Kallissa Jaeger '21 Recruiting Profile

I have been interested in playing college volleyball since I watched my first collegiate game in Purdue when I was 9. I feel in love with the sport and began my journey.  I started out as the tallest girl on all the teams in fifth grade at 5'6".  As the years past more and more girls started to pass me up in height. This frustrated me but I continued to work extra hard to beat out height. I am very determined when I set myself a goal. Because I wanted to continue to play outside, I had to figure out a way to beat the girls with height. So I focused on my vertical and playing smart. I have put endless hours working on reading hitters and blockers, hitting harder shots and most importantly my effort. I realized that I am not a natural at everything. You look at D1 college players and you see height mostly. I told myself that I will not let that tell me I can not play volleyball. I forced myself to outwork them and prove that height does not matter. The same is for academics. I have very smart siblings and I strive to be like them but I also have come to realize that I do not have to follow their path exactly. I am a very curious person that loves to ask questions about everything. I strive to get good grades in school, putting that before volleyball practice at times. I am a person who is determined, hardworking, willing to learn, realistic, and a leader.  When I first started playing I loved to lead the team in a very vocal way. But now I have realized that I can lead by actions and listening to others needs.