It’s hard to go to a game in Wilkinson Hall and not hear “Moves Like Jagger.” The Maroon 5 hit plays every time freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager earns a point for Indiana.
At just 18 years old, Jager is creating a strong presence for herself in the Big Ten. In just the first eight games, she has landed 93 kills and secured 111 points for the Hoosiers.
Coming from California, Jager’s decision to come to Indiana was easy.
“It had everything I was looking for in a school. Obviously, the amazing volleyball and I always dreamed of playing in the Big Ten,” Jager said.
Jager’s love for volleyball came long before Bloomington. After trying many other sports, she began playing volleyball at 12. Jager’s older sister inspired her to start playing, and she’s succeeded at it ever since. Jager was consistently rated as a top 25 recruit for the class of 2025.
She is now a key part of Indiana’s team as an outside hitter. Jager quickly made her presence known on the court with her powerful kills and agility at the net. Combining skill with natural talent, Jager is a very well-trained and versatile player.
“She has all the skills and all the tools to have a lot of success and have a great career,” Indiana head coach Steve Aird said. “She’s very serious about becoming a pro and one of the most complete volleyball players as a freshman that I've ever coached.”
Aird credits Jager’s maturity and confidence at such a young age in her collegiate career.
Jager recently won Big Ten Freshman of the Week after her impressive performance in the Indiana Invitational. Proud of her individual honor, Jager still credits her teammates with helping her be so successful. She’s committed to being an excellent college player, and Aird says he hopes she continues to get the positive attention she deserves.
Indiana’s team has been working great together so far, starting 8-0. The chemistry and connection between players helped make the unbeatable team. The community at Indiana was one of Jager’s biggest deciding factors in choosing IU.
“I love my coaches and teammates so much,” Jager said. “We all get along so well and have become family so quickly, which is very rare. It is also so obvious that we all want the best for each other.”
She has quickly become a leader for the Hoosiers and contributes energy to the team. Jager wants to be a player her teammates can trust.
Off the court, Jager is like most college freshmen. She is a business student and loves spending time at the beach when she is back home, keeping up on the fashion trends, going shopping and hanging out with her friends. These all give her a nice balance away from games and practices, but her focus in Bloomington remains on being the best player she can.
For Jager and her teammates, the goal this season is ambitious — making it far in the NCAA tournament. That means taking it one step at a time.
“It’s all about one game at a time,” Jager said. “Winning in our home gym is also very important to us as a team.”
These goals are just the beginning for Indiana’s freshman star.
“I've been fortunate to coach some really, really good players that have gone on to be All-Americans and Olympians,” Aird said. “She has all of the makings of it, and the sky's the limit volleyball-wise to how good she wants to be.”
