Dani Drews Announces Her Return for Fall of 2021 Season

SALT LAKE CITY – Outside hitter Dani Drews has decided to return for another season with Utah volleyball this fall. She will continue her career by means of an NCAA COVID-19 season of competition waiver granted by the Division I Council in the fall for all participating student-athletes in the 2020-21 season.
 
"I had a meeting with Coach Beth and in my mind it just clicked that it doesn't make sense not to take advantage of this huge opportunity," Drews said. "I think college only lasts so long, and I kept thinking that having an extra season is something most athletes would kill for. I truly love this team and have so much fun competing and working hard with them. I want to be here now and have one last really good season."
 
Drews is coming off a season where she was named Pac-12 Player of the Year, she won Pacific South Region Player of the Year for the second season in a row and earned AVCA First Team All-American honors.
 
"We're very happy that Dani has chosen to return for her senior season," head coach Beth Launiere said. "She is a special player and even more of a special person. Dani is a committed, loyal team player who wants to finish her career with her teammates, and in the Utah program that she has been such an integral part of for the last four years."
 
Drews is second in Utah program history with 1,687 kills, has collected three All-American awards and named All-Region and All-Pac-12 the past three seasons. She's helped lead Utah to two Sweet 16 appearances and the team was ranked in the top 10 in the AVCA rankings most of last season.
 
"This group is so bought into everything we want a good team culture to be," Drews said. "We all love each other and respect each other and are willing to do whatever it takes to be the best team we can be. I can't wait to be back for another season competing in front of all of our fans in the Huntsman Center."