When Bryan Bunn took over the volleyball program in early 2010, he took on the toughest job at NC State. The team wasn't just bad, it had explored new regions of bad, and it had been that way for at least a decade. In the three years prior to his arrival, State went a combined 4-58 in league play. In 2007 they won a grand total of seven sets in 22 conference games, never winning more than one set in a game. (Volleyball games are best-of-5 sets.) They were beaten 3-0 fifteen times.
In Bunn's first season they won four ACC games, which was their highest total since 1999. This season they're 2-5 but could easily be 5-2 instead. They've taken five ACC opponents to five sets, including a pair of ranked teams. They've won on the road. They won 12 consecutive games leading up to conference play. Although they've been unable to break through in the ACC, the mere fact that they've been this competitive represents an enormous step forward for the program. And this is a team with 13 freshmen and sophomores.