Hannah King Signs to Become a Champion Lady Tiger and First Collegiate Volleyball Player from Bolivar

02/02/2024 Bolivar

Bolivar Central High School volleyball player Hannah King signs with Champion Christian College. Pictured (l to r): BCHS volleyball coach Kim Emerson, Brian King, Hannah King, Brittani King, and Avery King.

Bolivar Central High School’s Hannah King signed on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, to join the Champion Christian College (CCC) volleyball team to play the sport she loves. When Hannah graduates in May 2024, she will move from being a BCHS Lady Tiger and suit up next season in uniform as a CCC Lady Tiger. Hannah is the first volleyball player from BCHS and Bolivar to sign to play at a collegiate level.

“I just never thought I would do it and no one has ever done it in Bolivar. It is super exciting to not only be the first, but just in general to go play at the collegiate level,” said Hannah, whose love for volleyball surpassed her interest in other sports. “It [volleyball] was just so exciting. Nobody knew anything about it, so it was just fully me. I could fully take charge of it [the sport].”

Over the past four years, Hannah’s love of volleyball has grown tremendously. While at Hornsby Elementary School, Hannah played basketball, softball, volleyball, and cheered. When she moved to high school, it was baseball, volleyball, and cheerleading. Now, it is just volleyball.

Hannah’s parents are excited about her having the opportunity to play collegiate volleyball.

BCHS volleyball coach Kim Emerson was nothing but complimentary about Hannah whom she noted was ready to play once she arrived at BCHS and has been a pleasure to coach.

“It was just one day she said ‘oh volleyball is my sport’. She was all about softball, and then she was just I’m going to play volleyball. And that was it,” said her mother, Brittani King.

“Hannah has played just about every position I’ve made her play. She has just been that kind of coachable kid that has done everything you asked. When she walked out as a freshman, I had to have her start then. She has played setter, libero blocker, hitter, whatever I needed from her [she has played],” said Coach Emerson.

Hannah King is now a Champion Christian College Lady Tiger volleyball player.

Hannah was joined at the signing by her parents, brother, relatives, family friends, and teammates. Both her mother and father are excited about Hannah having the opportunity to play collegiate volleyball

“Her expectation was to be able to go play volleyball in college, and now we have to set our expectations higher,” said her mother, who shared how much she has enjoyed watching Hannah play over the years. “It is fun to watch her, she never gives up. Hannah works really hard and it excites her. She loved to play softball, but she only got excited if something good happened. In volleyball, she is always excited. Everything that happened, she was excited for. It was more fun for me to watch because it was more fun for her to play.”

Hannah’s father, Brian King, shared similar sentiments about watching his “baby girl” play.

“Hannah’s determination, she is so strong willed and never gives up. She can bounce her head off the floor and be right back up ready for the next play. She can take a ball to the face and it never phases her. She is so determined to be the best that she can be,” said her father.

Hannah’s signing with CCC highlights the BCHS volleyball program that was started more than 10 years ago by then Spanish teacher and volleyball coach Anna Huckaby. Since that time, the volleyball program has grown from a fledgling team that barely had enough players to form a full team to one where players now vie for the coveted varsity and junior varsity spots.

Hannah King ‘s family and friends attended her signing.

“I have at least 50 girls try out each year. It is amazing! They just love it more because it is indoors,” said Coach Emerson who loves coaching volleyball. “With Hornsby and Bolivar Middle having teams, it just expanded and has blown up over the past few years.”

In Hardeman County, volleyball is becoming a more popular sport as it already is in many other West Tennessee Counties. Melanie King, Hannah’s grandmother, often finds herself on the reporting side of student athletes as the publisher of the McNairy County News (MCN). She was proud to be at the signing celebrating one of her own as just the grandmother.

“This is awesome! I have spent so many years taking pictures of everybody else’s kids that I haven’t done my grandchildren justice. Since I’ve been able to hire a sportswriter at the MCN, I have more time to see Hannah and Avery [baseball] play,” said Ms. King. “I am so excited to have a grandchild play at the collegiate level and I’m looking forward to seeing her play.”

Hannah wants to be a teacher and plans to study elementary education and minor in secondary English. She and her mother shared the family is a big fan of Coach Kim. Along with missing her coach, Hannah will miss her teammates, and she shared some parting words for them.

Bolivar Central High School volleyball player Hannah King pictured with her teammates and BCHS volleyball coach Kim Emerson.

“Please remember me, just keep leading, and have a smile on your face,” said Hannah who lamented the years have gone by so fast. “I’m so sad to leave but it is good to know they will be taken care of, and I hope I’ve left a mark.”