Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez
Kralj Works Her Way to Pro Contract
7/17/2018 5:12:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – This past November as California Baptist University was putting the finishing touches on one of the best seasons in program history, Sydney Kralj realized she didn't want it to be her last year of volleyball.
"When my senior year was running down, I didn't want to end and I was a wreck when it did end," Kralj said. "I wasn't ready to be done, I wanted to keep playing."
Her success and training with the Lancers and the confidence from her coaches pushed her to pursue her dream of playing professionally. It came to realization when she signed a contract with VFL Oythe, a professional volleyball team in Vechta, Germany earlier this month.
"I realized it was the perfect opportunity for me to continue playing," said Kralj, who leaves for Germany on Thursday. "Realizing this dream feels so amazing and makes all the work I have been doing for the last four to eight years pursuing this game I love all worth it."
There will be two Lancers playing professionally in Germany next year, after Lauren Hackett signed to play for proWIN Volleys TV Holz, a professional volleyball team in Saarbrücken, Germany earlier this summer. The two CBU standouts will be playing in different regions and will likely only play each other if both their teams win their leagues, though, Kralj said.
Kralj's push to turn volleyball into a career did not really start until she transferred to CBU from Cal State Los Angeles in 2016. Originally, she made the move because she wanted to contend for league championships and experience the NCAA postseason. The Castro Valley native certainly got that, as the Lancers went 49-10 and qualified for the playoffs in her two years with the team, and also went 29-1 overall and 20-0 in the PacWest to win the conference title and host the D-II West Regional in 2017.
There was hardly a time Kralj wasn't running CBU's offense at setter over the last two years, and she achieved her fair share of individual accolades along the way. She earned two All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and three All-West Region awards, along with being voted the PacWest Setter of the Year the last two seasons.
In the NCAA era (2013-17), Kralj enjoyed the best two seasons of any Lancer setter. She posted the top two single-season marks in total assists (1,132 and 1,105) and assists per set (11.39 and 10.99) and graduated as the NCAA-era leader with 2,237 career assists. That total ranks fifth in CBU's rally-era record book, while her 11.19 assists per set are tops in the NCAA era and tied for second in the overall rally era.
"I definitely think had I not gone to CBU, I wouldn't be pursuing professional play," Kralj said. "The volleyball and athletic programs at CBU instill that greatness and this drive to keep pushing. I don't think I would have gotten there without that drive and that push from CBU."
Once her career came to an end at CBU, Kralj spoke with Head Coach Branden Higa and Assistant Coach Blair Penner about her desire to play professionally.
"They encouraged me to look to play overseas," Kralj said. "They told me I was good enough and it would suit my personality and career interests. I was super motivated after that, having their confidence really pushed me."
Kralj immediately started putting together her highlight video, kept up her training, emailed some European teams and then signed with Bring It Promotions when nothing viable had materialized yet in late May.
"A month and a half went by and I thought it was time for me start looking for jobs and prepare for this not to happen because I still hadn't heard anything," Kralj said. "I didn't want to give up, though, I wanted to chase my dream."
Her persistence paid off on July 4th when Bring It Promotions presented her with the offer from VFL Oythe, and she signed a few days later after doing her research. There won't be any guarantees for Kralj in Germany, though, as VFL Oythe has another setter on its roster.
"There will be competition for the starting spot, but I couldn't be more excited about it – I love competition," Kralj said. "We had three setters every year I was here [at CBU], and I was never guaranteed a spot. I want to earn my spot every day in practice and games."
Kralj has always had that drive inside of her and at 5-foot-8, she always knew she had to prove a lot as a setter.
"Ever since I was looking at colleges, I knew I was short as a setter or really for any position in volleyball," Kralj said. "I never thought I would be good enough to play professionally before. I always knew I had a strong work ethic and I always pushed myself, but to make this a profession is just a whole other level and I couldn't be more excited."
Along with her natural abilities and motivation, Kralj believes the lessons she's learned and experiences she's had while at CBU has prepared her for this next step. She specifically highlighted the training she received from Penner, a standout setter for the Lancers, every day.
"I had one of the best setters training me as a setter, obviously he's a [CBU] Hall of Famer," Kralj said. "I will take my training from him with me, even if I don't have a setter coach in Germany, and the high quality of volleyball we were playing will transfer to European play.
