THE UNIVERSITY DAYARY KANSA
MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 2006
VOLLEYBALL
SPORTS
7A
Jared Gah/KANSAM
Katie Martinicch, freshman setter, and Savannah Noyes, sophomore middle blocker, reach out to block an attack by Paula Caten, KU alumna, Saturday night during an exhibition match against KU alumni. The Jayhawks won all three of the games played.
All work and no play won't keep the alumni away
Volleyball scrimmage allows Jacobson, Caten to reflect on the past
BY JEFF DETERS
When asked whether they would play another volleyball game, Abbie Jacobson and Paula Caten jumped at the opportunity.
They were two of the alumni who faced off against current Jayhawks in Saturday's volleyball exhibition game at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The current Jayhawks swept the match, but the alumni enjoyed the chance to reunite.
"I love these girls. They're like family to me," Jacobson said. "And it's always fun to come back and get your hand on a volleyball."
"This was as competitive an alumni team as we've had put together." Bechard said.
Though Jacobson described her own performance during the game as "rusty", and the current Jayhawks won all three games, 30-26, 30-28, 30-27, coach Ray Bechard noted the alumni's ability to keep the score close.
Neither Jacobson nor Caten prepared much for the game because both have been busy with other activities in their lives.
Jacobson is currently living and working in Kansas City, as a personal trainer for Impact Fitness, and her responsibilities now are far different than when she was an athlete.
"I'm in charge of helping clients reach their goals. A lot of them have weight problems, and I help them with strength and conditioning and reaching optimal fitness," Jacobson said.
Like Jacobson, Caten's everyday life has also changed. Caten no longer has the demands of being a student-athlete, but she is finishing up her degree in communication studies this semester at the University of Kansas, and hopes to get an internship.
in addition, Caten is also mother to her 5-year old daughter, Paola.
Caten said her mother always helped take care of Paola while she was busy with volleyball and school, but now a lot of the responsibility is her own.
"I have to worry about her everyday life now," Caten said. "Whenever
I don't have anything to do, I have her."
Paola was at the game, and after it was finished, she clung to her mother's side as Caten reminisced about what she misses most about playing at the University.
"The crowd.
In Jacobson's senior year, the University made its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
ries of the KU crowd, noting intense games against Baylor and Missouri, but she had one memory that was unique in KU volleyball history.
“It's really special to be on a team, to share a common goal and to finally achieve it. It was a blessing"
Jacobson also had fond memo-
ABBIE JACOBSON Volleyball alumni
The Jayhawks went to Pepperdine and beat Long Beach State in the first round.
"It's really special to be on a team, to share a common goal and to finally achieve it. It was a blessing," Jacobson said.
Jacobson also thought this year's
team could achieve similar goals.
"They're gonna be a solid team," she said. "Coach B really gets them prepared well for a tough conference."
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"It was kind of crazy when I committed here because everyone was like 'What? You're in Manhattan land.' Jacobson said. "But I chose to challenge a different road. It was the best decision I ever made."
Kansan sportswriter Jeff Deters can be contacted at jdeters@kansan.com.
Jacobson said coming to play at the University was a bit of a surprise to her small hometown of St. Mary's, which is about thirty miles east of Manhattan.
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