By Roscoe Nance


Howard’s volleyball program is synonymous with winning and championships.

The Bison make their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in head coach Shaun Kupferberg’s eight seasons at the helm and sixth overall on Friday at No. 6 seed Pittsburgh, champion of the ACC and the No. 2 team in the nation.
 
But the Bison experienced many dark days in the early stages of Kupferberg’s tenure, as they posted a 1-23 record his first season and failed to qualify for the MEAC Championship. Reflecting on his maiden season, Kupferberg says neither he nor his team became discouraged.  
 
Hard work became the Bison’s mantra and remains their battle call as they have become the gold standard in the MEAC and a fixture in NCAA postseason play. They reached the title match in 2014 and, despite falling to Hampton, haven’t looked back. They got back to the final in 2015, winning the conference title and beginning their run of NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
“We’ve been putting in a lot of hours with the athletes,” Kupferberg said. “We’ve been pushing them year-round to get to this point. It highlights itself in November (at the MEAC Championship), but we’re working hard from January to November. We’re working hard on the recruiting trail. We’re working hard in the gym.”
 
The payoff in 2019 has been a 20-12 record, Kupferberg’s fifth 20-win season and yet another MEAC crown.
 
Kupferberg getting the Bison to the top and keeping them there each come with their own kind of pressure. In the beginning, he set goals for the Bison, being careful that they were attainable.
 
“We weren’t winning games, but we were reaching our goals each week and we were pushing forward,” he said. “Outside, it looked like we only won one game, but inside we were getting better each week. We kept pushing. It was my job to make sure they bought in. Even now, I have to do that. We set goals that we want to reach. Our goals this season were different from the goals we had the first season.
 
“Sustaining that championship level is much greater pressure. When you’re at that 0-for level, you’re the underdog. Nobody expects anything from you. You put pressure on yourself if you’re an athlete or a coach. It’s not external pressure. When you’re winning championships, there’s that external pressure. You understand every team in the country has goals they’re trying to top each week. But you understand your team is a little different. You’re constantly trying to top those goals until you finish the season. That’s what you’re doing all season long, trying to make sure you’re as strong a unit as possible come November. It’s a lot going on.”
 
Kupferberg says he wasn’t sure what to expect from this year’s version of the Bison because the roster features a number of newcomers – and just two seniors in First Team All-MEAC honoree Kira Porter and Jurnee Farrell.

But the squad has shown versatility and depth.
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“We have a lot of athletes who can play at a high level,” he said. “The consistency part is what’s going to have to improve to have a successful run in the tournament. Volleyball isn’t like basketball, where you can get a lead and run out the clock. There’s not a lot of upsets in volleyball. It’s a pretty short period of play. You need to get better. It’s not about size, strength and highlight-reel plays. It’s all of the other points in the game that are forgotten about that separate the top teams.’’
 
Pitt is clearly one of the top teams. But Kupferbeg isn’t in awe of the Panthers, having played them five times previously – despite having lost all five times. Howard last faced Pitt in 2012, Kupferberg’s first season.
 
“Pitt’s a great team,” Kupferberg said. “But they won’t out-athlete us. They are big and strong like we are. But at the same time, they are the most consistent team in the country. They don’t make mistakes. They know what they’re going to do all the time and they are disciplined. They are a lot to keep up with.”