At the start of the 2009 NCAA volleyball season, Katie Evanyo had returned home from Florida Atlantic University as a transfer student to the University of Colorado. Her academic pursuits in her Biochemistry major were her main focus and she was planning to spend this fall competing for the club volleyball team. An unexpected turn of events led to a big opportunity and on October 7, the Littleton, Colo. native wore the black and gold for the first time in Columbia, Mo., against the Missouri Tigers. Since her mid-season addition to the team, she has been regular on the court for the Buffs in the back row and has even seen some time as an outside hitter. CUBuffs.com student assistant Cole Mickelson recently caught up with the newest Buff for a quick question and answer session.
Q - CUBuffs.com: When you left Florida Atlantic, did you think you would ever play volleyball at this level again?
A - Katie Evanyo: No, I didn’t really plan on it. But that is the great things about unexpected opportunities. I was prepared to play this season for the club team here and when coach gave me the opportunity to join the squad, I was pleasantly surprised. I was going to be back playing at the D I level, and in the Big 12, it was all very exciting.
Q: Why did you decide to come to CU?
A: I’ve lived here (Colorado) my entire life. I love it here, I love the snow, I love the winters. My experience in Florida was good but it wasn’t the best it could have been. I thought by coming back here I could be a lot happier.
Q: How did you make the move from the club team to the varsity team?
A: When I left Florida Atlantic I was released to transfer anywhere I wanted. Coach (Kritza) established contact with me and then I came to some practices to watch the training and meet the coaches and team. After going through a try-out period, coach invited me to join the roster. It was a very fast process., as I would expect because the season was already underway.
Q: Have there been any difficulties creating chemistry with your teammates because you joined in the middle of the season?
A: Not really. Everyone has been really nice and really accepting. I’ve gotten along with everyone really well, so there have been no problems. There was a lot to learn, but connecting with new teammates is an important part of joining a team.
Q: Has it been hard to get back into playing competitively, especially in the Big 12, after not playing collegiately for a few months?
A: Definitely. As with any athlete getting back into training form, for the first couple weeks, I was really sore and really tired. It has changed my lifestyle. Before, I could take my time and do homework. Now, it is very structured: go to practice, do homework, eat, sleep. But I did it for two years (at Florida Atlantic) so once I started getting back in the hang of things, it’s easy now.
Q: When you joined the team, did you expect to play as much as you have?
A: Not really; not right away. I knew that I had the opportunity to be part of a team again and would work to compete for a spot on the floor. That opportunity came earlier than I expected, and I am grateful for that. My first match was against Missouri and I actually got to play in that match.
Q: What are your personal goals and the team’s goals for the remainder of the season?
A: We’re really working to continually get better and improve our record on the season. We really, really want to win and are expecting to win. It can be challenging to keep morale high when you are having a tough season, but everyone is staying positive. Me personally, I’m choosing to stay positive and continue getting better and then take that into the spring and next season. Building a program is tough work and our mentality about what we expect to do and how we work is everything.
Q: What’s the best moment from your volleyball career to date?
A: In high school we won the league championship and that was probably the best moment I’ve ever had. We had a really tough coach and he was really hard on us. We were conditioning every day. We worked really hard all season (it was my junior year), and we ended up winning the league which hadn’t happened for my high school in over ten years.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do in Colorado?
A: I dirt-bike. In Boulder, I like to walk down Pearl Street or the 29th Street Mall and go shopping.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: Any old Adam Sandler movie, probably a tie between Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore.
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
A: Grey’s Anatomy
Q: What is your favorite band?
A: I listen to a lot of different music, but I’d say Low vs Diamond right now.
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Mashed potatoes
