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Hao Jin 2017
Steve Simoneau

Volleyball Athletic Communications

Hao Jin Thriving With Opportunity at Stetson

From the 25th floor of her family's apartment building in the bustling metropolis of Shijiazhuang, China, to the wide-open heartland of central Missouri, and now to the historic small town of DeLand, Florida, Hao Jin has had quite a journey.

And she couldn't be happier with where it has led.

The daughter of two college sports professors (her father is also a university men's basketball coach), Jin, or Lele as her friends call her, has been immersed in athletics her whole life.  As with many Chinese children, Jin started playing basketball at a young age, but after the sport became intensely competitive, she switched to high jump in middle school.  However, she missed team sport competition, so at the age of 14, Jin began to play volleyball for the first time.

"Since I had been playing sports my whole life, it was not that hard for me to catch up," Jin said.  "I just had to get the feel for the ball."

Jin excelled on her provincial volleyball team and was recruited by several Chinese universities.  However, she also had a desire to see the world, which was partially inspired by her interest with one American TV show in particular.

"In high school, I watched the show Gossip Girl which was in New York," Jin said with a laugh.  "I thought that America was really fancy.  So when I got the opportunity to come to America, I said yes right away."

That opportunity came from the University of Missouri, where then Mizzou assistant Yang Deng had a friend of a former player who worked with Jin's parents at the university where they taught.  Introductions were made, the recruiting process ensued, and eventually a scholarship offer was made.

Once in the U.S., Jin quickly saw that Missouri was not quite like the America she had seen on "Gossip Girl," but nevertheless got to work on her education and her volleyball career.  Jin said her Economics classes at Missouri would often have between 100 and 200 students, and getting personal attention from her professors was often tough to come by.

On the court, Jin did not get much playing time as Mizzou had several upperclassmen playing ahead of her at middle blocker.

So after two years at Missouri, Jin was ready for a change.  She knew Deng had recently taken the head coaching job at Stetson, so she was interested in seeing what DeLand had to offer.

"When I visited here, I really liked it," Jin said about the Stetson campus.  "I like the people here, and I like that we have players from seven different countries. When I ask questions, people are patient and willing to explain the answer.  The international kids help each other figure things out, too."

Jin also says she enjoys the small class size and ability to meet with professors as she works toward a degree in Economics.  There are also the little perks, like being able to drive from one side of campus to the other.  

"In my hometown, I can't drive, because of traffic and all the people around.  We just use public transportation."

Jin has also been helping drive the Hatters this year.  She leads the team in blocks (76) and attack percentage (.235), she ranks second in kills (150), and she ranks fourth in the entire conference in blocks-per-set (1.0).

"I really appreciate the opportunity to play here because I know I only have two years left," Jin said.  "I have to work hard to have my spot.  Otherwise, I am going to waste my whole college career."

"Stetson is a good fit for her, and she is working hard," Deng said.  "She is catching up with my expectations.  There are a lot of things she needs to do, and she knows that.  Since we have a really close relationship, I can be very direct and straight-forward with her.  It is really good for both sides."

As Jin continues to improve individually and the Hatters make strides as a team, Jin has been more motivated and excited about getting on the court and playing.

"I want to prove it to myself (that I can do it)," Jin said.  "I was not bad in China.  I had confidence in myself when I was in China.  A couple of good Chinese universities recruited me, but I chose to come to America.  When I wasn't playing, I lost that confidence.  When I came here, I feel like I got my confidence back.  I really enjoy playing again."

Stetson (3-17, 2-6 ASUN) will continue conference play with a pair of matches in Jacksonville this week.  The Hatters will face Jacksonville (13-8, 7-1) at 6 p.m. Friday and UNF (9-16, 1-7) at 5 p.m. Saturday.  Neither match will have live video streaming.  However, live stats, Stetson volleyball twitter, and the HatCheck text messaging service will provide live updates.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.

 
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Players Mentioned

Hao Jin

#22 Hao Jin

MB
6' 2"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Hao Jin

#22 Hao Jin

6' 2"
Junior
MB