Kennedy's Kristen Hahn a hit for ISU volleyball

AMES - Kristen Hahn, the recently-named Big 12 Conference's libero of the year, started her freshman season at Kennedy as an outside hitter.

Huh?

“I know,” said the speedy, agile, but 5-6 Hahn, who has helped Iowa State to the fourth overall seed in the NCAA women's volleyball tournament, which begins Friday at Hilton Coliseum among other sites. “Just because I kind of understand every single part of the game. I was seeing things, from playing defense my eighth-grade year as a libero -I would see things and I always wanted to be an outside hitter, so I was really aggressive. I just won the spot over.”

Hahn and the Cyclones (22-5) play host to Wisconsin-Milwaukee (25-4) in Friday's 7:30 p.m. first-round match.

If ISU advances past the Panthers, it will face either Miami (Fla.) or Northern Illinois Saturday at Hilton.

“To host the first and second rounds is just a tremendous honor,” said Cyclone coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, who directed her team to its sixth straight tournament berth and highest seed ever. “I think it's just a reflection of a great season. Big wins, a lot of good wins against a lot of good teams. Really just a complete team effort by these young women.”

Hahn, who ranks 16th nationally in digs per set at 5.54, has played a key role in that effort, along with first-team all-Big 12 members Carly Jensen, Jamie Straube and Alison Landwehr, among other Cyclones.

“We all just give it up to God, too,” Hahn said. “My parents, and just the support system we have here - Cyclone fans are amazing. That makes everything better.”

Hahn once harbored doubts about how good she could be.

She backed up three-time Big 12 Libero of the Year Ashley Mass as a freshman, but received big-match experience against ranked teams such as Kentucky.

“Just the turn of events that happened, going from not knowing if I was going to play and even Christy not knowing how I was going to be - I was up in the air, too, about it,” Hahn said. “I didn't think I could do it, but once Mass graduated, the spot was wide open and I was like, ‘OK, I have a chance.' I just had to turn it on.”

The light clicked on in the spring and has pulsated brightly ever since.

“I saw Kristen step up and really embrace the role - particularly passing,” said Johnson-Lynch, who reached 100 wins faster than any coach in ISU history. “We were asking her, encouraging her that, ‘This is the level you're going to have to pass at to be a libero,' and she met that this spring and really hasn't looked back.”

Hahn's speed stands out on the court, but keen anticipation - being one half-step ahead of the hitter - also feeds her uncanny ability to track down seemingly unreachable balls.

That comes from coaching, study and experience.

Confidence, too.

And height isn't required to build that healthy attribute.

“Christy kind of told me, ‘You're on the way to being the Big 12 libero of the year,'” Hahn said of her progression from newcomer to elite status. “So that kind of put me into determination, drive mode.”