Indiana Volleyball Will Send Coach Steve Aird, Sade Ilawole and Jaidyn Jager to Big Ten Media Days

IU Athletics Release

ROSEMONT, Ill. – A trio of Hoosiers will join the rest of the conference to kick start another anticipated season of volleyball in the Big Ten. The network studios will play host to the fifth-annual Big Ten Volleyball Media Day on Monday, August 3rd in Chicago, featuring appearances from coaches and student-athletes of all 18 schools.

Head coach Steve Aird will be joined by junior setter Sade Ilawole and sophomore outside hitter Jaidyn Jager as representatives of Indiana. The Hoosiers are coming off a record-breaking 25-win season and a trip to the NCAA regional semifinals for the first time in 15 years. Both players will be team captains during the upcoming campaign.

Jager was one of the standout freshmen in a league full of talented newcomers in 2025. She finished second on the team with 383 kills (3.39 per set) and led all Hoosiers with 249 digs (2.20 per set). On the year, Jager was the only freshman in the country to finish with at least 380 kills, 200 digs, 50 blocks and 30 aces. Of returning conference players in 2026, she brings back the sixth-most kills (383).

Ilawole has played every role that the Hoosiers have asked of her over two seasons. She has appeared in 27 career matches and has tallied 31 assists and 54 digs during her time in Bloomington. After being a unanimous team selection, Ilawole will serve as a team captain for the second-straight year in 2026.

Aird and his student-athletes will spend the day going through select media stations. Featured stops will include a press conference, a live studio hit with BTN hosts, photo shoots and sit-down interviews. The conference will host a dinner for coaches and players following the day’s proceedings. IU’s full team will gather the next day (August 4) to begin official fall practices in Bloomington.