GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Karin Lundqvist, center, warms up with teammates during practice. Lundqvist is enjoying being a Wahine.
Sweden's Karin Lundqvist
had never seen Hawaii play, but
knew nothing could compare
to being a Rainbow Wahine
WHEN DOES a dream become a reality?
When you're Karin Lundqvist. When you are a Rainbow Wahine volleyball player.
The senior middle had heard stories, first-hand stories, of what it was like to play volleyball for Hawaii. She wanted to believe everything she heard, particularly since it came from a very reliable source: 1996 NCAA Player of the Year Angelica Ljungquist, a fellow Swedish national.
Sprint Hawaii Invitational
What: Women's college volleyball
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
Today: No. 4 Stanford vs. Weber State, 5 p.m.; No. 2 Hawaii vs. Utah State, 7 p.m.
Tomorrow: Third place, 5 p.m.; Championship, 7 p.m.
TV: UH matches live, KFVE (Ch. 5)
Radio: UH matches live, KKEA 1420-AM
Internet: www.k5thehometeam.com and kkea1420am.com
Tickets: $3-$16
"She told me what a great experience it was for her," said Lundqvist. "She has played at many high levels, she has played professionally, but she said nothing has ever come close to the experience she had here.
"To play here was a dream for me ... and I do have big dreams. When I came here, I didn't know what was going to happen, I didn't know what the expectations were. I had never seen Hawaii play, but I knew it was a great volleyball culture."
It was quite a circuitous route for Lundqvist to get to the Manoa campus from her hometown of Stockholm. It included a stop at Bozeman, Mont., where she was twice named to the All-Big Sky second team.
Originally, Lundqvist had hoped to play for Hawaii but tore her right anterior cruciate ligament during a beach tournament in Greece. The interest from the Rainbow Wahine staff wavered so Lundqvist ended up at Montana State.
After two years and much success -- she was 16th in the country in blocks as a sophomore at MSU -- she knew she wanted more. Her choices were going back home or trying to get to Hawaii.
"We knew she was going to either transfer or go back to Sweden," said UH coach Dave Shoji. "We decided to take a chance. And we're happy we did. She's added a lot of depth.
"We knew what kind of player she was. She's solid. She is always going to go hard and will try to do her best. Sometimes, it's a matter of what we need. Maja (senior blocker Gustin) gives us more offense, Karin gives us a better block."
When Gustin was sidelined last year with a stress fracture in her right foot, Lundqvist stepped into the starting lineup. She averaged 1.83 kills and 1.12 blocks per game before tearing her other ACL in the Nov. 1 match at Nevada after landing on teammate Kim Willoughby's foot when the two went up for a block.
Knowing what it took to rehab an ACL, Lundqvist came back stronger and quicker than most expected.
"All spring, it felt like I was living in the pool or the weight room," she said. "It felt like I was working out the whole time. But everyone has taken such good care of me. It didn't feel like I had a knee surgery.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Karin Lundqvist was sold on joining the Wahine after hearing stories from former UH star Angelica Ljungquist.
"It was a lot of work, but when you feel you are progressing it makes it easier. Both injuries were painful, but the surgeries were different -- one used a hamstring muscle, the other from the patella. The scars are even, like twins. But this time it was easier to come back because I knew what I had to do."
Lundqvist said the hardest part of this season is working back into the starting lineup. Again ahead of her is Gustin.
"We have a really strong team," said Lundqvist. "I want to contribute any way I can.
"There is one part that is difficult. It is hard to keep warm without knowing when you're going to come off the bench."
Lundqvist came off the bench last Saturday against Pacific in Game 2 and had an immediate impact. She finished with three critical kills, had an ace and was in on five blocks to help the Rainbow Wahine rally in four.
"What I like about Karin is she gives us a lift when she comes in with her blocking," said assistant coach Kari Anderson. "She touches a lot of balls. And I like her positive attitude out there.
"She's very accepting of her role, whether she's in the game or on the bench. She is the ultimate team player and she is very versatile. She has so much volleyball game experience in her."
The 21-year-old Lundqvist started in the sport at age 8, playing with her older sisters. She began playing club ball at 10 and developed the all-around ball-handling skills that earned her best-libero honors in Sweden in 1997.
She jokes that, at 6-feet-3, she might be the tallest defensive specialist in the world.
"I miss not being able to pass," said Lundqvist, who is normally subbed out for by either a libero or defensive specialist. "I enjoy the all-around game."
Lundqvist enjoys the indoor and outdoor game. She and Ljungquist played against each other in beach tournaments and also competed indoors together on the Swedish national team.
"It is like I have followed (Ljungquist) around," said Lundqvist. "She is a great player. She always told me how much she liked Hawaii, but she also said that not everyone has the same experience. I'm happy to have had the opportunity to see for myself.
"What I enjoy is we get to see a little more of the States (than at Montana State). We do a lot of traveling with the team. I think I've adjusted. Even though I came in as a junior, I had to go through the freshman stage. It's a totally new place. You don't know what's going to happen when you get here."
She has made herself quite at home and is considering remaining in Hawaii if she is accepted to the UH medical school. Lundqvist is expecting to finish her biology degree next year and would like to become a pediatrician.
"I have big dreams," she said. "I enjoy working with people, being able to help them," she said. "I'm not sure if I'll go straight into med school. I might want to take some time off to play beach volleyball. I enjoy that. And I'm very spoiled here with the beaches. In Sweden, we have some nice beaches, but the beach tournaments are held in the middle of town when they bring in sand."
Lundqvist knows what she wants to bring to the court every time she gets the chance to play.
"I'm hoping I bring energy," she said. "When you're in the situation watching from the outside, you look to see what could get better, what we need that is something new to surprise the other team. When we need energy, that's what I want to give."
BACK TO TOP |
Willoughby ‘questionable’
for tonight’s match
Kim Willoughby sat out yesterday's practice, relegated to scorekeeper for the Hawaii intrasquad scrimmage at the Stan Sheriff Center.The senior All-American outside hitter sprained her right ankle during Wednesday's practice and was kept out of yesterday's practice as a precautionary measure.
"I'm OK," said Willoughby.
She may or may not play in tonight's match against Utah State. The No. 2 Wahine host the Sprint Hawaii Invitational, which opens with the 5 p.m. match between No. 4 Stanford and Weber State.
"We haven't made a decision yet," said Hawaii coach Dave Shoji. "Let's just say she's questionable. Obviously we would like to have Kim in the lineup at all times. But if she's not 100 percent, we have to keep her out to not risk further injury."
Willoughby's injury occurred when she landed on a teammate's foot.
Cindy Luis, Star-Bulletin
