Hall Retires from Volleyball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Janae Hall has decided to retire from playing volleyball and forego her final year of collegiate eligibility to focus on academics, head coach Ray Bechard announced on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-1 middle blocker was a fourth-year junior and starter on the first-ever KU team to reach the NCAA Final Four in 2015.
“Janae has had a really solid career with us while battling different lingering injuries,” Bechard said. “This decision will give her the opportunity to focus solely on academics during her senior year at KU. We appreciate all that she has done for us and we wish her well in all that she does.”
Hall has maintained a high level of academic success as a 2015 Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree and the winner of the prestigious Elite 90 Award in December, given to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point-average among the four teams that advanced to the NCAA Championship semifinals. The Centennial, Colorado native has a 3.95 GPA as a film and media major.
“I am so thankful to have been a part of such an incredible volleyball team and can’t thank my teammates and coaches enough for everything they have given and taught me throughout my playing years,” Hall said. “Competing at this high of a level, every person’s body responds differently, and for me, I can definitely say my body isn’t as young as it used to be.
“I also have been given an incredible opportunity to work in film and animation, which has been a dream all my life, and I simply could not pass that up. While I’m ready and excited to take the next step in my life, and really focus on my path towards a career, I will never forget the memories I’ve made with the KU volleyball program. I will miss getting to put on that jersey with my teammates, who will always be some of my closest friends.”
Hall averaged 1.7 kills per set on a .328 hitting percentage with 0.8 blocks per set in 56 career matches (163 career sets) as a Jayhawk.
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