Why This Season Was Years in the Making
Some seasons are remembered because of banners and trophies. Others endure because they reveal a story that began long before the first whistle ever blew. This year’s StoneBridge volleyball season was both.
The 2025 Cavs, led by Head Coach Eric Plumlee and Assistant Coach Christie Wooten, achieved something extraordinary: an undefeated 38–0 record, a Division II State Championship, six distinct titles, a stunning 101–3 set record, and recognition across the Commonwealth as one of the finest teams—public or private—in the region. By every visible measure, it was the greatest season in StoneBridge volleyball history.
But this success did not begin in August. It did not begin with rankings, preseason expectations, or even this particular roster. It began years ago, quietly and deliberately, when a program—led by persistent, faithful coaches made a defining decision: StoneBridge Volleyball would refuse mediocrity.
Excellence Defined by a Different Standard
That decision was never about chasing trophies as the world understands them. It was about something far more demanding—and far more enduring.
From the earliest days of the program’s rise, StoneBridge volleyball chose to pursue excellence as Scripture defines it: doing all things heartily, as unto the Lord, and to do so together as stated in the “life verse” of the program, Philippians 1:27-28. Season after season, the girls would be reminded of the basic principles undergirding the philosophy of the program, “The 4 C’s” of Character, Confidence, Cohesion and Competition. The goal was never simply to win, but to compete faithfully before an Audience of One—to prepare, practice, and play with the understanding that the Lord Himself takes pleasure in wholehearted effort offered in faith.
This conviction shaped everything. It demanded discipline when shortcuts were tempting. It required perseverance when progress was slow. It meant holding the line when mediocrity would have been easier to accept. And over time, that standard formed a culture, one that valued preparation over flash, unity over ego, and obedience over applause.
Winning seasons followed. Championships accumulated. But even more importantly, a reputation emerged: StoneBridge athletes compete differently. Not because they expect victory, but because they are willing to lay everything on the line—win or lose—for God’s good pleasure.
A Season That Revealed the Foundation
That long-formed culture was fully revealed this year.
Entering only their second season in Division II, with no seniors and a roster dominated by underclassmen, expectations could have been tempered. The schedule was front-loaded. The competition was unforgiving. The margin for error was slim. Yet from the first team gathering in August, Coach Eric Plumlee set the vision clearly: before results, before rankings, before banners—the team would anchor its identity in Christ, and they would seek to be a living testimony, noticeably different and set apart, to the many eyes that would watch and scrutinize their every action.
The burden of expectations would feel like a heavy rock. But if the team stayed connected—bringing effort, humility, and resolve to every practice and every match—they could push it. Together.
And push it they did.
From early tournament tests to tense five-set battles, the Cavs encountered resistance at every turn. They faced deficits that demanded calm under pressure. They absorbed injuries that threatened momentum. They asked younger players to step into moments far bigger than their experience. Again and again, the response was not panic, blame, or retreat—but unity.
The rock kept moving.
The Quiet Formation of Team Sports
This is why team sports matter so deeply in Christian education. Athletics are not merely competitive outlets; they are arenas of formation.
On the volleyball court, students learn lessons no lecture can fully impart: that excellence requires consistency, not convenience; that faithfulness often precedes visible success; that leadership means serving under pressure; and that perseverance is proven when the outcome is uncertain.
This season, those lessons were lived. Players adjusted roles without complaint. Teammates carried one another through disappointment and fatigue. Joy was preserved even under strain. Excellence was pursued not for recognition, but because it was right.
Team sports, at their best, teach young people how to live faithfully in a fallen world—how to give their best effort without guaranteeing the result, trusting that obedience itself honors God.
Success That Will Outlast the Scoreboard
The honors that followed were deserved. State and Metro Players of the Year. All-State selections. Coach of the Year recognition. The significance of this season was recognized well beyond the StoneBridge community. Following the championship run, the team and Coach Eric Plumlee received a formal letter of recognition from U.S. Senator Mark Warner, commending the program for its historic success, discipline, and example of excellence. While such acknowledgment is not the goal, it serves as a meaningful reminder that faithfulness pursued quietly and consistently often bears witness far beyond the gymnasium.
Yet long after these accolades fade from memory, something more enduring remains.
These young women have been shaped to understand that excellence is not situational. That effort is an act of worship. That unity matters more than individual recognition. And that faithfulness—especially when unseen—has eternal weight.
They have learned how to prepare thoroughly, respond resiliently, and compete joyfully. These lessons will travel with them into classrooms, careers, families, churches, and callings yet unseen.
A Program Worth Celebrating
Seasons like this do not happen by accident. They are built by coaches who disciple as they instruct, by parents who support with wisdom, and by a community that values formation over spectacle. StoneBridge volleyball stands today not merely as a successful program, but as a testimony to what happens when excellence is pursued for God’s pleasure first.
This season reminds us that while winning is celebrated, faithfulness is foundational. Whether in victory or defeat, StoneBridge athletes are called to lay it all on the line—not for applause, but for the glory of the Lord.
And when excellence is pursued that way, He is pleased.
This article is based, in part, on “The Book of StoneBridge Volleyball” written and updated year and year by former Head Coach Steve Elliott. “The Book” has chronicled every season of the StoneBridge volleyball program since 2008.
