Hannah Smith
Hannah Smith describes herself as a family-oriented person. So the Wapahani volleyball player’s choice of college destination should come as little surprise. Smith, a rising senior, recently committed to continue her career at Ball State.
“I really enjoy being around my family,” Smith said. “And I really love the coaching staff there. I felt like I fit in well with them and I would feed off of them very well to where I could succeed.”
Smith took over the libero position for Wapahani in her junior season, then led the Raiders in digs (she had 385 entering the postseason), a season she said was a big step in her career.
“It gave me more of a boost of confidence,” Smith said of her junior season at Wapahani. “Knowing that I could hang with all of those players, that I was good enough to be out on the court for six whole rotations and never come out, and be a leader. And it really helped me in that aspect, too. To really step up on the court, even through this past Munciana season, and be a leader and talk more and have more confidence in myself.”
Wapahani coach Jared Richardson said he’s noticed Smith’s determination as she took over the libero role during her junior season, noting that she was always willing to put in extra work to maintain her position.
“She’s one of those kids that if you even let her know, ‘Hey, one game I’m going to switch it up and let someone else run libero,’ she’s going to stay after in the gym for probably a good hour-and-a-half doing extra stuff, just so she can make sure she gets that position back,” Richardson said. “So she’s always fought for it.”
Smith said that before deciding on Ball State, Northern Kentucky was the other school that factored heavily in her consideration process. She said her goal is to play libero at Ball State, though she said she would accept any opportunity to contribute in the back row. Before heading west to join the Cardinals, though, she still has one more season of leading Wapahani from the back row, a season for which she has set lofty goals.
“Right now I’m the only one left from the 2012 state championship,” Smith said. “So my goal this year is to really take these underclassmen under my wings and show them really what it takes to get a state title. Because we’re back down in 2A and with the team we have and the players we have, I really think that it’s in our future, I think we can do it. But I really just hope I can be a leader out there and help them know what it’s going to take and help lead them in the right direction to get a state championship.”
Contact prep sports reporter Sam Wilson at (765) 213-5807. Follow him on Twitter @SamWilsonTSP.