UNLV volleyball enshrines Mariena Hayden as first retired jersey
Source: KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas Sports. Casualplayhub News adds summary, context, and editorial framing while linking back to the original report.
When Mariena Hayden answered her phone and heard athletic director Eric Harper's voice, she braced for routine news. Instead, Harper told her that her jersey would hang above the rafters at Cox Pavilion — the first in UNLV volleyball history to be retired. For a moment, she couldn't process it. "It was just a whirlwind of emotions," Hayden said. "From a small town, I never thought something like this would come of my career."
Hayden’s roots run deep in rural Minnesota, where she grew up far from the neon glow of Las Vegas. But in eighth grade, a UNLV volleyball camp changed everything. The coaching staff offered her a spot, and she was hooked. "I was like, 'What, I'm going to college in Vegas,' and my mom was like, 'You're not going to college in Vegas,'" Hayden recalled with a laugh. Eventually, she visited the campus and felt the community’s warmth. "That’s kind of how it became full circle. By the time I had to commit, that’s still where I wanted to go."
Her decision paid off in ways few could have predicted. As an outside hitter, Hayden rewrote UNLV’s record books. She became the program’s all-time leader in service aces with 352 and earned back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Year honors — a first for the team. "I would do it in a heartbeat all over again," she said. "My freshman year, we were last in the conference. We were awful because we had so many freshmen. We just kept growing, growing, growing. It was really fun to see starting from the bottom and building our way up to the top with a bunch of kids who were there from the start."
The journey from cellar dwellers to conference contenders wasn't easy. Hayden’s leadership on and off the court fueled the transformation. Her relentless work ethic and infectious determination inspired teammates. Now, that legacy will be permanently enshrined.
The jersey retirement ceremony is set for Saturday, Oct. 17, during UNLV’s rivalry match against UNR. It’s a fitting stage for a player who thrived in the spotlight. Hayden currently coaches at her high school in Minnesota, passing on the lessons she learned. She will return to Las Vegas in November to play for the Vegas Thrill, a professional team in the Pro Volleyball Federation.
Reflecting on her path, Hayden offers simple advice: "It sounds cliché, but you can do anything you set your mind to." Her story — from a small-town girl to a trailblazer in UNLV athletics — proves that clichés sometimes hold the deepest truth.
Article commentary
The retirement of Mariena Hayden’s jersey marks a milestone not just for UNLV volleyball but for the broader landscape of collegiate women’s sports. In a program that has often flown under the national radar, honoring a player with the first jersey retirement is a powerful statement about legacy and recognition. It signals that UNLV is willing to celebrate individual excellence even in sports that don’t command headlines like football or basketball. Hayden’s story resonates because it embodies the classic underdog narrative. Coming from a small town in Minnesota, she wasn’t a blue-chip recruit. Yet through persistence and talent, she transformed a struggling program into a competitive force. Her back-to-back Mountain West Player of the Year awards and record for service aces demonstrate that individual brilliance can elevate an entire team. The fact that she led UNLV from last place in the conference to contention underscores the tangible impact of a single player’s leadership. From an institutional perspective, this retirement also reflects a growing trend among athletic departments to honor female athletes more prominently. Historically, jersey retirements have favored male athletes in revenue sports. By choosing a volleyball player as the first in program history, UNLV sends a message about equity and the value of all sports. It recognizes that excellence comes in many forms and deserves physical representation in the rafters. Hayden’s current role as a high school coach and future plans to play professionally for the Vegas Thrill add another layer. She remains connected to the sport and to Las Vegas, embodying the ideal of a student-athlete who transitions seamlessly into a life of service and competition. Her quote, "You can do anything you set your mind to," might sound cliché, but her journey gives it weight. However, one might ask: why now? UNLV volleyball has had other standout players over the years. The decision to make Hayden the first suggests that the program values not only statistical achievement but also the narrative of growth and perseverance. It also serves as a recruiting tool. Future players can look up and see that a small-town girl’s jersey hangs there — a reminder that dedication can lead to eternal recognition. Ultimately, this retirement is a celebration of sport, community, and personal triumph. It honors a player who gave everything to her team and left a lasting mark on a university. For UNLV, it’s a chance to inspire the next generation of volleyball players and to show that greatness, no matter how humble its origins, deserves to be remembered.