McQuin's heart is in the game
Melissa Oribhabor
Issue date: 10/12/09 Section: Sports
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The 19-year-old is a middle hitter for the volleyball team and has a very impressive record for a college athlete her age.
She made the all-freshman team for conference last year and has the highest hitting percentage on her team.
McQuin was a successful athlete in high school, as well. She started playing volleyball in seventh grade and, although she received requests to play for off-season clubs, she turned them down.
She chose to continue with volleyball, but being a tall and gifted athlete, she was not limited to only one sport.
"[I] played basketball until my sophomore year, [but volleyball is] a lot more fun than basketball."
McQuin is a marketing major and had her pick of universities when making a decision to go to college. She decided UMKC was the best fit for her in terms of athletics and academics.
"I started getting letters from schools when I was a freshman," McQuin said. "It's something I always wanted to do, play volleyball in college [and] I wanted a school with a lot of major options."
She is currently attending on an athletic scholarship and is excelling in her classes, as well as helping her team rise to the top in their field.
The UMKC volleyball team is the best blocking team in conference, and in the top 25 for defense in the country.
Volleyball season is in the fall, so currently she is busy with practices and competitions, but also remains active during the off season. She exercises in the spring and summer to stay in shape. But no amount of physical fitness can fool-proof an athlete from injury.
"I tore my ACL when I was a junior in high school," McQuin said. "I was out for six months with surgery and recovery."
Although she has recovered and is focused on sports, she does not have any long-term plans to be a professional athlete.
She admires professional sand volleyball player Kerri Walsh, who was FIVB's (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) Most Outstanding Player in 2007, but she has other goals for herself.
"[I plan on] getting a marketing job," she said. "[I could] go to Europe to go pro, but I'm not planning on it."
Looking at McQuin, who is tall, fit and beautiful, it is no surprise she has been approached for modeling jobs, but her heart is with her sport and she simply does not have the time to consider a life in fashion.
A Kansas native, McQuin likes to keep things simple. With no real pre-game ritual, she just likes to pump herself up by listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers and fixing her hair "as big as possible."
For an opportunity to see McQuin and the rest of the UMKC volleyball team in action, their next game will be on 7 p.m. Oct. 17 against Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis in Swinney Recreation Center.
moribhabor@unews.com
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