Q&A with UMBC Athlete Hannah Schmidt

After leading Mount de Sales volleyball team to three-straight IAAM “A” Division Championships and being named the 2010 Player of the Year by the Baltimore Sun and Varsity Sports Network, Catonsville native Hannah Schmidt decided to continue her playing career right in her home town at UMBC.

Already, on a team that made it to the America East championship match last season, Schmidt has made a major impact and has won the starting job as the team’s outside hitter.  In her first weekend as a collegiate volleyball player the Ian Blanchard led Retrievers traveled to California to play in the Long Beach State Mizuno Invitational.  There the team faced Long Beach State, the 22nd ranked team in the nation, and Washington, the seventh ranked team in the nation, as well as Prairie View A&M and UC Riverside.

While that is top-notch competitions Schmidt led the team with 43 kills and five services aces in 13 sets.  She also finished the weekend with 14 digs and nine blocks as she was named the America East’s Rookie of the Week.

Patch: Why did you decide to play collegiate volleyball at UMBC?

Hannah Schmidt:  I really like the campus.  It’s a really pretty campus and they have really good undergraduate programs that have a lot of internship opportunities and undergraduate research opportunities.  I just though that with the economy being as bad as it is, it’s a good place to go to school, get a degree, and get a job in the future.

Patch: How do you think having Ian Blanchard coaching you at the club level has helped you transition from high school to college?

Schmidt:  He’s a good coach and he doesn’t take crap from anybody.  He’s been tough on me and it’s helped me as a person not to take things personally.

Patch: Are you excited at all that you get to have for collegiate career right here in your home town?

Schmidt:  It’s kind of strange because I’ve lived her my whole life but because I’m in college and I’m with my college teammates it makes everything seem new and different.  The fact that UMBC was so close to home wasn’t a major plus to me but it doesn’t bother me as much now as it would have and I do like being around my family and friends and being able to talk to everybody still.

Patch:  What got you into playing volleyball?

Schmidt:  My parents; they used to play when they were younger.  They actually met at a volleyball game so it was their influence and love of the game.

Patch:  Finish this sentence:  When I’m not on the court or in the classroom I am…

Schmidt: …playing volleyball and hanging out with my friends.

Patch:  Who is your favorite athlete?

Schmidt:  It really depends.  My favorite volleyball athletes are Misty May and Keri Walsh but I like college basketball, it’s very diverse I don’t have one particular favorite.

Patch:  Do you have any sort of superstitions or pregame rituals?

Schmidt:  Not really.  I’m getting into the pregame rituals that they have here.  I’ve always liked them their fun.  I like pregame rituals.

Patch:  What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Schmidt:  [Ian Blanchard] calls me “freshy” he doesn’t call me by my name.  He called me “freshy” in high school my freshman year of high school and I played for him sophomore year of high school and he still called me “freshy”.

Patch:  What is one item you can’t live without?

Schmidt:  My contacts.  I can’t see without my contacts and if I don’t have them I’m blind.  I also can’t live without crabs with Old Bay seasoning in the summer time.

Patch:  What is your favorite pre-game meal?

Schmidt:  Fruits and vegetables.  I like bananas, I like yogurt.  I not a heavy eater before games because then I feel like I can’t jump as high.  My mom makes this really good trail mix that I need to get here with cashews, raisins, and dark chocolate M&Ms.