Daily Bruin File Photo Kristee Porter
left UCLA early for the pro volleyball ranks, forgoing eligibility
in basketball and track and field.
By Diamond Leung
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Following the season-ending loss by the UCLA women’s
volleyball team in the NCAA Tournament, Kristee Porter looked
confused.
She had just been referred to as a “world-class
hitter” by one of the reporters at the postgame press
conference. Porter turned to teammate Angela Eckmier, seated beside
her, and gave Eckmier a look that screamed out, “Who,
me?”
About a month later, Porter appears to have embraced her
world-class potential.
After finishing her senior season, the two-time All-American
outside hitter announced Friday that she is leaving school to play
professional volleyball in the newly-created United States
Professional Volleyball League.
“The main factor in the decision was that I wanted a break
and just wanted to play one sport,” Porter said. “My
coaches are always telling me, “˜If you ever focused on one
thing, you would be good at it.’ I’m trying to see if
their theory is correct.”
UCLA women’s volleyball head coach Andy Banachowski is one
of those coaches.
“It’s great for the sport of volleyball,” he
said. “Kristee is an exciting and dynamic athlete, and people
love to watch her perform. She will draw a lot of people into
volleyball.”
Porter leaves UCLA as one of the most prolific athletes to ever
put on a Bruin uniform. Her 2,225 career kills ““ 14th most in
NCAA history ““ are school and conference records. She also
lettered in basketball and track and field.
“Kristee has had four very wonderful years here and has
done a lot of great things,” Eckmier said. “We’re
all really excited for her, and we wish her the best.”
The USPV, which owns four teams, assigned Porter to play for the
Chicago Thunder, where she will reunite with former Bruin teammate
Michelle Quon. According to the league, Porter has signed a
six-month contract worth between $22,000 and $28,000.
“We couldn’t find a player better than Kristee
Porter,” Thunder general manager Bill Bentley said. “I
see her playing a major role right off the bat. We needed a big
hitter, and she fits the bill perfectly.”
Porter has the ability to take her game to the international
level. Now that she will devote all her time to volleyball, she
improves her chances of gaining a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in
2004.
“Concentrating on only volleyball will do wonders for her
game,” Banachowski said. “She will be tremendous on the
international level.”
Porter could have chosen to finish her eligibility in basketball
and track and train with the U.S. National team in the summer,
but…
“She came to UCLA for volleyball, so it was an opportunity
that we knew she had to take,” UCLA women’s basketball
coach Kathy Olivier said. “There are no hard
feelings.”
Porter’s choice to leave school also leaves her short of
graduation.
“I planned on graduating on time, but I needed a little
break from everything,” she said. “This is a good
change for me. Hopefully, eventually, I’ll be
back.”
For Banachowski, it is hard to see one of his players stop short
of graduation.
“I feel bad that she wants to take this break in her
education,” he said. “I really don’t advocate
kids to leave school because these opportunities are still going to
be there for them after they graduate.
“It doesn’t mean that she will never come back and
get her degree. We’ll always have that rope out there to try
and lasso her in and back to school.”
Still, Banachowski, who Porter said played “a fatherly
role” for her at UCLA, ultimately supported her decision.
“But I think given what Kristee has gone through and where
she’s at right now, this is obviously the best decision for
her,” he said.
Porter’s senior volleyball season was marred by an NCAA
“extra benefits” violation. She shared expenses with a
part-time roommate, causing UCLA to suspend her for the entire
second half of the regular season. Porter was reinstated right
before the NCAA Tournament, in which the Bruins advanced to the
Elite Eight.
Porter was ordered to make restitution of an amount equal to the
benefits she received. But now that she is no longer an NCAA
athlete, she will not be held responsible for repayment.
“That really wasn’t a factor in my decision. It
wasn’t like it was just going to kill me to pay it
back,” Porter said. “My body was just really tired, and
I decided that it was time to finally choose one sport. It feels
good to not have so much on my plate.”