John was the smart one. Paul was the cute one. Ringo was the funny one. George was the quiet one. In the 1960s this was the way people described each of the Beatles, traits that spoke to the individual personalities of the quartet that made up the British super group (for those of you too young to know the Beatles, give them a look on YouTube - you won't be disappointed).
 
If you assigned the identical monikers to this year's edition of the Yellowjacket women's basketball team, without a doubt junior Hannah Norlin (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) would be tagged as the quiet one.
 
On the court and off, it seems that just about everything Norlin does is done quietly.
 
"I've known her since she was a sophomore in high school, and she has always been quiet," said Yellowjacket Head Coach Zach Otto-Fisher. "In everything she does, she's quiet and soft spoken.
 
"Look at the game last Saturday against Bethany Lutheran. She finished with 16 rebounds and that is one of those where you would say it was a quiet 16 rebounds. There have been plenty of times where you look at the final stats and realize that Hannah quietly put up a double-double."
 
It has been a quiet, yet brilliant, career for Norlin thus far. Playing in the shadow of a boisterous and well-known senior class, Norlin has pieced together back-to-back exemplary seasons for the Yellowjackets, and you could say she's done so in relative anonymity.
 
"I don't think she has a problem with that at all. In fact, I think she probably prefers it. It doesn't bother her one bit that other people grab the attention and she can quietly go about her business and play her game," Otto-Fisher said.
 
As a sophomore last season, Norlin moved into a starting role and posted 367 points and 176 rebounds, both of which ranked second on the team. Heading into the NCAA tournament this season, Norlin is second on the team with 371 points and pulled down a team best 203 rebounds.
 
Her efforts have resulted in two straight All-UMAC First Team selections, the most recent of which came this week after Norlin helped the Yellowjackets earn an unprecedented third straight UMAC playoff championship.
 
"I think it's safe to say she's a quiet two-time all-conference player. She isn't the flashiest player on the court and isn't the loudest player in our locker room," Otto-Fisher said. "She doesn't have to be the loudest player. I don't want to say that she leads by example, but she shows by example. She shows her leadership and her worth to the team by what she does on the court. She lets her game do the talking."
 
She has also quietly neared the top 15 all-time on the Yellowjacket scoring list, and entering play Friday sits just 108 points away from becoming the 11th player in school history to reach the 1,000-point milestone.

 
But basketball only tells half the story. Many of the traits Norlin shows on the court are also on full display away from the hardwood. A management major in the school of business and economics, Norlin has struck a chord with the folks in Erlanson Hall as well.
 
"There are many opportunities on the UW-Superior campus to highlight the accomplishments of our hard working students. In the case of Hannah you have a student with admirable self-discipline, strong leadership abilities and a willingness to share her talents with the youth in our community," said Edie Wasyliszyn, an assistant professor of accounting in the school of business and economics. "She works hard in her classes and the organization quick enough to recruit her after graduation will never regret their choice."
 
At UW-Superior student-athletes live a three-pronged existence, meaning they will learn and grow athletically, academically, and in the community, and Norlin dedicates significant time to all three.
 
"In addition to working toward her management degree and playing basketball Hannah manages to find time to give basketball lessons. However 'Coach Hannah' is more than just a coach – she is also a gifted mentor," Wasyliszyn said. "For the last few months Hannah has worked with a middle school student from Northwestern. After working with Hannah this student has not only become a better basketball player, but even more importantly, she leaves the gym with significantly stronger self-confidence."
 
The work with the youth, you guessed it, is something that Norlin does quietly.
 
"It doesn't surprise me that she keeps all of that sort of quiet," Otto-Fisher said. "Just last Saturday, before our biggest game of the year she was giving someone she knows and her two daughters a tour, showing them the facility, the locker room, and giving them a chance to meet the players and be part of things. She is always willing to do things like that.
 
"Even going back to high school she has given time back to the community. For several years she has been part of the Tim Orth Memorial Foundation's tournament that has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the youth in communities around her home town."
 
Next season Norlin will undoubtedly see her role change, as an impactful senior class graduates and hands the mantle of leadership to her.
 
"It will be a little bit different for her, but I have no reason to believe that she won't be up to the task," Otto-Fisher said. "It will take her out of her comfort zone a little bit, but that's one of the things we're here to do as coaches. We're supposed to take the student-athletes out of their comfort zone and help them grow and develop. I'm excited to see how she takes that role and runs with it."
 
Chances are, despite the new role, Norlin will continue to operate quietly. One of the only places she cranks up the volume is in her choice of footwear.
 
"At times, if you are lucky, you see her team spirit because she wears the brightest yellow Crocs ever created," Wasyliszyn said.