Flathead outside hitter Hannah Sackett to play volleyball for Mountaineers

Hannah Sackett was just heading into her junior year of high school when Flathead volleyball coach Leon Wilcox informed her that the Bravettes were going to need her to play back row as well as outside hitter in the upcoming season.

Sackett was understandably nervous, but Wilcox convinced her it was in the best interest of the Bravette team.

“She worked hard at it and she definitely helped us. We would have struggled back there without her,” he said.

And now it has paid off on an individual basis for Sackett.

It was that defensive ability that got the attention a few weeks ago of West Virginia University’s coaching staff.

On Wednesday afternoon, Sackett signed her National Letter of Intent to play volleyball for the Mountaineers.

“I play six rotations and I’m pretty tall (6-foot). It’s kind of hard to come by,” Sackett said.

“Luckily, I’ve been able to work on my back row and they really need is someone who can play all the way around,” she said.

West Virginia was a late entry into Sackett’s recruiting.

The coaching staff saw her for the first time just a few weeks ago at the Colorado Crossroads tournament in Denver.

“They weren’t planning on recruiting, but they saw me and they really liked me. I really liked the coaches when I first talked to them,” she said.

Before that, she’d heard from 16 different schools and had narrowed eight scholarship offers to four (Gonzaga, Idaho State, University of Wyoming and North Dakota).

Before Sackett knew it, she had visited the West Virginia campus and met the team.

“It was really great. The campus was beautiful, the team was so amazing. They were so nice and so convincing. They really love it there,” she said.

“The coaches are so amazing. The team was such a family. My club coach Nate Michael told me the coaching staff would really be able to help me,” she said.

A second visit three weeks ago with head coach Jill Kramer sealed it for Sackett.

“We talked more and I knew she was the coach for me. She knows what she is talking about.”

Sackett admits to be being a tiny bit worried about the distance.

“But it will be worth it. A couple plane rides will be worth it. My dad (Dean) is really supportive of it. It is going to be a pain in the butt sometimes, but he’s already planning on going to a couple games — and they stream online,” she said.

“I’m happy for her. We’ve known since her sophomore year that she was going to be capable of playing at a high level. The Big 12 is a pretty high level. I’m excited for her. I think it’s really cool she could use volleyball to get a free education,” Wilcox said.

“I’m sure she looked over the school real well. Academically speaking, she has high standards. She’s a good student,” Wilcox said.

“And when she graduates, she will have a degree that will last her a long time.

“She wanted to play at a good school against other good schools. I’m not surprised she picked an East Coast school. She’s got an adventurous side that wanted to step out.

“I have no doubt that she’s going to be successful academically and athletically. I wish her the best of success.”

She’s left quite a legacy at Flathead volleyball with all her records. It’s kind of a standard for our future players to strive for.”

Sackett has yet to choose a major, but is interested in something government-related.

Sackett’s summer will be pretty short — she has to report to Morgantown July 2 for mandatory summer school.

There are some things she will miss about the Flathead Valley.

“I’m going to miss the support of the students who would come and watch our games. It was so cool, all of the support in their cheering,” she said.