Q&A With Volleyball Student-Athlete Jill Bohnet: Breaking Barriers

Q: When did you start playing volleyball?

A: I started playing volleyball when I was in 6th grade.

Q: Have you always played the same position?

A: When I first started, I was an outside hitter, which I definitely no longer am because of my height. I have been defensive specialist or libero since I was 14.

Q: How and why did you choose LSU?

A: So many reasons. One of the main ones is obviously the program here is amazing, the coaches are amazing, and when I came here, it felt like a family. That was really important to me because I came from teams with a lot of drama, and this team is the furthest thing from that. I also was drawn to LSU’s amazing engineering program. Finally, both of my parents are from Louisiana and graduated from LSU. My grandparents live in Louisiana, and my siblings go to school here. It’s really nice to still be able to go to church with my sister on Sundays and get coffee with my brother whenever.

Q: What is your favorite thing about the sport?

A: The team aspect of it. One of my favorite moments was in our game against Georgia. It was our fifth set and I was in to serve, and one of my teammates, Anita, yelled “I believe in you Jill! You got this!” It really made me smile, and it’s one of my favorite moments. The team aspect of everyone supporting each other and pushing each other to be better is incredible.

Q: What is your least favorite thing about the sport?

A: There really isn’t anything I don’t like. Maybe the only thing is when we have to get up at 5 or 5:30 a.m. for practice. But, just having the ability and opportunity to get up and go to practice counteracts that.

Q: What impact have your teammates had on you?

A: My teammates are some of the most incredible people that I’ve ever met. One of the really cool opportunities stems from that fact that we all come from very different backgrounds, which makes our team so unique. I really enjoy getting to know them and their personalities, and I also get to see and experience things that I may not have had I not been on this team. It’s been really cool and really fun to learn more about them because I love them so much.

Q: What is the most valuable experience you have had with your sport?

A: It just comes from being a student-athlete in general. Learning how to balance a 17-hour school schedule with playing volleyball, traveling, missing classes and tests, balancing a social life, etc. has been so important. By having this experience, I feel like I am better prepared to handle the life that will come with my future job. I feel like LSU and LSU Volleyball are really preparing me for the next phase of my life.

Q: Can you speak about your relationship with your coaches?

A: One of my most special relationships is with my assistant coach, Sarah Rumely. It’s related to my faith, as she has really been able to help me and guide me in how to bring faith into sport. One of my main goals as a student-athlete is to be able to reflect God in what I do. It has been so helpful to be led by her in this pursuit. It is really cool to have her because I feel like not a lot of people have an opportunity like that. My other assistant coach, Trey, is awesome too. Whenever I go in the gym for extra reps, he really helps and calms me throughout my session. He always tells me I can do whatever I am trying to do because he sees me do it in the gym every single day. My head coach is one of the best people I have ever met. Her love for the community and the team is unmatched. One of the best things about Fran is that she wants you to develop as a person and an athlete. A lot of coaches don’t care about who you are as a person, but the fact that she does is really cool and really special.

Q: How did you decide to major in mechanical engineering and finance?

A: I initially came in as a petroleum engineering major, and I got the opportunity to intern with Chevron for the summer after my freshman year. I was very lucky to still be able to do that because it was moved online due to COVID. I wasn’t sure that petroleum was exactly what I wanted to do, so I moved to mechanical at the start of my sophomore year. It’s very difficult, but I love the material and I really enjoy what I’m learning. Studying doesn’t seem that bad. This summer, I have the opportunity to intern with Shell, so I’m really interested to see how I mesh with this line of work. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to do something in math and science. I also had a little side-business when I was younger, and after taking classes here at LSU, I realized I still had an interest in the field. I talked to my advisor and found out I would still graduate in 4 years with the double-major, so I went for it. Since I’m in mechanical now, I may not be able to do it anymore, but we will see!

Q: Do you prefer one area of study over the other?

A: I definitely prefer engineering over finance. That type of math and science, especially chemistry and certain physics courses have been really fascinating to me.

Q: What are your goals for your career, in volleyball and beyond?

