At King University (Tenn.): Played four years at NCAA Division II school King University (Tenn.), where she was a Second Team All-Conference Carolinas selection in 2022 and 2023 ... Through 99 matches and 344 sets with the Tornado, she accumulated 1,094 kills (3.18/set), 51 assists, 166 service aces, 981 digs (2.85/set), 81 blocks and 1,300.5 points ... She recorded 16 double-doubles during the 2023 season, was named her conference’s Player of the Week twice, and added a Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week nod as well.
Prep: Garnered Second Team All-State and First Team All-Area, All-District and All-Region her senior year at Jefferson Forest High School ... Also helped her school capture two district titles during her sophomore and senior seasons and reached the state quarterfinals her final year with the Cavaliers ... Played club ball with the River Valley Juniors and Next Revolution Volleyball.
Personal: Full name is Hailee Grace Blankenship ... Born on April 29, 2002 ... Daughter of Mark and Stephanie Blankenship ... Has two younger siblings, Morgan and Marshall ... Her father played baseball at Hampden Sydney College ... Earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology from King University and added a minor in Psychology ... Always has the same Starbucks drink and a jolly rancher before each game ... Likes to play pickleball.
Why ODU: "I enjoyed the family aspect that the coaches presented along with a culture that cares about volleyball and the relationships formed from the experiences it presents. I felt like this was the right environment to finish my last year of eligibility because of that."