A senior co-captain of the 2023 Hillsdale All-Area volleyball dream team is going to continue her volleyball career at the collegiate level.
Jonesville 2024 graduate Gracen Hager is joining the Jackson College Jets volleyball team.
“I fell in love with volleyball the second I started playing,” Hager said. “And, you know, it was a tough decision whether or not I wanted to continue (playing) in college. Once the season was over and I was trying to decide, I realized how much I missed it.”
Hager’s recruitment to Jackson College began at a prospect camp at the Jets facilities. Hager says the camp was a good experience and everyone she met was nice.
“I just think it’s a team I could really thrive on.”
Hager’s decision to commit to Jackson College was based on her experience at the camp and her desire to go to a smaller school.
“It was kind of a last-minute decision to play, but I’m confident in this and I know I made the right choice for me.”
Hager is the first collegiate athlete in her family. She was joined at her signing day by her parents, Tricia and Kevin Hager, and younger brother Calvin.
An academic all-state athlete, Hager plans to begin her studies at Jackson College with the future open, although she aspires to be a speech pathologist after school.
Two-time volleyball dream team honoree
Hager’s journey to continuing her athletic career at the collegiate level began during her sophomore season with the Jonesville varsity volleyball team. The team compiled a 28-19-2 overall record.
The team, led by coach Dan Snook, defeated Homer and Hanover-Horton to win a district championship that season. Jonesville would eventually lose in a five-set thrilling regional semifinal match to Napoleon.
“I learned a lot from playing with all those older girls, and I’m ready to play at a more competitive level.”
Hager would have a prolific junior season, earning team captain honors before the season began. Hager would lead the team in kills with 177, serve-receives with 486, kills per set with 1.6 and hitting percentage. She also had 27 aces, 22 total blocks and 318 digs.
For her efforts, she received first team all-conference honors, team MVP honors, and first team Hillsdale All-Area dream team honors.
Hager surpassed most of those stats marks during her senior season with Jonesville volleyball. Most importantly, she helped the team bounce back from a losing season in 2022 to earn a 22-14-1 overall record in 2023 in their first season in the Cascades Conference.
Her season stats saw Hager lead the team in kills with 298 and serve-receives with 408. She was second on the team in digs with 267, third in total blocks with 34 and second in aces with 49.
She again earned first team all-conference, team MVP and first team Hillsdale All-Area dream team honors. She would also earn all-region honors. For her efforts, she earned the title of co-captain in the Hillsdale All-Area dream team for 2023. Hager also won MVP of the Carrie Adams Memorial tournament, which Jonesville won.
Yearlong commitment to Jonesville athletics
Hager played a varsity sport in each season of the prep sports calendar.
She was a team captain on the varsity basketball team her senior year, helping the team earn a district championship in the 2023-24 winter sports season. The varsity basketball team, led by coach Tom Dunn, finished the year with a 14-11 overall record, including their district championship run that saw them beat Hillsdale and Quincy. The win over the Orioles saw the team outscore their opponents 58-35. They eventually lost to Michigan Center in the regional rounds.
During her basketball career, she earned all-conference honorable mention honors and was a team captain. Hager was also a two-time honorable mention Hillsdale All-Area dream team honoree.
During the 2021-22 spring sports season, Hager as a sophomore helped the Jonesville softball team, led by coach Marlena Nichols, win a district championship and play in a regional title.
She has been a part of four winning teams since she was a freshman. The team played for a district title her senior year. Her batting average was .305, with 36 hits and 17 RBI’s. Her fielding percentage was .878. Hager is a Hillsdale All-Area dream team honoree for her senior season.
Off-the-court accolades
In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Hager was a member of the National Honors Society, one of Jonesville’s 2024 valedictorians, and an academic all-state honoree for each of her three sports. Hager is a member of the FAA. She is a member of the Above the Influence Group in Jonesville. Hager was also the class president.
Along with her mother, she is a member of the 100 Women Who Care Jonesville chapter. Hager is the youngest member of the group.
“It’s a really great group, and I think other people should get involved with it. You donate $25 four times a year, and we vote on a person or cause to donate the money to. So, I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Hager thanked her teammates, coaches and parents for supporting her throughout her athletic and academic career and for helping her decide to continue her volleyball career at Jackson College.
“A huge thank you to my parents because they’ve dedicated so much time and obviously money for me to chase my dream playing (volleyball).”
Jennifer Beach Scholarship recipient
Gracen Hager was one of the two recipients of this year’s Jennifer Beach Memorial Scholarship. Jennifer Beach was a remarkable student-athlete at North Adams Jerome High School, who lost her life in a car accident at the age of 17.
In her memory, the Jennifer Beach Memorial Scholarship was established. Each year, more than 50 students apply for this scholarship. To qualify, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and letter in at least two varsity sports.
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