Hannah Edelman Overcomes Obstacles as Trailblazer for Beach Volleyball
April 5, 2018
Hannah Edelman hasn’t had the easiest road in her short time on the South Carolina beach volleyball team, but she has written an important new chapter in the program’s history. Recruited as a preferred walk-on, the Hilton Head, S.C., native is somewhat of a trailblazer as the first in-state recruit in the five-year history of the Gamecock program, and she wants to see the sport grow in her home state so more young ladies have a chance to play in college.
“It really does mean a great deal to me,” Edelman said. “I love the sport so much, and it has created so many opportunities for me. I get to be around great people with my coaches, who are so supportive, and my teammates. Showing girls in South Carolina the opportunity to do what I do and do what I love is huge. My mom and I had started a beach volleyball club in Hilton Head, and seeing girls develop through that, and have opportunities to play in the future is something that I love.”
“Getting to know Hannah in the recruiting process, we found out that she was basically self-taught in beach volleyball,” said assistant coach RJ Abella. “Beach volleyball is so new collegiately, she didn’t really have an experienced coach. For her, it was watching other people play, watching on TV, or watching online. It’s pretty cool and special to have someone from South Carolina that’s almost self-taught. That’s how she started, and now she’s playing for a top 10 team in the country!”
Coming in as a walk-on, you don’t ever feel like a walk-on. You’re held to the same expectations as everyone else.
Hannah Edelman
Edelman was a two-time all-state selection and was also the state’s player of the year at Hilton Head Island High School for indoor volleyball, and while she could have had a college career playing in that sport, the sand game was calling her name.
“I really love beach,” Edelman said. “One of the things I like about it is that you’re on the court, and it’s just you and your partner.
“Coming in as a walk-on, you don’t ever feel like a walk-on. You’re held to the same expectations as everyone else, whether you’re on a scholarship or not. Beach volleyball student-athletes are expected to compete and give your best every day at practice. The team is behind you, and everyone is always encouraging every player. That really drove me.”
Edelman played sparingly in the starting lineup as a freshman with the Gamecocks, but learned a lot in exhibition matches as the team made a name for itself with its first appearance in the NCAA Championships.
“I think we had four true freshmen in our lineup last year, and remember, only ten people play,” Abella said. “Hannah was always on the travel squad last year. It was good for her to be with her freshmen teammates on the road to see what it takes to compete. A year later, she’s the one in the lineup. With everyone improving on last year’s NCAA Tournament run, we’ve become a whole lot better.”
Edelman’s ascension in the sport comes from her drive to take advantage of any learning opportunity.
“RJ came up for some camps when I was in high school, and when he was there, I would learn from him and just do what he told me to do in those few days,” Edelman said. “Beyond that, it was just communication with me asking what kind of drills I should do. When I got to college, I was able to expand that where self-teaching is visualization and thinking about plays. RJ and I will watch a lot of video and situational things to help me grow.”
“Hannah’s situation is unique because in beach volleyball, we recruit at such an early age now,” Abella said. “When we met Hannah, we thought she had the potential and the drive to fit what we’re trying to do. I remember talking to her on the phone, telling her that if she commits here, there will be a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. I told her that it’s more than you just coming here because there are girls in her club that I’m sure looked up to her. There are girls that she doesn’t know who probably look up to her. It’s pretty cool that we got a girl from our back yard to be part of something special.”
As a sophomore this season, she earned a starting role with classmate Franky Harrison, and had a record of 8-3 before her season ended due to an unfortunate injury on March 17. Despite being sidelined, she embraced the opportunity to learn as an observer and cheer on her teammates.
As beach volleyball grows at South Carolina and in the state, Edelman can’t wait for others from the Palmetto state to follow in her footsteps.
“I definitely feel that I can be an ambassador for that,” Edelman said. “That’s something I can do for the rest of my life. I’m very passionate about it.”