"Branden and Blair played a huge part in turning around my motivation and my outlook on school and life, and now to be able to be a pro athlete," added Kralj. "If that doesn't say something about the [CBU] program, I don't know what does."
"When my senior year was running down, I didn't want to end and I was a wreck when it did end," Kralj said. "I wasn't ready to be done, I wanted to keep playing."
Her success and training with the Lancers and the confidence from her coaches pushed her to pursue her dream of playing professionally. It came to realization when she signed a contract with VFL Oythe, a professional volleyball team in Vechta, Germany earlier this month.
"I realized it was the perfect opportunity for me to continue playing," said Kralj, who leaves for Germany on Thursday. "Realizing this dream feels so amazing and makes all the work I have been doing for the last four to eight years pursuing this game I love all worth it."
There will be two Lancers playing professionally in Germany next year, after Lauren Hackett signed to play for proWIN Volleys TV Holz, a professional volleyball team in Saarbrücken, Germany earlier this summer. The two CBU standouts will be playing in different regions and will likely only play each other if both their teams win their leagues, though, Kralj said.
Kralj's push to turn volleyball into a career did not really start until she transferred to CBU from Cal State Los Angeles in 2016. Originally, she made the move because she wanted to contend for league championships and experience the NCAA postseason. The Castro Valley native certainly got that, as the Lancers went 49-10 and qualified for the playoffs in her two years with the team, and also went 29-1 overall and 20-0 in the PacWest to win the conference title and host the D-II West Regional in 2017.
There was hardly a time Kralj wasn't running CBU's offense at setter over the last two years, and she achieved her fair share of individual accolades along the way. She earned two All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and three All-West Region awards, along with being voted the PacWest Setter of the Year the last two seasons.
In the NCAA era (2013-17), Kralj enjoyed the best two seasons of any Lancer setter. She posted the top two single-season marks in total assists (1,132 and 1,105) and assists per set (11.39 and 10.99) and graduated as the NCAA-era leader with 2,237 career assists. That total ranks fifth in CBU's rally-era record book, while her 11.19 assists per set are tops in the NCAA era and tied for second in the overall rally era.
"I definitely think had I not gone to CBU, I wouldn't be pursuing professional play," Kralj said. "The volleyball and athletic programs at CBU instill that greatness and this drive to keep pushing. I don't think I would have gotten there without that drive and that push from CBU."
Once her career came to an end at CBU, Kralj spoke with Head Coach Branden Higa and Assistant Coach Blair Penner about her desire to play professionally.
"They encouraged me to look to play overseas," Kralj said. "They told me I was good enough and it would suit my personality and career interests. I was super motivated after that, having their confidence really pushed me."
Kralj immediately started putting together her highlight video, kept up her training, emailed some European teams and then signed with Bring It Promotions when nothing viable had materialized yet in late May.
"A month and a half went by and I thought it was time for me start looking for jobs and prepare for this not to happen because I still hadn't heard anything," Kralj said. "I didn't want to give up, though, I wanted to chase my dream."
Her persistence paid off on July 4th when Bring It Promotions presented her with the offer from VFL Oythe, and she signed a few days later after doing her research. There won't be any guarantees for Kralj in Germany, though, as VFL Oythe has another setter on its roster.
"There will be competition for the starting spot, but I couldn't be more excited about it – I love competition," Kralj said. "We had three setters every year I was here [at CBU], and I was never guaranteed a spot. I want to earn my spot every day in practice and games."
Kralj has always had that drive inside of her and at 5-foot-8, she always knew she had to prove a lot as a setter.
"Ever since I was looking at colleges, I knew I was short as a setter or really for any position in volleyball," Kralj said. "I never thought I would be good enough to play professionally before. I always knew I had a strong work ethic and I always pushed myself, but to make this a profession is just a whole other level and I couldn't be more excited."
Along with her natural abilities and motivation, Kralj believes the lessons she's learned and experiences she's had while at CBU has prepared her for this next step. She specifically highlighted the training she received from Penner, a standout setter for the Lancers, every day.
"I had one of the best setters training me as a setter, obviously he's a [CBU] Hall of Famer," Kralj said. "I will take my training from him with me, even if I don't have a setter coach in Germany, and the high quality of volleyball we were playing will transfer to European play.
"Branden and Blair played a huge part in turning around my motivation and my outlook on school and life, and now to be able to be a pro athlete," added Kralj. "If that doesn't say something about the [CBU] program, I don't know what does."
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