The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1541451
DECEMBER 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 13 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Jenna Hanes is a standout middle blocker who's top five on the team in sets played and kills coming out of the Nov. 16 clash against Michi- gan State. She also checked in sixth on the squad with 2.35 points per set. Hanes saw time in only three matches as a freshman in 2024 before this fall's breakout season. Attending Cathedral Catholic in San Diego, Hanes was a Prep Volleyball All-American and competed for the USA National Team Development Program. Here are some things about Hanes you may not have known: Best Aspect Of Being From Poway, Calif.: "It is close to the beach. Growing up, I was very lucky and got to go to the beach with my fam- ily and friends very often. Also, they have a lot of big malls around, so every weekend I would go to the mall with my friends and shop around and have some fun." Favorite Restaurant In Ann Arbor: "Bigalora [Wood Fired Cucina]. I just had it for the first time like three months ago, and I think I've been there like six times already." Best Meal She Can Cook By Herself: "I'm a big basic girl. I like grilled chicken, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes. That's my usual, or salmon and Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes." Favorite Professional Athlete: "I'm a big basketball fan, so I love watching [Minnesota Timberwolves guard] Anthony Edwards, because he's fun and fiery to watch. I find it fun to watch players like that. Per- sonally, I'm not the most fiery person on the court, but I wish I could be like him and do that." Sport She Enjoys Volleyball: "I love beach volleyball. I guess that's kind of the same thing as regular volleyball. I grew up doing that a lot, and that's something that I'd love to do post-grad." Favorite Movie: "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." Favorite TV Show: "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and "Selling Sunset." Why She Chose Michigan: "I just wanted to try something new, and get out of California and try something different for four years, then hopefully move back to where I'm from. I really wanted to go to a place with a huge athletic program, so that was one check, and then also good academics, because I'm not going to be doing volleyball for my whole life. I think Michigan's the whole package. I might be a little biased." What She Hopes To Do After Michigan: "I'm in Ross [School of Business], and I'm still figuring out what branch I want to go in, be- cause you can focus on certain things. I think I'm going to be really interested in marketing; I'm taking that class next semester. And my favorite show is 'Selling Sunset,' and that's a bunch of big-time real estate agents, so that would be so fun. But that's my dream job or whatever. I would like to work at a big firm or company — my dream companies are Nike or Alo. But I'm not really sure. I'll go wherever the wind takes me." Favorite Memory At Michigan: "When my team went to Europe and played a bunch of games for two weeks this summer. I'd never been to Europe, and we went to so many fun places like Greece and Italy." Overall Experience At Michigan: "It's better than I could've ever ex- pected. Every day, I wake up so happy and so blessed with this oppor- tunity. I try to enjoy every moment, and it's so amazing. It's the best college, best campus. Our team, our coaches did a really good job of instilling a great culture, so I get to go play volleyball with all of my best friends every day. A lot of people who are in my shoes, who play col- legiate volleyball at other schools, don't have that same experience." — Clayton Sayfie Hanes reached double-digit kills for the first time, registering 11, in U-M's win over Rutgers Nov. 7. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY ❱ Getting To Know Volleyball Sophomore Jenna Hanes