For Mykaela Hammer, it’s graduation and then returning to the volleyball court
5/11/2018 2:17:00 PM | Volleyball
Mykaela Hammer is in a unique situation. Like many of her peers, she will walk across the stage and earn her diploma this weekend, becoming a graduate of the University of Montana.
Unlike many of her peers, however, Hammer will stay in Missoula to finish her playing career, returning to the volleyball court this fall for her redshirt senior season.
"It's exciting. It's surreal," Hammer said. "It's an amazing feeling to know that I'm accomplishing something that I have worked so long and so hard for."
Hammer is in the final stages of completing a pair of degrees, in marketing and management. She has earned 140 credits – more than enough to graduate this weekend – but needs 10 more to earn a double degree, which she will do this fall. The extra semester of classes will not only allow her to obtain a second degree, but also play her senior season.
As a true freshman in 2014, Hammer moved from Arizona to Montana looking to study health and human performance, with the intent of becoming a physical therapist. That changed after a year, switching to business because of how universal it is.
"You can do so much with business," Hammer said. "I don't entirely know what I want to do yet, but I know I will have options because of what a business degree offers."
Hammer found time last summer – between the busyness of school, volleyball and life – to take a marketing internship with the Montana athletics department, which she particularly enjoyed how it allowed her to user her creativity.
"With business, it's all on the individual to make the job or the situation how they want it to be, and there are so many ways to go about completing those tasks and finding a solution," she said. "Business gives me the freedom to do what I want as well as apply what I've learned."
During her summer working for the marketing department, her broad duties ranged from creating graphics using Adobe Photoshop to helping plan for the widely successful Lady Griz School Day. The event last December attracted 6,000 elementary school children from nearby cities to support the Lady Griz for a game, and gave Montana the chance to teach on the importance of higher education.
Sports marketing is an area of interest for Hammer, but she isn't limiting herself at this time. Regardless of what she chooses, the Academic All-Big Sky honoree will have success.
"With Myk in particular, her time here has required her to be really resilient and adaptable," head coach Allison Lawrence said, noting that Hammer has played for three different head coaches and at multiple positions. "All of those experiences made her really focus on being her best self in the moment, and I think it's a huge testament to her that right now, at the end, she's getting her best grades, she's playing her best volleyball and she's being her best teammate."
Hammer has spent the past several years taking classes during summer and winter sessions – allowing her to earn a double degree. For the first time, she won't take summer classes, giving her the opportunity to enjoy a Missoula summer and prepare for her senior season.
On the court, the outside hitter has started 52 of Montana's last 55 matches. As a junior in 2017, she played in every set and led the Grizzlies in kills (3.22 per set). She also had a team-most 19 service aces, and ranked second for digs and hitting percentage, and third for blocks.
Montana saw a three-win improvement in 2017, the first under Lawrence, and has aspirations of making a return trip to the Big Sky tournament this fall.
"I think we have a good team and will continue getting better as the summer and fall progresses," Hammer said. "I think we'll surprise some people, which would be awesome for me personally to go out with a bang."
After that, when she's wrapped up a successful playing career and can walk away with two degrees, she will look to find a job in the real world. She likes the idea of getting her feet wet in Missoula before moving to a suburb of a big city, but first, it's about enjoying this weekend and one more season with the Griz.
"I'm excited for the next chapter of my life, come December, but I'm also really thankful that I get to celebrate graduation with my family and then stay in Missoula for my senior season."
Unlike many of her peers, however, Hammer will stay in Missoula to finish her playing career, returning to the volleyball court this fall for her redshirt senior season.
"It's exciting. It's surreal," Hammer said. "It's an amazing feeling to know that I'm accomplishing something that I have worked so long and so hard for."
Hammer is in the final stages of completing a pair of degrees, in marketing and management. She has earned 140 credits – more than enough to graduate this weekend – but needs 10 more to earn a double degree, which she will do this fall. The extra semester of classes will not only allow her to obtain a second degree, but also play her senior season.
As a true freshman in 2014, Hammer moved from Arizona to Montana looking to study health and human performance, with the intent of becoming a physical therapist. That changed after a year, switching to business because of how universal it is.
"You can do so much with business," Hammer said. "I don't entirely know what I want to do yet, but I know I will have options because of what a business degree offers."
Hammer found time last summer – between the busyness of school, volleyball and life – to take a marketing internship with the Montana athletics department, which she particularly enjoyed how it allowed her to user her creativity.
"With business, it's all on the individual to make the job or the situation how they want it to be, and there are so many ways to go about completing those tasks and finding a solution," she said. "Business gives me the freedom to do what I want as well as apply what I've learned."
During her summer working for the marketing department, her broad duties ranged from creating graphics using Adobe Photoshop to helping plan for the widely successful Lady Griz School Day. The event last December attracted 6,000 elementary school children from nearby cities to support the Lady Griz for a game, and gave Montana the chance to teach on the importance of higher education.
Sports marketing is an area of interest for Hammer, but she isn't limiting herself at this time. Regardless of what she chooses, the Academic All-Big Sky honoree will have success.
"With Myk in particular, her time here has required her to be really resilient and adaptable," head coach Allison Lawrence said, noting that Hammer has played for three different head coaches and at multiple positions. "All of those experiences made her really focus on being her best self in the moment, and I think it's a huge testament to her that right now, at the end, she's getting her best grades, she's playing her best volleyball and she's being her best teammate."
Hammer has spent the past several years taking classes during summer and winter sessions – allowing her to earn a double degree. For the first time, she won't take summer classes, giving her the opportunity to enjoy a Missoula summer and prepare for her senior season.
On the court, the outside hitter has started 52 of Montana's last 55 matches. As a junior in 2017, she played in every set and led the Grizzlies in kills (3.22 per set). She also had a team-most 19 service aces, and ranked second for digs and hitting percentage, and third for blocks.
Montana saw a three-win improvement in 2017, the first under Lawrence, and has aspirations of making a return trip to the Big Sky tournament this fall.
"I think we have a good team and will continue getting better as the summer and fall progresses," Hammer said. "I think we'll surprise some people, which would be awesome for me personally to go out with a bang."
After that, when she's wrapped up a successful playing career and can walk away with two degrees, she will look to find a job in the real world. She likes the idea of getting her feet wet in Missoula before moving to a suburb of a big city, but first, it's about enjoying this weekend and one more season with the Griz.
"I'm excited for the next chapter of my life, come December, but I'm also really thankful that I get to celebrate graduation with my family and then stay in Missoula for my senior season."
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