have to look at her ….
have to look at her time as a Hornet.
Colby comes with me
Voelker looks fondly on her career at Colby. She credits her time with the Hornet, and with former head coach Randy Rau, for shaping her into the player she is today.
From an early age, Voelker’s talent was apparent, and it didn’t take long before she was playing varsity. Hailey played on back to back conference championship teams as a sophomore and junior, and was a starter on the 2019 squad that made it to state for the first time.
Stepping into big roles at an early age was a foreshadowing of what would come in her college career.
“I played at state as a junior, and I had to step into a bigger role as a senior. It was a lot like this year, where I’m just a teenager, and I’ve started. So playing for Colby definitely helped me out.”
Hailey’s effort and hustle was on display every night during her time in green and gold, and those qualities made her stand out to Lakers head coach Brandon Lokken.
“Hailey has such a passion that she plays with. It was the first thing I noticed when recruiting her,” Lokken said via press release. “She brings such energy to the game and her team. When you combine that with her competitiveness and toughness you get a heck of a player.”
Her tenacious playing style isn’t the only thing she’s taken to the UP. The love and support from friends and family back home is with her every day.
“My support system here was amazing. I don’t think there was a single game where I didn’t get a text before a game from a friend or someone like Brittani Mertens or Ariel Oehmichen, telling me how proud they were of me.”
Get in rookie
Now that she was at the next level, Voelker quickly made the most of her shortened freshman campaign, playing in 13 of the Lakers 19 games.
“All the time I spent in middle school, high school and AAU playing basketball gave me the self-confidence and belief in myself,” Velker said. “It took more than just basketball skills to get there too. I had coaches and teammates telling me how much they believed in me, and that helped me get to where I wanted to be.”
Voelker’s first game proved a memorable one. She only played 13 minutes, but she scored four points, and those points were vital as the Lakers earned a 60-58 victory over Purdue Northwest at home.
Hailey earned 19 minutes in her next game, and just three games into her collegiate career, she made her first start.
“It was a lot of pressure obviously, getting my first start, but it was a great learning experience for me too.”
Voelker was nervous, but she had fun with it. More than anything, she was grateful her coaches and teammates had her back and believed in her.
“I was very thankful my coach trusted me enough with that and believed in me enough to start and to take that position as a freshman. A lot of other great girls on my team could have taken it, so I am very thankful that coach believed in me.”
Hailey would go on to start six more games. There likely would have been more starts, but towards midseason, Voelker broke her nose and received a concussion in practice.
“I had to sit out for a couple of games, and I had to continue the rest of the season with a face mask on. So that was tough, but I played through it, and was happy I could keep playing.”
What comes next?
It’s been a season of growth for the product from Colby. She’s become more vocal, learned to adapt to her now role, and has gotten her first taste of college action. She’s ready elevate her game to new levels in Year Two.
“I’m just really going to focus on the grind this offseason,” Hailey says about her future plans. “I found out what it was like, and what I need to work on and improve on. I’m going to work over this stuff this summer, get stronger, and just improve my IQ on the game.”
She also hopes to have a COVID-19 free season. Above all, she’s eager to storm the court with the teammates who have become a second family to her.
“I’ve met so many awesome people and made so many friends. My teammates are my sisters, they’re like my family. I love them to death. They make basketball and being up there easy. They welcomed me with open arms.”
Just as she did with Colby, Voelker wants to make her mark on the Laker’s program, and usher it into a new era. It’s a tough proposition for a team that finished 1-18 this season, but Voelker remembers her time with Colby, and the things she and her teammates accomplished there. “Everyone made the joke about Colby cheese,” Voelker said. “But I’m glad I can come back here and see the numbers and the titles on the banners.”
Those numbers remind Hailey of the odds she’s overcome, and the doubts she helped put to rest. Her time at Colby is over, but her legacy at Lake Superior State is only just beginning.
