It’s not easy to see everything Haley Hann brings to the SIU volleyball team.

Hann, a senior rightside hitter, ranks fourth on the team in kills and second in block assists this season.

But Hann brings more than just skills to the team.

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She is a leader on and off the court.

Senior middle blocker Johannah Yutzy said Hann’s contributions go much deeper than just the stat sheet.

“She’s just one of those girls that you can always look up to,” Yutzy said. “She’s smart as a hitter, always a leader on the court, vocally especially. She’s very loud and always talking.”

Hann tends to direct traffic on the court, a result of knowing the opponents’ hitters and tendencies.

“That, I think, kind of comes from experience, but our coaches give us game tape so we can know the hitters before we play them,” Hann said. “I’m always trying to communicate to help my teammates out.”

Hann doesn’t take her role as a leader lightly, though.

She said she’s friends with everyone on the team and developed relationships with the incoming freshmen to help them through their first season at the collegiate level.

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Hann has been a four-year starter at SIU and regularly sets the tone for a match.

Head coach Brenda Winkeler said Hann also sets the tone for the team during offseason workouts.

Hann and Yutzy, who are roommates, remained in Carbondale this summer and spent much of their time together working out.

“Haley’s my partner in crime, she’s always here over the summer,” Yutzy said. “We’re always working out hard and doing the extra things.”

One extra thing is working out during the spring when volleyball season is half a year away, a time when Hann said training is the hardest.

“It’s hard to practice, lift and condition when you’re not even playing,” she said. “You’re thinking, ‘What am I doing? We don’t even play till fall.’ It’s hard mentally.”

The work in the offseason, though, has contributed to Hann’s solid play this season.

As a four-year starter, Hann has become a dependable player and said she thrives off the fact that she is counted on by teammates.

Hann moved into the Saluki record books Saturday against Bradley University. Her six block assists moved her into ninth place, ahead of Marissa Washington on the SIU career block assists list.

Yutzy said Hann has left her mark on the program with their final seasons winding down.

“We’ve done everything together – she pushes me, she pushes others,” Yutzy said. “Honestly, I don’t think the program would be where it is today without Haley.”