Former Comet star Hillegas continues to shine for Cyclones

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — For even the most talented high school athlete, making the leap to college — especially at the NCAA Division 1 level — often requires some major adjustments.

But even the small and seemingly simple adjustments can be daunting. And one of the tougher challenges for Hali Hillegas was having to erase some dexterity memory.

“It didn’t seem that much to change,” Hillegas said of the way of bringing her hands together to make a volleyball pass or dig. “Before, I would put my hands together in a double-fist with my thumbs on top. The way they want you to do it is to put your hands together like this [Hillegas puts the back of her right hand into the palm of her left] so your two thumbs are flatter. That way you can control the ball better.

“It seemed like something easy to adjust to, but when you’re so use to doing it the way before it can be difficult. And I struggled with it at first.”

A two-time first-team all-stater with the Charles City volleyball team, which she helped win a state title in 2012 as a sophomore, Hillegas also struggled to come to grips with the inactive playing role she was saddled with shortly after continuing her career at Iowa State University.

“In high school you’re playing every game and then all of a sudden you’re not playing any more,” Hillegas said of her red-shirt season. “You practice and train with the team, but for road games you don’t get to travel with the team because we can only take so many.

“What helped me was that I had older teammates who included me in many team activities to make me feel a part of team.”

A hitter and setter in high school, Hillegas has since adjusted well to her role as defensive specialist/libero with the Cyclones. After being named Big 12 Freshman of the Year her red-shirt freshman season, Hillegas followed up with an outstanding sophomore campaign.

In additions to being named the Big 12 Libero of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week four times last season; Hillegas was named AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.

She led the Cyclones with 571 digs which ranked her 15th in the NCAA.

Hillegas will be the first to tell that getting to where she is now hasn’t been easy.

“My advice to anyone who wants to play in college is that you’ve got to stick with it,” Hillegas said. “There were times where I just got tired of volleyball, but I stuck with it. You’ve got to be willing to put in the long work even during times you don’t want to.”

Shortly after last season’s conclusion, Hillegas had two surgeries. One was to repair the rotator cuff of her right shoulder or her hitting and serving arm.

“It was something I probably first injured in high school,” said Hillegas, who had the surgery in December and has recovered enough to play spring volleyball.

She also had an “extra bone” removed that somehow formed near one of her ankles.

Hillegas was recently in town to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of her grandparents. She also plans to return to her hometown during the week of the Fourth of July.

As of now, Ames has become Hillegas’ home away from home even during the summer months.

“I spent most of the summer my freshman year back in Charles City,” Hillegas said. “But now I’m taking summer classes at ISU, and I do a lot of training and activities with my teammates.”

One of the activities Hillegas and her teammates engage in during the summer is serving as instructors at numerous youth and high school camps the Cyclone program holds in the offseason.

“I enjoy doing them … it kind of fits in with my major,” said Hillegas, who is majoring in elementary education. “I get to work with kids, and I always imagine myself becoming a coach some day.”