Lindsey Froehlich: flipping the script of IUPUI volleyball

The list for recruiting is short and selective for first-year head volleyball coach Lindsey Froehlich. The list is small on purpose for the sake of getting players that fit into Coach Froehlich and assistant coach Morgan Salow’s system, but Rachel Crumrin flipped the script and recruited IUPUI instead. Still, one element was flipped in this role reversal. Crumrin did not want to come to IUPUI and join the women’s volleyball team as a player but as a manager.

Rachel Crumrin is from Marshall, Illinois which is about 17 miles from Terre Haute, Indiana directly across the state border line and an hour and a half from IUPUI. Crumrin attended Marshall High School and played volleyball from junior high through high school as well as participating in track and field. Between her junior and senior years of high school, Rachel reached out to Coach Froehlich while she was still the assistant coach, and talked to Froehlich about being the manager for the team.

After finishing high school, Crumrin attended Lincoln Trail College, which is a junior college just 27 miles from her hometown, and played volleyball for a year before transferring to IUPUI. However, she did stay in contact with Coach Froehlich still planning the jump to Indianapolis.

“It’s kind of a funny story,” said Crumrin, who is a sophomore, when asked about why she picked IUPUI to further her education. She originally wanted to be a dental hygienist in which IUPUI is one of the few schools to offer a bachelor’s degree for that profession, but she switched to a tourism, convention, and event management major.

“I just fell in love with it,” said Crumrin. “There’s so much to do in the city.” Her love for the city is what drew her to IUPUI as well as the sport that she could not leave behind.

Volleyball was a big part of Rachel’s life and was not ready to let it go. “I wasn’t ready to give up volleyball yet,” explained Crumrin. She wanted to stay involved in volleyball so she came on as part of Froehlich’s first coaching staff. Crumrin was immediately put to work handling many responsibilities including helping with statistics in practice and games, getting things to the bus for road trips, handling food orders for players and coaches, and running errands for whatever must be done.

Froehlich had high praise for Crumrin saying, “We’re excited about her and what she’s able to do. She does everything she’s asked and even asks for more responsibilities. She’s proactive and very respectful.” Froehlich mentioned that Rachel travels with the team on the road and fulfills her role just like being at home. “We haven’t had a manager travel with us in a long time,” said Froehlich.

“She’s one of the sweetest human beings like I’ve ever met, said Coach Salow. “She does her job so well that I don’t notice she’s there. She’s always on point.” The coaching staff knows they can trust Rachel with any task and call upon her often.

Crumrin’s relationship with the coaches is not the only relationship that matters to her. She acknowledges that she is the “middle man” between the players and the coaches and sees both perspectives. Senior Haley Hoffman mentioned, “She always has energy no matter what and always has a smile on her face. She is really passionate about the game.”

Being one of the team’s biggest fans, Crumrin still feels the urge to get back on the court. “The part of me will always want to play with them,” said Crumrin. She hopes to potentially get back to playing next semester during intermural play at IUPUI, but admittedly says she is not seeking to make the IUPUI roster as player next season.

“Being their little cheerleader, I’m rooting for all of them. There is not as much stress involved on my part, but I’m still invested and want to see them win and do good,” said Crumrin. There is not denying Crumrin’s passion for the game of volleyball and for this team, and it shows in her relationship with the entire team and how she goes about her role as manager.

When Rachel is not serving in her role, she is either watching Netflix, serving in the Professional Convention Management Association student organization, or one can catch her volunteering for big events around Indianapolis. She is currently signed up to volunteer at the FFA Convention held downtown. She is also helping with the Monumental Marathon that happens every November.