Bachelor’s Shanae Ankney: 5 Things to Know About Clayton Echard’s Contestant

Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth

Bachelor’s Shanae Ankney: 5 Things to Know About Clayton Echard’s Contestant

A new villain is born? It’s safe to say Shanae Ankney is involved in the drama on season 26 of The Bachelor. Clayton Echard met the 29-year-old Ohio native during the January 3 premiere. For her limo entrance, she arrived in a pickup truck — running over the children’s Power Wheels car the previous contestant drove up in moments earlier. “Shanae is very vibrant,” Clayton, 28, said on Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast in January. “Shanae is fun and she's not someone who holds back.” He warned, “But she's a fun one — and someone to keep an eye on.” In a teaser for the season, one of the other contestants reveals that “Shanae is going to start a fire” in the house. “Keep my name out of your motherf—king mouth,” she yells in one clip. Shanae is also seen getting visibly emotional. [jwplayer JKUI4iFF-zhNYySv2] “I wasn’t there 24/7 around all the women, so I’m gonna see things for the first time myself,” Clayton told Us about the season’s drama. “And I’m excited to see what that looks like. Obviously, I heard a lot of the drama that I wasn’t present for, but now I’m like, ‘OK, maybe I’ll catch somebody that told me a story that maybe doesn’t exactly match up with what I see.’” Shanae won’t be the only one under fire during the season as Clayton himself admits he made mistakes on his journey. “I actually used absolutes, which I no longer use anymore because this whole experience told me or taught me not to,” the ex-NFL player told Us about telling three women he was in love during the season. “I remember the first day I went in, I said, ‘I will not fall in love with multiple people.’ And, like, I was so serious about it. And then the journey began, and I was just battling with it mentally. I’m like, ‘No, no, there’s no way.’” The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll through for five things to know about Shanae:

Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth

Bachelor’s Shanae Ankney: 5 Things to Know About Clayton Echard’s Contestant

A new villain is born? It’s safe to say Shanae Ankney is involved in the drama on season 26 of The Bachelor. Clayton Echard met the 29-year-old Ohio native during the January 3 premiere. For her limo entrance, she arrived in a pickup truck — running over the children’s Power Wheels car the previous contestant drove up in moments earlier. “Shanae is very vibrant,” Clayton, 28, said on Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast in January. “Shanae is fun and she's not someone who holds back.” He warned, “But she's a fun one — and someone to keep an eye on.” In a teaser for the season, one of the other contestants reveals that “Shanae is going to start a fire” in the house. “Keep my name out of your motherf—king mouth,” she yells in one clip. Shanae is also seen getting visibly emotional. [jwplayer JKUI4iFF-zhNYySv2] “I wasn’t there 24/7 around all the women, so I’m gonna see things for the first time myself,” Clayton told Us about the season’s drama. “And I’m excited to see what that looks like. Obviously, I heard a lot of the drama that I wasn’t present for, but now I’m like, ‘OK, maybe I’ll catch somebody that told me a story that maybe doesn’t exactly match up with what I see.’” Shanae won’t be the only one under fire during the season as Clayton himself admits he made mistakes on his journey. “I actually used absolutes, which I no longer use anymore because this whole experience told me or taught me not to,” the ex-NFL player told Us about telling three women he was in love during the season. “I remember the first day I went in, I said, ‘I will not fall in love with multiple people.’ And, like, I was so serious about it. And then the journey began, and I was just battling with it mentally. I’m like, ‘No, no, there’s no way.’” The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll through for five things to know about Shanae:

Credit: Courtesy of Shanae Ankney/Instagram

1. She’s From a Small Town in Ohio

Shanae is from Sycamore, Ohio, a town of 840 people, outside of Cleveland.

"Everyone knows everyone," she told ABC cameras during the premiere. "The dating pool is very small."

Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

2. She Got Baptized After Filming ‘The Bachelor’

Shanae revealed in November 2021 that she got baptized at Rock City Church in Columbus, Ohio.

“Such a special day for me 🙏🏼,” she wrote via Instagram after filming on season 26 wrapped. “One of the best days of my life ❤️ #baptism #rockcity #igivemyhearttoyou.”

Credit: Courtesy of Shanae Ankney/Instagram

3. She’s a Recruiter

After working as an administrative assistant with a neurosurgeon at The Ohio State University and getting her cosmetologist license, Shanae became the Director of Recruiting for a health insurance broker company in Ohio.

Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth

4. She’s Going to Be in the Drama

“Everyone's got to see wait and [see] why they're teasing her that way,” Clayton told Us in January when asked about Shanae stirring the pot in the teasers.

Credit: Courtesy of Shanae Ankney/Instagram

5. What Shanae Wants in a Partner

“She is looking for a man with confidence that won't waste time playing games,” her ABC bio reads. “She also values her independence, so while Shanae wants to build a life with someone, she also wants someone who encourages her to achieve the goals she has set for herself. Above all, Shanae wants to be able to be herself with a man who will honor and cherish her for the gem that she is.”