COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland volleyball head coach Adam Hughes announced the addition of graduate transfer Hannah Thompson to the 2021 roster on Monday.

"We are thrilled to have Hannah join our Terp volleyball program," Hughes said. "Hannah dedicated herself to making the most of being a great student-athlete and it shows in the way she was an outstanding ambassador for her alma mater. We know Hannah is driven to keep reaching for post-grad goals here in College Park, and we're excited to see what she can achieve both on and off the volleyball court."
 
Thompson comes to Maryland with one year of eligibility remaining after spending the 2017-20 seasons at the University of Notre Dame, recently graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Africana Studies and a minor in Brazilian Portuguese. A 5-foot-9 middle blocker, Thompson tallied 175 career kills and 148 career blocks in 145 total sets played in her four seasons with the Irish.

Last season, Thompson led the Irish with 80 total blocks (1.14/set) and ranked fourth on the team with 102 kills (1.46/set). Thompson set single-match career highs in her senior campaign with 10 kills against Valparaiso and 10 blocks against Miami (Fla.) this spring. In her breakout senior season, Thompson ranked fifth in the ACC with 1.14 blocks per set.

The winner of Notre Dame's prestigious Francis P. O'Connor and Byron V. Kanaley Awards, Thompson's contributions both on and off the court were recognized upon the completion of her senior season. The Kanaley Award, the most prestigious honor presented to student-athletes at Notre Dame, is awarded annually to senior student-athletes who have been most exemplary as both students and leaders. The O'Connor award celebrates the student-athlete who best embodies the true spirit of Notre Dame, possessing the qualities of the namesake of the award: caring, courage, confidence, encouragement, humility, honesty, humor, kindness and patience.
 
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Thompson - a three-year team captain at Cibola High School - led her team to a state championship in 2014, also being named First Team All-New Mexico. Thompson ranked No. 61 on PrepVolleyball's Top-100 Senior Aces list. 
 
Thompson will join a talented Terrapin blocking corps coming off one of the best defensive seasons in Maryland history. Maryland's net-front presence - primarily led by Rainelle Jones, Cara Lewis, and Laila Ricks - notched 3.15 blocks per set in 2020-21, leading the Big Ten. The 3.15 blocks/set was also the best mark by a Big Ten conference team since Penn State averaged 3.23 blocks/set in 2009, helping the Nittany Lions a national championship that season. 

Thompson will pursue a graduate degree in Technology Entrepreneurship during her time in College Park. She was named to the ACC Honor Roll each year at Notre Dame.