Lodes hopes past success follows him to UB

If the women's volleyball team was looking for a qualified candidate to take the helm this season, it has certainly found the right man.

Head coach Jim Lodes comes to the Bulls not only equipped with the mental approach it takes to be a winner, but an impressive r?(c)sum?(c) that has earned him respect among coaches nationwide.

The UB women's volleyball team is not Lodes' first job as a head coach, nor is it his first time in Western New York. He compiled a 170-59 record in five years at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and guided the team to third in the nation within two years of being appointed to the position.

The UB team has high hopes that he will replicate that feat for the Bulls.

"It's an exciting time here at UB. The transition at the top in Warde Manuel and President Simpson says we want to be good at Division 1-A athletics," Lodes said.

Lodes added that he is happy to be inheriting a program with 12 student athletes who not only work hard on the court, but off the court as well.

As an assistant coach for the last three years at North Carolina University, Lodes helped guide the Tar Heels to an impressive 32-4 record last year as well as an ACC regular season championship title. He expects to instill those winning ways in a volleyball program that has been lackluster for the last few years.

"We have to come in and worked harder than everyone else" Lodes said. "We have to have a passion and energy for what we do. We have to trust each other and the staff. That is what we're doing today that is going to pay off down the road."

So far, Lodes seems to be having a positive impact on the team's performance. They already have more than half as many wins as they did last year and after a shaky weekend where they lost three in a row, the Bulls rebounded well on Wednesday night beating local rival Niagara 3-1.

The team's resurgence can be attributed to Lodes' belief that every game is an opportunity to get better.

"I want them to understand that everyday is a learning experience," Lodes said. "We're probably never as good as that last win, but probably not as bad as that last loss either."

Lodes' biggest obstacle as a first-year coach has been coping with injuries. Juniors Wendy Haskell and Trisha Miazga have both been sidelined with knee injuries, and sophomore Sara Hotz is out due to a shoulder injury. This has left him with only nine players with whom to practice and he admits it has been hard "keeping people fresh" and "giving people enough reps without beating them into the ground."

Despite the injuries, Lodes remains optimistic that he can turn the tide for UB volleyball. He has nothing but praise for his team's performance so far in the season, as well as the potential he sees in his team to improve.

"When playing well, we're very well-balanced. We provide ourselves with an opportunity to be diverse offensively" Lodes said. "We have enough talent that if we can have individuals play consistently at a high level, why can't we succeed?"

Lodes' leadership and attitude could be the final pieces that UB volleyball needs to fit into the puzzle of becoming an elite team.