Monday, September 22, 1997 Not just Milling Around PROFILE:
UCLA’s women’s volleyball captain hopes to return to the NCAA Final
Four
By Jennifer Kollenborn
Daily Bruin Contributor
If ever there was a good year for senior Kara Milling to shine
in the limelight of volleyball, this is it.
This is Milling’s last season as a member of the UCLA women’s
volleyball squad, and thus her final chance to demonstrate her
volleyball expertise as a Bruin and as a potential pro.
And this is Milling’s last chance to rekindle the excitement she
felt her freshman year when UCLA went to the Final Four.
Milling’s thoughts suddenly become fixated on the memory.
"We ended up losing to Stanford, but it was the Final Four. It
was awesome," Milling says. "I’ll never forget those few days. That
is why I want to get back so bad."
* * *
1990-1993 – Milling’s high school volleyball years.
Milling’s star-studded career began at Poway High School in
sunny San Diego where she earned four varsity letters in both
volleyball and basketball, which prompted her selection to the U.S.
Junior Elite Volleyball Team in 1992 and 1993. As a junior and a
senior, Milling was named Poway Athlete of the Year. In addition,
she appeared on Volleyball Monthly’s Fabulous 50 list.
1994 – Milling becomes a Bruin.
From the get-go, Milling started in every game for UCLA her
freshman year. Milling’s competitive edge drove her to establish a
career high of 19 digs against Stanford in the NCAA final. Her
outstanding freshman performance caused her to be named to the
Pacific 10 and Volleyball magazine all-freshman team.
1995 – Milling’s sophomore year.
Milling earned honorable mention and All-Pac-10 recognition for
leading her team in kills with a total of 446 and averaging 4.2
kills per game, ranking her eighth in the Pac-10.
Also, Milling was the only Bruin selected to the all-tournament
team in all three season tournaments UCLA competed in the Hawaiian
Airlines Waihine Classic, the Michigan Volleyball Kaepa Challenge
and the 17th Annual Community Banker’s Classic.
Milling closed her second season for the Bruins ranked third in
team blocking at a .900 average. Milling’s finest match was against
Stanford, where had a season-high 15 digs and a then career-high 26
kills, bettering her personal best by three.
1996 – Milling’s junior year.
Milling earned All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention and secured her spot
at the outside-hitter slot. However, because she fractured her left
foot in the first game against Utah, Milling only competed in 19
out of 32 matches. Despite her foot injury, Milling still managed
to be selected as the final Pac-10 Conference Player of the Week on
Nov. 25, after leading UCLA to two victories in Oregon, posting 36
kills, 17 digs and 7 blocks. Not only did Milling manage to excel
as an athlete before her unlucky injury sidelined her, but she also
displayed her scholastic aptitude, receiving Pac-10 All-Academic
honorable mention.
1997 – Milling’s senior year. Team captain.
After training with the U.S. National Team during the summer as
a member of the World University Games team, Milling came into the
season well-trained and eager to lead UCLA to the Final Four.
Already, Milling’s impeccable performance on the court has been
recognized. She earned MVP honors at the Hawaiian Airlines Waihine
Classic Tournament Sept. 5-7, after leading UCLA in every match
with a total of 60 kills and only 11 errors in 111 attempts for an
attack percentage of .441.
With all of Milling’s achievements, one might think she spends
hours carefully calculating the different ways she plans to set a
new UCLA record. But, actually, Milling has no such plans or mapped
out schemes.
Personal goals? None.
Rather, Milling prefers to play it her way: Work hard and live
with the results.
"If the end of the season comes, and I’ve broken a record,
great," Milling said. "But I don’t work for personal goals; I just
try to work my hardest, and hopefully help the team out."
Nonsense? Or sense?
Well, Milling’s work ethic is what earned her the No. 16 blue
and gold jersey and led to her being named the 1997 UCLA women’s
volleyball team captain.
And as team captain, Milling hopes to lead the Bruin squad to
the prized 1997 NCAA crown at the end of the victory tunnel in
Spokane, Wash. THE PLAYERS KARA MILLINGWomen’s
volleyballSenior6’1"Outside hitter The team captain trained with
the United States National Team last summer as part of the World
Universtiy Games. Last season she earned All-Pac-10 Honorable
Mention despite missing 1 matches with a broken foot. She’s the
Bruins’ leading hitter averaging 4.20 kills per game.