A: For volleyball, I would say our goal is to win the SEC. that’s step one, and see where that takes us. For the fall, we are aiming to hit the Sweet 16, and I’m really excited to get back to work with my team. For my career, I’m hoping to get a better grasp on what I really want to do after this summer, but I think it would be to work in the engineering industry after I graduate. I think it would be really interesting to work in aerospace engineering. I am also interested in the energy industry, especially with a lot of companies doing both oil and gas and a transition into finding more renewable sources as well. That has always been really interesting to me, but no matter what I do, I want to help as many people as I possibly can. I want to really give back to the community that has given so much to me.

Q: As an important member of LSU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), what does that role mean to you?

A: I’m really thankful I got the opportunity to be a part of SAAC, especially this year. It has really allowed me to listen to my teammates. I became a member of SAAC this year, which is also when we started Tigers United. I have a few teammates on BSAA as well. It has been very eye-opening and truly incredible to be able to hear from my team and support them. In everything we do, we want to show everyone in LSU athletics and whoever else may be watching that we are together as a unit and support one another through whatever may come.

Q: What did you learn from your internship with Chevron, and what are your goals for your upcoming internship with Shell?

A: One of the biggest things I learned from my internship with Chevron was communication and the importance of communication. It was my first internship, and as a freshman I didn’t really know what I was doing. I learned the importance of asking questions and not being afraid to admit when I needed help or didn’t know how to do something. I want to start with early communication with my mentors at Shell. I want to do the work on my end for when I don’t understand something. I want to go to them and ask for help. I’m an intern; I’m not supposed to know everything. It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the expectations that you think are on you. I will bring the knowledge of the fact that the expectation is to ask questions and ask for help because that is where the growth happens.

Q: What are your thoughts on being a woman in the STEM field? Are you hoping to be an advocate for increased representation?

A: I can definitely say that there’s a difference between the number of guys vs. girls in every single class that I’ve been in thus far. But, if I’m being honest, it hasn’t been something that has been super obvious to me. I’m fortunate that the way has been paved for me so well that I’m not treated any differently. While I notice that there are more guys than girls, I really appreciate the women who came before me and paved that path for me because I wouldn’t have the opportunities that I have if it weren’t for them. Making sure the younger generations know how important they are in these fields is super important to me. My parents told me I could be an engineer, an astronaut, anything I wanted. I want to make sure younger girls know they can do anything as well; that is an impact that I want to have.

Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

A: Two big ones stick out. As a team, a group of us typically go and get coffee before every single game. It’s a fun little tradition we have because we are all caffeine addicts on this team. Before every game, we go down into the locker room and we pray. That is one that I love and hold really special in my heart. It really calms me and makes me excited for games.

Q: Your faith is also important to you, as you are involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).  What has this organization meant to you, and where do you hope to go with it?

A: FCA has meant the world to me. It’s where I found a lot of my friends my freshman fall. Its where I feel like I can be myself and it’s a community that I hold so dear to my heart. Through COVID in the craziness of the world, it has been a place of hope and refuge, which is such an awesome thing to have. My roommates next year will be people I met through FCA and I can’t wait to experience life with them. The goal is always to get more people involved and experience the community. I can only speak highly of it because it has been such a positive in my life. It’s the place where we can always go if we don’t have anywhere to go, someone to talk to if we don’t have anyone to talk to, everything like that. It’s such an amazing community.

Q: Do you have any role models?

A: One of my biggest role models is my sister. Even from a young age, she has always been someone I can lean on and someone I can look up to. She has always been someone I felt like I could look up to, and she always gives great advice. She has always been a rock for me.

Q: What is your favorite thing about LSU?

A: Other than stuff I’ve already talked about, like school, team and family being here, this is kind of about Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge sunsets cannot be beat. Especially when you’re looking at the bridge; that is one of my favorite things. I will go look at it for like 30 minutes. It’s incredible.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant?

A: I really like Our Mom’s. Their burgers and their bread are just the best. I’m a really big fan of sweet and salty, and their bread is kind of sweet, and in combination with the burger, it’s just one of the best burgers you will ever have.

Q: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring one thing, what would you bring?

A: My bible. It’s the first thing that came to my head.

Q: What is your favorite movie?

A: Hercules. That’s so easy. That has been my favorite movie since I was 4. I would get up at 4 a.m., and I used to watch it over and over until the rest of my family woke up.

Q: If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

A: Black Widow because I think she’s awesome, and it’s actually semi-reasonable. She’s a normal human being and didn’t get born with superpowers. She worked her way into who she is. She’s really sassy and sarcastic, which I enjoy thoroughly.