Overlooked in the transfer portal, now a key for Wichita State volleyball
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- Wichita State added Jordan Heatherly from the transfer portal to lead offense.
- Heatherly averages 8.87 assists per set and drives a .235 team hitting rate.
- Heatherly formed chemistry with newcomer Sydney Dunning, boosting WSU attack.
Last season, Jordan Heatherly was a standout on a struggling Memphis volleyball team.
Now, she’s the centerpiece of Wichita State’s offense, turning a veteran presence into a fast-paced attack that looks to make the Shockers a contender once again for a conference championship.
When WSU head coach Chris Lamb saw Heatherly’s name in the transfer portal this spring, he immediately recognized her potential.
“I didn’t know what we would find in the transfer portal, but I knew I wanted a veteran,” Lamb said. “And then I saw Jordan in there and I thought she was the league’s most underappreciated player last year. I always thought I might have been Jordan’s No. 1 fan from afar.”
Heatherly, a 5-foot-9 setter from Western Springs, Ill., has quickly validated that vote of confidence. She’s averaging 8.87 assists per set and has guided an offense hitting .235 as a team, on top of 0.90 kills per set and a team-high 20 service aces.
More importantly, she’s formed an immediate on-court chemistry with fellow newcomer Sydney Dunning, WSU’s leading outside hitter with 215 kills this season.
“We were both pretty vulnerable in the preseason, just talking and asking questions from each other and what we could do to better our connection on the court,” Heatherly said. “Our communication has been pretty top-notch with what she wants from me and what I need from her and I think that’s shown up on the court this year.”
Heatherly’s background is steeped in athletics. Her father, T.J., played football at Troy and her mother, Julie, played volleyball there, and several aunts and uncles also competed in college sports. In high school, she played for a top club team and helped her school win a state championship.
Despite Memphis’ struggles, Heatherly’s individual talent never went unnoticed. Lamb says her statistics — both the ones available in a box score and the ones he creates on his own — tracked among the top in the American Conference.
“It was definitely a shock to hear him talk so highly of me,” Heatherly said. “I know we didn’t have too much success, but he showed me all of these stats that showed me as one of the top setters in the league. It definitely instilled some confidence in me.”
Adjusting to WSU has meant more than learning a new system. Lamb has pushed Heatherly to increase the tempo of the offense, demanding faster decision-making and sharper instincts — a challenge she has embraced.
For Heatherly, she’s felt reinvigorated to be in a winning program again.
“This is what I was used to before,” Heatherly said. “Everyone is always pushing everyone in practice and the coaches want the best out of you. It’s really been eye-opening and it’s taken me back to my high school and club days.”
Lamb wants to see another evolution ahead: leadership.
“At some point, you can’t be a transfer and feel like an invited guest anymore,” Lamb said. “You’ve got to learn how to make yourself at home.”
The Shockers (10-6, 2-2 American) are coming off a tough weekend sweep by Tulsa. Heatherly will face her former Memphis team Friday night at Koch Arena, followed by a Sunday match against UAB.
With the Shockers trying to defend their conference tournament title, Heatherly’s presence could make the difference later this season.
“She keeps us swinging and brings a presence about her because she’s seasoned,” Lamb said. “She’s been there, done that. The game is not too fast for her. In our toughest matches, she still looks like Jordan to me. And you don’t always say that about every player.”
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 6:54 AM.
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