Published: June 26, 2008 12:43 am            

VOLLEYBALL: New Albany grad Sullivan transfers to Ball State

Hannah Sullivan is never very quiet on the court, so this is likely a new experience for the former New Albany volleyball star.

Sullivan is bringing her game back home to Indiana after spending her freshman season at the University of Houston, as she’ll suit up for Ball State when school begins in the fall.

“I loved my time there and I loved Texas,” Sullivan said. “It just isn’t the best program for me right now.”

She had no shortage of schools to choose from. Heavily recruited by major Division I programs — including Kentucky, Cincinnati, Evansville and Miami (Ohio) — after leading the Bulldogs to the Class 4A State Finals during her senior year, Sullivan chose the furthest destination when she made her decision.

Her college career began much the same as her high school days ended — with plenty of awards.

She was named to the All-Hoosier Hills Conference team all four of her years at New Albany. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter quickly gained a reputation as one of the state’s elite players, garnering a selection to the All-State first team during both her junior and senior campaigns.

Sullivan lived up to her pedigree by making an immediate impact on Conference USA. She was named to the All-conference freshman team after a season in which she led the Cougars in service aces and was ranked second in kills with 304 on a team that included Justine Farmer — the nation’s leader in kills per game last season and the school’s all-time career kills leader.

But when Houston assistant coach Phil Nickel was installed as the new head coach at Wayne State university in March, Sullivan lost her relationship with the coach that convinced her to move to Texas in the first place.

With Farmer coming back for another season, Sullivan decided the time was right to make a move.

“I got to the first spring practice and just thought, ‘why am I doing this?” said Sullivan. “I wanted to find the program that I could help the most.”

With such an accomplished player on the market, it didn’t take long for that program to find her. She was contacted by the Ball State coaching staff soon after her departure from Houston in April.

It didn’t take long for an offer to come, but Sullivan quietly bided her time.

“I talked to some friends that have played at other schools,” she said. “I thought it about it for a while. I didn’t say yes right away.”

Ultimately, she decided to become a Cardinal, where she will be a linchpin of a retooled team under second-year head coach Dave Boos. Ball State has not won an outright Mid-American Conference title since 2002, which was the last year the team advanced to the NCAA tournament. The Cardinals went 5-25 in Boos’ initial campaign.

But the coach has been on a signing spree, as Sullivan will be part of 10 newcomers to the program this season.

“I honestly don’t know what I’m getting into,” Sullivan said. “They’ve got a lot of new talent. I just hope I can earn my spot and contribute right away.”

No matter what Sullivan does on the court this season, it’s doubtful that it will be as quiet as her offseason move.

“(Ball State) definitely has more of a college feel,” Sullivan said, referring to Houston’s urban downtown campus. “I’ll enjoy that experience and I’m definitely glad to be coming home.”



More than luggage...

Here are some of the statistics that former New Albany star Hannah Sullivan will be bringing with her to Ball State this fall after transferring from Houston:

Kills — 304 (second on team)

Kills per game — 3.01 (third on team)

Service aces — 40 (first on team)

Digs — 262 (second on team)

        

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