An Interview with Hannah Jones, PCA’s first NCAA Division I Volleyball Signee
Hannah Jones recently became PCA’s first volleyball player to commit to an NCAA Division I school by signing with the University of Memphis. In celebration of this achievement, PCA’s Journalism Club sat down with the record-breaking student-athlete and Coach Cantrell, the Lady Panthers’ head volleyball coach, to chat about the exciting start to Hannah’s senior year.
Hannah Jones: What excites you the most about a college career as a student-athlete?
“What is exciting about going to college as a student-athlete is that I will start school with a sense of belonging. Fortunately, we start training in early July with teammates that will also be my roommates. Since making my verbal commitment, I have already communicated with other 2023 recruits via social media. This will help make my transition a lot easier, I believe. When classes begin, I simply must adjust to my coursework and teachers; therefore, it’s not a lot to take in at one time. This will give me the opportunity to develop long-lasting friendships and a sense of family simply because we will have so much in common being student-athletes. There is also the advantage of having academic advisors to help you with scheduling classes due to having the vigorous schedule of being an athlete. All these advantages will help make my college experience manageable as well as exciting.”
Coach Cantrell: How did you feel when you found out about Hannah’s commitment?
“I was so proud and so excited for her! Hannah has worked so hard to reach this goal, and I’m excited for her to continue her volleyball career at the D1 level!”
Hannah Jones: Who or what is your main motivation?
“My motivation comes from Jesus Christ and my family. Having a dad and brother who have each played basketball at a collegiate level is also very inspirational. My whole family is very encouraging and has made a lot of sacrifices to make sure I have good and adequate training. I have enjoyed being coached and mastering skills in both basketball and volleyball; therefore, I have taken every opportunity of training seriously so that I could play at the collegiate level.”
Hannah Jones: Did you come into high school knowing you wanted to play volleyball at the collegiate level?
“No, I never came into high school knowing I wanted to play volleyball at a collegiate level. I think my passion just grew over the years as I began to understand the game and get countless hours of training and participate in travel volleyball. Travel volleyball has given me the opportunity to see all levels of volleyball throughout the United States. I have received a lot of support from my family, PCA volleyball, and club coaches over the years. As I stated earlier, it has been a lot of sacrifices, missing school events, and family events. It takes a lot of prayer and commitment.
Coach Cantrell: What is the biggest piece of advice you can offer to Hannah that you hope she carries with her throughout her career as a college athlete?“Surround yourself with people who are going to push you to work hard and to be the best version of yourself. Don’t expect things to be given to you. Be willing to work hard and go after what you want, and never give up on your dreams.”
Hannah Jones: How is your experience in committing to a school unlike those of your peers? Could you tell us more about that?
“Yes, this experience has been different. The recruiting process is very challenging. In my case, I was once again fortunate to be recruited for both basketball and volleyball. Initially, I wasn’t sure what sport I wanted to play in college; therefore, my parents encouraged me to do college visits with both sports. I have to say that has been one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make since I have done well in both sports. During my visits, there were several factors that I considered: my major, competition level, living facilities, coaching staff, and my ability to compete for a playing position. After several visits and narrowing down my options, I chose volleyball at the University of Memphis. It just seemed like a good fit and met my criteria. The greatest reward after my verbal commitment was the freedom of just finishing my senior year, without the stress of college visits and decision making.”
Hannah Jones: Do you have any advice for future PCA athletes who will be committing?
“My advice to future PCA athletes is first to honor God in everything you do. Believe in your dreams, don’t let anyone discourage you, work hard, and stay committed. Make your decision and know that you still will have to continue to work hard when you get to college. Most of all, enjoy every opportunity and consider it a blessing.”
Hannah’s commitment to the Lady Tigers’ volleyball program is just one part of her collegiate journey. Once on campus, she plans to major in Biomedical Engineering to advance healthcare through education and innovation. Having already met with professors in the department, she is excited to begin the program this fall.
Congratulations, Hannah! Your PCA family is proud of you, and we know you will go on to do great things!
Interviewed Compiled By:
Boston King ’23
Journalism Student
