Dayton volleyball coach Tim Horsmon recruited Kacie Hausfeld in 2007. Although Hausfeld was a ‘local’ talent, the coach knew she was a standout. “We were just really excited about her, she was a really good volleyball player,” said Horsmon. Although Horsmon left the Flyers to coach Maryland just a year later, Hausfeld proved his prediction right.

In the three years she played for the Flyers, Hausfeld amassed an impressive 1742 assists. Yet, an accident put an abrupt and tragic end to the promising player. On April 10, 2010, Kacie Hausfeld and her father met their untimely demise in a plane crash near Dayton. So when Coach Horsmon returned to the Flyers in 2014, he reconnected with Hausfeld’s mother.

The coach just wanted to get in touch with the family of the late star. However, the generous Lori Hausfeld expressed her desire to honor her daughter’s memory by giving back. “She asked if there were some things maybe she could do for the program and thought she would really love to contribute to something Kacie really loved,” Tim Horsmon said in a clip on the NCAA Women’s Volleyball page on X.

Although the coach hesitated to accept Hausfeld’s offer, she was adamant. “So, she donated over a million dollars… and so the court is now named after Kacie,” the coach revealed in the video. However, that wasn’t all they did with the money. Besides the Dayton volleyball court, they also used the funds to renovate the facility, transforming the team and locker rooms.

Today the sign above the entrance to the Thomas J. Frericks Athletic and Convocation Center’s volleyball court read “Welcome to Hausfeld Court.” Other parts of the Area also bear the late setter’s name, such as the Kacie Hausfeld Player Lounge. “Making her proud,” the NCAA page captioned the post, as the Flyers had made it to the Sweet 16 at this year’s NCAA Championship. Unfortunately, despite a gritty performance, things didn’t go Dayton’s way.

Dayton volleyball fell to the Huskers despite their best efforts

Things looked promising for the Dayton Flyers going into their clash with last year’s runner-up Nebraska Volleyball. Both teams had a record of 31-2 ahead of their round of 16 clash. However, as the dust settled, Nebraska’s monumental 42-game win streak at the Bob Devaney Sports Center extended to 43. The Flyers took two whole sets to get a hang of NU’s offense.

Led by hitter Harper Murray, the Huskers picked up a 2-0 lead against their opponents. However, the Flyers embodied Kacie Hausfeld’s indomitable spirit in set three. The third set saw some exhilarating back-and-forth action, with Lexie Almodovar leading the charge. “Almodovar leads the match with 12 kills and 5 in the third set. She is hitting over .830 in set three.” Nebraska staff writer Abby Barmoe wrote on X.

However, the Big10 champions bounced back in the fourth set, shutting down any hopes of a reverse sweep by Dayton. Thus Dayton’s 2024 NCAA volleyball season came to an end, with NU progressing to the regional finals. However, despite the disappointing end, Dayton fought to honor the legacy and impact that Kacie Hausfeld and her family have had on the Flyers.