Southport volleyball has reached 21 wins before.
The last time was 2019, when the Cardinals finished 21-9. Chelsea Hoffman was in just her third season as Southport’s head coach. Pasted markdown.md
Seven years later, Southport has reached that number again. This time, the Cardinals are 21-2, winners of 12 straight, and still have four regular-season matches remaining. Tonight, they open the Marion County Tournament at home against Roncalli.
But comparing the two 21-win teams only tells part of the story.
For Hoffman, what makes this season different is everything that happened before it.
“In 2019 that was only my 3rd year as the head coach, so I was still figuring things out. It was a very talented group that had played together but I didn’t have my hand in that piece of their careers. For this group I have put in the time and so have these kids.”
Three members of this year’s team started in Southport’s youth league as fifth graders. Others followed. Some were pushed toward club volleyball. And of the 10 players on the varsity roster, Hoffman said all but two began putting in the work well before this season.
Some of those relationships now go back seven or eight years.
“They have bought into our program and each other. This season and the growth over the last 4-5 years I have seen in this program just validate all the time and effort I have put into this.”
A team that leans on each other
Southport’s rise hasn’t happened overnight.
The Cardinals won five matches in 2020 and eight in 2021. That climbed to 12 wins in 2022, 17 in 2023 and 18 in 2024 before a 15-14 season last fall.
Now comes a team that Hoffman believes has learned how to play for each other.
“I think the thing about this group is they lean on each other. They work hard for each other, not me. They want their teammates to succeed and trust each other so much.”
Marlee Chafin, the only senior on this year’s roster, has continued to lead, and Southport’s junior class has taken another step.
“The juniors have more confidence and lean on each other that it is so fun to watch and has allowed the team to be a very cohesive group that works together very well.”
That growth became especially important after Southport suffered its only two losses of the season in a five-day stretch in August.
The Cardinals fell 2-1 to New Palestine on Aug. 22 and 3-1 at Franklin Central on Aug. 25. They haven’t lost since.
Hoffman saw something change.
“I think the confidence of oh wait.. we are good. The belief in some of the players that they can play with the best. Our biggest thing after those two skill wise was finishing and confidence. We really worked on that in practice and it shows. Our out of system game has improved alot and knowing that your teammates have your back.”
Southport followed those losses with 12 straight victories. Nine of those were sweeps. The latest required something different.
On Monday night at Lutheran, the Cardinals battled through five sets to win 3-2 and reach 21 victories.
The Cardinal who stayed
Chafin’s role in getting Southport to this point goes back much further than her senior season.
Hoffman remembers coaching Chafin’s older sister in Southport’s seventh-grade feeder program and hearing from the family about the younger sister who could eventually follow.
Hoffman encouraged the family to get Marlee into club volleyball.
They did.
Years later, Chafin is a four-year varsity player and the lone senior on Southport’s best team in years.
Hoffman remembers a moment during Chafin’s freshman season that told her what kind of player she had. Chafin was splitting time between JV and varsity. After only about a week, the freshman approached her coach.
“Only a week into season she approached me asking for more time with Varsity. Telling me she can do it and to let me allow her that opportunity. That was a big moment when I knew she was a leader. It wasn’t a selfish move, it was because it was what was best for Varsity and she wanted to give to that.”
And Chafin stayed.
“In today’s world of transferring Marlee could have left, and she didn’t. Marlee is the definition of a Cardinal and has put her heart and soul into Southport Volleyball. I can’t thank her or her family enough!”
Rieck makes history
While Chafin provides the senior leadership, junior Hallie Rieck has already put her name in the Southport record book.
Rieck recently broke the school’s single-season record for aces. Then, against Lutheran, she added seven more.
Hoffman had an idea this might be coming almost from the beginning.
“7 aces alone in our game against Lutheran?!? Like not only does she have more to give but she is a force at the line.”
Hoffman acknowledges that Rieck’s aggressive approach can lead to misses, too. But that’s part of what makes her dangerous.
“High risk, high reward type thing. Her first week I said to my assistant, I really think she may be able to do it and here we are! One season with us and putting her name on or board.. pretty cool!”
And Rieck is hardly alone.
Hoffman pointed to Chafin’s leadership, Abby and Lily’s digs and assists, and Rieck’s production in aces, blocks and kills. But when asked which less-heralded players have been essential to the Cardinals’ success, Hoffman had a simpler answer.
“Can I say everyone?! I love this team, I truly do! Every game someone has some play or contribution that makes us that much better! We truly are one team and play together.”
Years of work, one opportunity
Tonight brings a new test.
Roncalli comes to the Southport Fieldhouse for the opening round of the Marion County Tournament. After building a 21-2 record through the first six weeks of the season, the Cardinals now get an opportunity to see what that growth looks like in a tournament setting.
Hoffman isn’t shy about what she believes her team can do.
“I truly believe we can compete with anyone.”
Her formula for doing it is just as straightforward.
“The biggest thing is working on finishing plays. Being the aggressor. Continuing to play together through the ups and downs, which I know we will. We have shown that time and time again!”
The results have made this a historic season.
But Hoffman’s explanation for how Southport got here keeps coming back to the same things: feeder volleyball, club seasons, offseason workouts, parents who support the program, players who stayed and years of work that happened before anyone saw 21-2 next to Southport’s name.
“It takes a lot of time but also buy in from players and parents. These kids have put in the time out of just our season. They play club, they did my feeder program, they come to all our workouts and put in the effort and work! This team hasn’t needed that instant gratification. They know what it means to work at something and be good teammates.”
And before turning her attention toward what’s next, Hoffman wanted to make sure one more thing was said about this group.
“Lastly - I truly love this team and want people to know they are great on the court but equally off the court. They put the same effort and energy into school and each other. Special group for sure that I am sincerely grateful to be their coach!”
Tonight, that group gets its next opportunity.
Southport vs. Roncalli. First round of the Marion County Tournament.
