Whether she was in the back row, setting the ball or taking big swings on the front line, former Rochelle volleyball standout Sylvia Hasz was a versatile weapon throughout her three years with the Lady Hubs, all of which resulted in Interstate 8 All-Conference First Team recognition.
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Whether she was in the back row, setting the ball or taking big swings on the front line, former Rochelle volleyball standout Sylvia Hasz was a versatile weapon throughout her three years with the Lady Hubs, all of which resulted in Interstate 8 All-Conference First Team recognition.
Hasz has carried her wide assortment of skills with her to Eastern Illinois University, where she took on a new role during her sophomore season with the Panthers. Recruited as a setter, Hasz was deployed sparingly as a freshman, making 21 appearances while finishing with 92 assists and 12 service aces. Hasz took on a much larger role as a sophomore, but rather than setting the tone on offense, Hasz commanded an important back-row role as a defensive specialist.
Rather than backing down from the challenge, Hasz successfully adjusted to her new position, compiling a career-best 119 digs and 34 service aces while adding 128 assists over 105 sets played. As a result of her growth on defense, Hasz appeared in 31 matches for the Panthers, who finished with a 28-5 overall record while winning the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships in addition to qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
“I wasn’t the starting setter, but I was able to come in and be the defensive specialist,” Hasz said. “It was different from what I had done before, but I was happy that I could go in and do whatever I could for the team. I played the back three rotations for the right side, so I focused on giving good energy and bringing confidence to the girls around me so they could be comfortable. My serve was what really helped me get things going for the team.”
Hasz enjoyed a pair of breakout performances during her sophomore season. The former Lady Hub standout seized an opportunity to set when the Panthers battled Western Illinois on Nov. 16, dishing out a career-high 69 assists, which ranks seventh-most for any Eastern Illinois player in program history, as the Panthers outlasted the Leathernecks for a 3-2 victory.
“Playing at Rochelle taught me how to be very versatile,” Hasz said. “I was a setter with my club team, but I did everything at Rochelle and I was able to find ways to add to the team. That’s something that’s helped me here because a lot of players stay at one position, but playing multiple positions is a really good opportunity to learn how to do everything else.”
Hasz, who also notched a career-high 10 digs when the Panthers faced Lindenwood on Oct. 13, will be one of a few key contributors returning for the 2024 season this coming fall. With several new players recruited or arriving through the transfer portal, Hasz is looking to take on a leadership role as she prepares for her first season with the program as an upperclassman.
“I felt that the presence I brought to the court was what helped our team as a whole,” Hasz said. “I held my own on defense and even though it’s not what I’m best at, I felt that I was able to add value to what we had out there… I’m an upperclassman now and we’re taking in a lot of new players since we lost seven or eight players to graduation or transferring out. It feels like we have a whole new team and we’re working on bonding and getting to know each other. We’re looking to win the conference again and make it back to the NCAA tournament.”
While her fall season was spent indoors, Hasz returned to the sand for her second year with the beach volleyball team during the spring. The RTHS alum played nearly all of her matches at the No. 1 court, which typically features the top two players from each team. Hasz played in all 18 beach volleyball matches during the 2024 season, recording three victories over that span.
Hasz, who’s currently majoring in marketing, started 14 matches and earned four wins during her freshman season in 2023, splitting time at the No. 2 and No. 3 courts for the Panthers.
“Beach volleyball improves our strategy and competitiveness,” Hasz said. “Our coaches can’t talk with us unless we’re in a timeout, so it’s up to my partner and I to talk through things and strategize. That’s important to us because we pride ourselves on being a player-led program and solving problems ourselves. Those things carry over to when we’re playing indoors.”
