Hanna finds an excellent atmosphere at PLU

Wire
Published on: August 28, 2008

By Anthony Oliva III

After high school, Beth Hanna knew Division I or Division II volleyball wasn’t for her. Not because she wasn’t talented enough, but because she needed a more relaxed college experience.

Hanna, who stresses academics, wanted to play in a more laid-back atmosphere and ended up choosing Division III Pacific Lutheran. As it turns out, for this nursing major, PLU was just what the doctor ordered.

Hanna excelled in her first year with the Lutes and was named Division III AVCA Freshman of the Year.

“I knew I wanted to go to a smaller school,” Hanna said. “I was kind of burnt out toward the end of my high school season, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to play at a big school. So, I looked up PLU on my own, along with some other private schools in the Northwest, and I went on a visit and fell in love with the campus and the team.

“I really didn’t know what to expect. I just came and worked my hardest and hoped for the best and I ended up getting playing time immediately. Things were going real well from the start so I was real thankful for that.”

Her team should be thankful for her efforts too. Her 5.34 kills per game were fourth in the nation and crushed PLU’s previous school record of 5.01. Her 486 kills tied a single-season kill record set in 1993 by Rachelle Snowdon. In addition to being named Northwest Conference Player of the Year, the 5-foot-11 outside hitter was the only freshman selected as a first-team All-America.

Hanna credits much of her success at PLU, on the court and in the classroom to the low-stress nature of the program. She said she preferred Division III, where there are no athletic scholarships, because she would not be “bound” to the university to play volleyball, therefore it would feel less like a job. This approach differs, she says, from the time-consuming, intense club and high school teams she played on.

“It was very competitive, and I felt like I was already in college,” Hanna said of her high-school regimen. “I knew I wanted to go somewhere where I could have a whole life, not just a life of volleyball.”

A big part of Hanna’s life outside of volleyball is academics. She recently got admitted to PLU’s school of nursing, which her coach Kevin Aoki said is no easy feat. Her teammates notice her dedication to her studies as well.

“I think she might be the top student on our team,” said rising junior middle blocker Kelcy Joynt. “Just an amazing student. All of us don’t get as good of grades as she does, and she has probably the hardest major. She is an extremely hard worker.”

Amidst all of the success and the accolades thrown her way, Hanna has stayed grounded and not developed an ego.

“You would never know by talking to her that she was that talented,” Joynt said. “She’s one of the most humble players that I’ve ever met and that was something that really astounded me. Someone of her caliber playing for one of the top club teams in Oregon, if not the top club team, coming to Division III, shows a lot about her as a person as well as a volleyball player, because she could have gone pretty much wherever she wanted.”

Her ability to stay humble endeared her to her teammates right away and allowed her fit right in. Comfortable in her situation, she was able to exceed people’s lofty expectations of her.

“I thought she would be good, but to be first-team All American was a little surprising,” Aoki said. “We’ve never had a first-team All-American before, let alone Freshman of the Year. So for us that was a pleasant surprise. But if you looked at her season, it’s not a surprise because she played so well.”

In true character, however, Hanna is reluctant to take sole credit for her success.

“It was definitely unexpected but I felt very honored to receive that award,” Hanna said of being named Freshman of the Year. “I was just so fortunate for the team that I had. I played for them and they made me look good. It’s my team that I owe it too. I had great upperclassmen teammates that would help me and give me advice. That helped me more than they even know.”

PLU exceeded expectations as a team as well. The Lutes won a school-record 23 games and won the Northwest Conference with a perfect 16-0 league record. They will have to replace first-team All-NWC setter Gina Di Maggio and second-team All-NWC selections Megan Kosel and Stacie Matz, but they were still picked second behind Puget Sound in the NWC Preseason Coaches Poll. As a result, their goals will still be high, but as always for Hanna, it’s not all about volleyball.

“I’m really hoping we can win our league again this year and go further in regionals,” Hanna said. “I think the reason we did so well last year was because of our team chemistry, and I hope we have just as good a time this year. I’m just proud of all the relationships we’ve built and that’s something that will last forever. Our volleyball skills may not.”

(Used by permission of NCAA.com)

Hanna finds an excellent atmosphere at PLU

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