been under review for quite some time in the background. I had no idea she had not been with the team for this time. Was anyone else aware?
Unfortunately this has been brewing for a while. The “issue” in question took place in the spring. The first time I noticed her absence was at a spring match in March, and she continued to be absent through the coaches tour, recruiting trips, and the first three tournaments of the season. This was really just a matter of time I’m afraid.
That said, I don’t think anyone really had any idea that this was a real thing that early. Her absence at the spring match was noticeable, but Nick Polite seemed to be playing a really background role as acting head coach, and in July Paul even named Carin as the one to credit for scheduling Cincinnati and Michigan. Those of us on the academic year calendar who I was talking to about this did not realize that there was anything actually going on until mid-late August.