Hudson's Keely Hinzman repeats as Player of the Year at new position

HUDSON – Keely Hinzman wasn’t sure what to think when Hudson volleyball coach Kilee Bailey suggested a few weeks before the season was scheduled to start that she become a setter.

“My whole life I’ve been training to be a middle hitter,” Hinzman said. “I was like, ‘Are you sure?’”

The move paid off for everyone as the Tigers won 25 matches and a district title and Hinzman earned a second straight Daily Telegram Lenawee County volleyball Player of the Year. The change in positions showed how dominate of a volleyball player Hinzman is.

“From a numbers standpoint, she didn’t take a hit at all,” Bailey said. “She’s not replaceable. We can just hope kids can learn from her and take some of her leadership skills and playing skills when they come behind her. She’s good at everything.”

Bailey made the decision to move Hinzman and teammate Lauren Hill to a co-setting role after the back-up setter on last year’s team injured her knee following competitive cheer season.

“In August, we decided to make them both set, and both hit so they were touching the ball as much as possible,” Bailey said. “We had two weeks to teach them. Learning the setting position and the movements is like taking a center and making them the quarterback. You can know what the job is, but doing the job is different.

“We literally had Hinzman and Hill hitting every ball.”

Hinzman said being a setter this season gave her a lot of respect for others who have played the position.

“When you are a hitter, you are always critiquing the setter, saying, ‘Oh, can you bring the ball up a little bit,’ But, as a setter, I realized this is really hard. I feel so bad for all the times I asked my setter to get it higher or closer to the net. It was an adjustment.

“It helped me a lot,” Hinzman said. “It helped me see the court in a different way.”

She also credited Bailey.

“Coach had the faith in us to do it,” Hinzman said. “She explained things easier. It was good.”

Hinzman did it all on the court.

She averaged 5.0 kills per set, had 682 assists (5.7 assists per set) and served 102 aces.

She also had 525 digs and recorded 151 blocks.

After the season, she was a unanimous choice for All-LCAA and All-Region and earned second team All-State honors.

During the season Hudson honored her for eclipsing the 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs mark.

Hinzman grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and spent time in Illinois before landing in southern Michigan. She now lives in Camden.

Hinzman and Hill were the only Hudson players with varsity experience coming into the season. Three freshmen started from the first match.

“We were so much in sync,” Hinzman said of her and Hill. “We knew where each other would be and where to go. It was still an adjustment, even toward the end of the season. I would say toward the end we got into a groove and figured things out.”

Hudson was just 14-18-1 following the Lenawee County Tournament in mid-October but went on a 12-match win streak and put everything together by winning three district games against three teams that spent time in the state rankings at one point or another. Hudson finished 25-20-1.

The season pleasantly surprised Hinzman.

“I was concerned,” she said. “At one point I thought we’d be lucky to win five games. Districts wasn’t even in the cards. To go on and win districts was crazy. Having won three out of four districts in my high school career is such a rewarding feeling.”

ALL-LENAWEE COUNTY VOLLEYBALL

FIRST TEAM

Keely Hinzman, Hudson

Sarah Bettis, Blissfield

Isabelle Kirkendall, LCS

Hannah Baker, LCS

Jada Moore, Tecumseh

Josie Mineff, Tecumseh

Morgin White, Adrian

SECOND TEAM

Gabby Bryja, LCS

Molly Brown, Addison

Kendall Sullivan, Blissfield

Kaylee Kranz, Clinton

Tatum Wilson, Madison

Lauren Hill, Hudson

Shelby Vandenbusche, Blissfield

HONORABLE MENTION

Emily Hicks, Addison

Laci Patterson, Addison

Lexi Patterson, Addison

Elie Clark, Addison

Liv McKenzie, Adrian

Lauren Fraser, Adrian

Addison Martinez, Blissfield

Madelena Arriaga, BD

Nalani Schanz, Clinton

Noelle Riley, Clinton

Jozlyn Weber, Hudson

Selah Clymer, LCS

Dalay Ojeda, LCS

Jilian Kendrick, Madison

Alyssa Gibbs, Morenci

Kiana Castillo, Morenci

JayElle Christan, Onsted

Ella Scharer, SC

Maddie Osborn, SC

Lily Hammond, Tecumseh

Morgan Stimpson, Tecumseh

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: All-Lenawee County Volleyball: Switch works for Hinzman