Senior Hannah Bailey’s career at Iowa State hasn’t exactly gone as planned.

Initially arriving in Ames as the No. 33-rated recruit in the country by PrepVolleyball, big things were expected for the right-side hitter from Cameron, Wisconsin, when she signed with the Cyclones in the fall of 2014.

Bailey finished her senior year of high school with 329 kills at a .536 hitting percentage, which was good enough to earn her American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) Second-Team All-American honors. Coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said at the time Bailey was going to be a “big-time player” for the Cyclones.

She could still end up that way, but now a senior, Bailey is still looking to live up to that expectation at Iowa State.

Make no mistake, Bailey doesn’t lack talent or work ethic. Injuries have significantly hampered Bailey over the course of her career in Ames. She finally saw extended playing time last season, playing in 19 games, but injuries have prevented her from fully hitting her stride.

“A lot of setbacks,” Bailey said of her career to date. “A lot of good stuff too, but very up-and-down.”

Among those setbacks include four surgeries; one for a shoulder injury, two for knee injuries and a stomach surgery that held Bailey out four months after a cyst flared up. She lost eight inches of her colon during the surgery.

Needless to say, Bailey’s been through a lot — and while those injuries haven’t allowed for as much on-floor success as she would’ve hoped, Bailey said she’s never let her setbacks bring her down and she’s never once thought about giving up.

Quite the opposite, actually. Bailey says volleyball has served as a sanctuary from the hardships, and what kept her going was a desire to get back on the court and a belief in a greater plan.

“Everything happens for a reason and there’s a bigger purpose than just volleyball,” Bailey said. “I think that’s what kind of pushed me throughout. Just believing in a bigger purpose.”

Senior year is here! 4 surgeries later along w/ so many ups & downs but I wouldn’t change a thing. I believe in my heart that everything happens for a reason & I trust the process. My struggle has given me strength I didn’t know existed. I love this team so much! Let’s get it 😈 https://t.co/rypRHhuscI

— Han (@Hanbanan_21) August 17, 2018

That attitude and approach hasn’t gone unnoticed by teammates and coaches, and is a big reason why Bailey has made an impact on the program despite somewhat limited playing time.

Talk to people within the program, both players and coaches, and one quickly finds out that Bailey is loved for her work ethic and personality.

Johnson-Lynch says Bailey has served as a role model for younger players with the way she’s battled through adversity and continued to work despite her setbacks. Johnson-Lynch also raved about Bailey as a teammate, saying she gets along with everyone because of her kindness.

Redshirt junior Hali Hillegas, who was signed in the same recruiting class as Bailey, doubled down on that observation and said Bailey is always the one helping the team get through tough times with her infectious personality.

“She likes to have fun and keep everyone upbeat and smiling,” Hillegas said. “She’s gone through a lot of stuff here and I think it’s really made her the person she is now.”

Now, as a senior, Bailey and the Cyclones are hoping she can finally have as big of an impact on the court as she does off of it.

Things certainly seem to be trending that way early on. While she’s currently in a starting battle with freshman Eleanor Holthaus, Bailey has garnered praise for the improvements she’s made in her game.

Johnson-Lynch said after the exhibition match against South Dakota last week, where Bailey finished with seven kills, that Bailey is playing the best volleyball of her career at the moment. Johnson-Lynch specifically noted Bailey’s range and blocking have vastly improved over the course of her career.

Hillegas added Bailey’s play out-of-system, a major point of emphasis in her development, has improved significantly heading into the 2018 season.

Despite the improvements, the position battle is far from decided. Bailey and Holthaus will likely split time to begin the season because of Iowa State’s depth, and who ultimately gets more playing time will depend on who shows the most consistency.

If there’s one thing Bailey’s proven in her time at Iowa State, though, it’s that she won’t back down from a battle. And her coach anticipates she’ll reap the rewards of that mentality.

“(Bailey) just keeps grinding away and I think it’s starting to pay off for her,” Johnson-Lynch said. “She’s kept that positive attitude, and when you’re healthy and you keep grinding away, those things will come back to you.

“We all have our share of adversity and it’s more about how you handle than what happens to you.”