Jori Hajek helped the Humboldt High School volleyball team reach the state tournament last year. 

Now, some 365 days later, Hajek is a starter for Iowa Central, who begins play Thursday at the NJCAA Div. II Championships. Iowa Central will face Mott at 11 a.m. 

Joining a roster loaded with returning players from a unit that placed a program-best third in the spring, Hajek has embraced all that the Triton volleyball program has to offer in her first season. 

"To me, being on this team with such amazing girls has been the highlight of my career, right with making it to state with my high school team last year," Hajek said. "These girls turn into a family when you spend each day together and each long bus ride. You learn more about them as people on the court but who they are as people. To help capture Iowa Central's first title would be something that would live with me forever.

"I want these COVID sophomores and COVID freshmen who had to go through so much already in a season be able to enjoy and have something that they have dreamed for these past few years. This team is so incredibly special and knowing a lot of these girls won't be back next year makes this trip to nationals a little more special to me. I have gained so many lifelong friends through my first year here and I want to be able to have an experience we can share before they go off and play somewhere else or go and start their lives somewhere else."

An all-stater and multi-sport standout as a Wildcat, Hajek has continued to find success at the college level. She has 285 kills with 515 digs, 42 total blocks, 45 serving aces and 32 assists in 41 matches for the Tritons, who are 40-1 overall and ranked second in the nation. 

"I am so beyond excited," Hajek said. "We have worked so incredibly hard all season and the fact that all the hard work and dedication we have put in is going to pay off before we know it. These final practices that we have been having are making this whole first year for me feel so real."

While many of her teammates have experience playing at nationals, Hajek was on the same Alliant Energy PowerHouse courts at the high school state tournament. 

"I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to play in such a big stage last year because of the fact that it is way different than any high school or college gym," she said. "The noise that the crowd produces, the lights and how bright they are, the ceiling being so high and making it hard to find the ball at times, and most importantly, the competition that is going to be put out on the court.

"We know going into this that the best teams made it to nationals for a reason. They are going to be just as hungry for a ring as we are. I know what the goal is for this team and the fact that I get to play a role in this mission is making me work so much harder."

-By Dana Becker