Claire Jenkins '21 Recruiting Profile

Claire Jenkins:  5’11” Left-Handed Setter, Class of 2021

I currently train with Coach John Pierce, former Virginia Tech, Radford University and Liberty University coach.  In 2018, I attended the Setting I Academy through Sports Performance Volleyball at Benedictine University.  I have taken private lessons with Coach Tom Houser in Roanoke, VA since 2014, as well as assisting him with lessons. I am always looking for ways to continue to improve my skills.  

This is my sixth season of club volleyball, and I have played five seasons of school volleyball.  I have been the starting setter for my club teams all six seasons.  I have experience running a 5-1 and a 6-2.  

I started as setter/right-side (2019) and as right-side (2018) for the Blacksburg High School varsity team.  We finished 3rd in the state in the 4A division both seasons, losing in the state semi-final.  I was named to 2nd Team All-Region and 2nd Team All-District in 2019.  I also made the 2019 PrepVolleyball.com Denver Showcase Standout List.  As a freshman setter on our JV team, I was named to the 2017 All-Tournament Team - JV Division 1 at the Endless Summer Volleyball Tournament hosted by Coastal Volleyball Club in Virginia Beach.  

Growing up in a small college town in Southwest Virginia has been great, but you do live in a bubble.  Life is good, but your experiences can be limited.  My family is really big on traveling as we have gone to Europe several times because of my dad’s university’s study abroad program.  Traveling around the world has made me have to learn to adapt to any situation I get put in. That ability to adapt has transferred over to volleyball.  As a player, I have always been told by coaches that I am very coachable, and I think my travel experiences have made me all the more open to new situations.

My dad took me to a women’s college volleyball game when I was in second grade, and from that day on I started trying to learn how to play.  By chance, we had a former college volleyball player living in our neighborhood at the time, and she gave me a few lessons.  This was the beginning of several relationships we developed with former players.  They periodically gave me lessons, but I think, more importantly, they were amazing role models for me.  It helped me to see not only what kind of player I wanted to be, but what kind of person I should be.

As a player, I have discovered that the more I am challenged and pushed - on and off the court - the better I play.  I welcome the challenges that are put in front of me!