Freshman defense specialist Olivia Hasbrook (6) totaled 16 digs in Sunday’s match against Bowling Green State University. Ohio State won 3-0. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
Freshman Olivia Hasbrook has burst onto the volleyball court as the Buckeyes’ starting libero.
In her first year of collegiate volleyball, Hasbrook has seamlessly adapted to a faster style of play, becoming an immediate standout for Ohio State on offense and defense.
Hasbrook began her volleyball career with four years of varsity volleyball at Eureka High School in Saint Louis, Missouri, setting a school record with 1,671 career digs.
When it came time to pick a college, Hasbrook said she felt Ohio State was the best choice.
“The biggest part was the coaches and the girls,” Hasbrook said. “Ohio State’s culture is so good; the coaches care about us as individuals, and then the chemistry from the girls is just unmatched.
Before even stepping foot on campus, Hasbrook said she and senior defensive specialist Sydney Taylor created a bond.
“She’s always encouraging me, which started two years ago,” Hasbrook said. “I committed, and she wrote me a hanger and a letter. Then she’s always reaching out to me, and I just think she’s always been super supportive of me from the very start.”
One challenge most freshmen face is adjusting to more explosive opponents, though facing high-quality players in practice has allowed Hasbrook to make a smoother transition, she said.
“The main one is getting acclimated to different speeds. Emily Londot hitting a ball right down the line is a lot different than anything I’ve ever faced in volleyball,” Hasbrook said. “Having people on our team who are hitting that ball that hard, it helps you learn how to get acclimated to the speed quicker. But this speed is a big challenge.”
Head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg said the program tries to integrate its incoming players into the Buckeye culture as early on as possible.
“We have conversations [with the returning players], especially in the offseason. We spend a lot of time with it because we often have freshmen coming in early,” Oldenburg said. “We rely on those upperclassmen and our captains to implement them into our system, and understand training and the running captain’s practices. They’re teaching them the ropes as soon as they get in on campus.”
Taylor, one of the Buckeyes’ captains, praised Hasbrook for her early time spent in a scarlet and gray uniform. She said Hasbrook possessed many qualities that set her apart when she first committed to Ohio State.
“Well, to begin, off the court, just her positive energy and joyfulness. I think she can spread to anyone on our team, the coaches, and trainers and anyone a part of our program,” Taylor said. “She was super confident as soon as she came in, and the whole team and the staff could feel that immediately. So, coming in with her voice, energy and confidence immediately made her feel like she was around those others.”
Oldenberg said Hasbrook was the foundation of Ohio State’s freshman class and believes she will only improve in the future.
“I just think she’s going to get better and better. She was our first commitment in that [2024] class, and she rallied everybody else to get a good recruiting class,” Oldenberg said. “She’ll continue to do that as if she were going to recruit younger players to be here. That’s a natural talent that she has.”
Taylor said Hasbrook earns respect among her teammates, mainly due to the work she puts in behind closed doors.
“She’s gritty and works hard,” Taylor said. “It’s effortless to respect that in our gym, and just her consistency has made this team so much better.”
Oldenburg said she can see Hasbrook getting more and more comfortable at the college level, and she feels excited to see her grow.
“I think the sky’s the limit with her because of how competitive she is and how much she loves playing this game,” Oldenburg said. “I think that will be contagious for our whole team.”
