Wadsworth's Kacie Evans rides the Vibe as volleyball career continues

As Georgia All-American Kacie Evans' collegiate career was wrapping up, she was getting ready to take a step back from volleyball. A new opportunity presented itself that was too good to pass up. The Wadsworth alum jumped at the chance when the Atlanta Vibe offered her a contract to compete in the inaugural season of the Pro Volleyball Federation, which wrapped up play last month. On the ground floor of something Evans believes can be great for years to come, Evans and her fellow competitors are determined to make the PVF work in America. "It's something that not only me but a lot of other women that play volleyball have been waiting for a long time," she said. "It was something special, and I think it's going to continue to grow. "We're looking to inspire the next generation to continue professional volleyball in the states, and we will do whatever it takes to sustain this league. We are looking for it to be a forever thing." At first, Evans was unsure if she wanted to play professionally after a collegiate career that included 1,768 kills, 1,127 digs, 2,057 points and a program-record 517 sets played. The fact that Atlanta is roughly just 1½ hours from Athens, Ga., made the choice easier by not needing to uproot her home with her dog Tucker and fiancé Hayden. The couple is planning to wed a little more than a year from now. "I couldn't be any more blessed, because it's right down the road from Athens," she said. "I'm close to family down here, so it makes it even better. In the end, I made the best choice possible." The transition from collegiate superstar who rarely left the floor to a rookie who played in just 21 sets over 11 matches — she recorded nine digs, two aces and one assist — was eye-opening for Evans. "It was a big wake-up moment," she said. "I went from starting consistently in college to not playing as much and even getting moved down to the practice squad. Mentally, as an athlete, I just wanted to get out there to play, but they are going to get the best seven people out there. "In the end, I just wanted to be whatever the people playing on the court needed from me off the court." What helped Evans the most was support from teammates and coaches. "As a rookie, I was very hesitant at first to really put myself out there," she said. "I had always heard that it was a lot of individualism when it gets to the professional level, but it couldn't have been further from the truth. "The group I just got down playing with was amazing." The Vibe had plenty of success, taking the top record in the regular season at 19-6 before losing to fourth-seeded Grand Rapids 25-20, 19-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-8 in the semifinals. Evans looks forward to the chance to avenge that loss. "Unfortunately, we were No. 1 for a long time, and it all comes down to the end and we lost a nail-biter in the semis," she said. "We all really learned and grew from that moment, and I think we're all ready to take our championship next year." For Evans, pace of play, how quick she has to move her eyes and the speed of strikes were the biggest adjustments. She is currently working with Atlanta trainer Chip Smith to improve her reaction time and stay in volleyball shape when the season begins in January. In the meantime, she will be the head varsity coach at Dunwoody High School. "I will admit, I didn't think the game of volleyball could get any faster, but it sure did," she said. "From an outside hitter's perspective, it's a lot of moves you have to make quicker and a lot of sets you have to call faster." What makes Evans confident that this venture will succeed where others have failed is the commitment from those in the league, which includes the Vibe, Grand Rapids Rise, Omaha Supernovas, Orlando Valkyries, San Diego Mojo, Las Vegas Thrill and Columbus Fury. According to the PVF, it is aiming to add three teams next season and increase the maximum salary from $125,000 to 175,000. Matches this season were streamed on YouTube and televised on CBS Sports Network. Evans has signed a two-year extension. She is verbally committed to play next season with the Vibe and plans to sign when contracts get sent out at the end of this month. She can play for any PVF team after that. "Professional volleyball in the United States was supposed to happen," she said. "They've been trying for years and years with trial runs to see if it was going to last. It would go and fail again, but I don't think people were as invested in the sport as they are now. "In our area in Atlanta, there's a lot of volleyball clubs and a lot of really good high school teams. They really thrive off the sport." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.