Kastine Evans could play college volleyball if she wanted to. The Norwich Free Academy senior has the smarts and athleticism to compete at the next level, something more than one coach has told her.Volleyball is out of Evans' life, though. The Day's 2009 Volleyball Player of the Year played her final match over a month ago and will go on to play basketball at the University of Kentucky.

Volleyball is out of Evans' life, though. The Day's 2009 Volleyball Player of the Year played her final match over a month ago and will go on to play basketball at the University of Kentucky.Evans loves volleyball, but she loves basketball more.

Evans loves volleyball, but she loves basketball more."(Basketball's) my first love, so I've got to stay faithful to the sport," Evans said. "I just think me having spent so many years playing basketball and taking so much time to grow and expand on my game, to be able to stay with it that long - basketball has always been the sport in this house."

"(Basketball's) my first love, so I've got to stay faithful to the sport," Evans said. "I just think me having spent so many years playing basketball and taking so much time to grow and expand on my game, to be able to stay with it that long - basketball has always been the sport in this house."Evans' volleyball career lasted all of four years and both she and NFA were better for it. She was Most Valuable Player when the Wildcats rallied from two games down to beat Fitch for the 2008 CIAC Class LL championship, the program's first state title.

Evans' volleyball career lasted all of four years and both she and NFA were better for it. She was Most Valuable Player when the Wildcats rallied from two games down to beat Fitch for the 2008 CIAC Class LL championship, the program's first state title.NFA won its first Eastern Connecticut Conference championship this fall with Evans, a first-team Class LL all-state pick at outside hitter/setter, as one of its leaders.

NFA won its first Eastern Connecticut Conference championship this fall with Evans, a first-team Class LL all-state pick at outside hitter/setter, as one of its leaders."I've had other coaches express to me what they think of her as a player and her ability to play at the next level," Wildcats coach Bill Howard said. "(Bunnell of Stratford's) Dave Jockle (who has coached four state championship teams), since the first time he saw her, has been enamored by her. He thinks she could've been one of the best setting prospects to come out of Connecticut had she chose the sport.

"I've had other coaches express to me what they think of her as a player and her ability to play at the next level," Wildcats coach Bill Howard said. "(Bunnell of Stratford's) Dave Jockle (who has coached four state championship teams), since the first time he saw her, has been enamored by her. He thinks she could've been one of the best setting prospects to come out of Connecticut had she chose the sport."Volleyball was always something she did because she likes to compete and she thought it was fun. She shot baskets after volleyball practice, so there was never any doubt that she'd be a basketball player. We're just happy that she decided to play volleyball."

"Volleyball was always something she did because she likes to compete and she thought it was fun. She shot baskets after volleyball practice, so there was never any doubt that she'd be a basketball player. We're just happy that she decided to play volleyball."Evans didn't play organized volleyball until her freshman year at NFA. Former NFA standouts Lindsay Makowicki and Katie Wilson, who both played volleyball and basketball, convinced her to try volleyball.

Evans didn't play organized volleyball until her freshman year at NFA. Former NFA standouts Lindsay Makowicki and Katie Wilson, who both played volleyball and basketball, convinced her to try volleyball."The most amazing thing about her for me was when I first saw her as a freshman, we were playing a preseason jamboree at Fitch," Howard said. "We had a few kids injured and were trying to figure out who to take. Kastine was a phenomenal athlete, but could we take her down there? She didn't know the rotations. She didn't know the spots on the floor. She had literally played her first volleyball at a Connecticut College camp in August.

"The most amazing thing about her for me was when I first saw her as a freshman, we were playing a preseason jamboree at Fitch," Howard said. "We had a few kids injured and were trying to figure out who to take. Kastine was a phenomenal athlete, but could we take her down there? She didn't know the rotations. She didn't know the spots on the floor. She had literally played her first volleyball at a Connecticut College camp in August."We taught her all the positions in practice and she picked it up so quickly that she was telling older kids where to go (at the jamboree). People don't know that not only is she a phenomenal athlete, she's really, really smart."

"We taught her all the positions in practice and she picked it up so quickly that she was telling older kids where to go (at the jamboree). People don't know that not only is she a phenomenal athlete, she's really, really smart." NFA was 39-11 the past two seasons and became synonymous with playing — and winning — five-game matches. It won three straight five-game matches in the 2008 LL tournament, and played three more in this fall's tournament.

NFA was 39-11 the past two seasons and became synonymous with playing — and winning — five-game matches. It won three straight five-game matches in the 2008 LL tournament, and played three more in this fall's tournament.The Wildcats rallied from a game down to beat both Fitch and Shelton before losing to eventual champion Southington in a five-game LL semifinal.

The Wildcats rallied from a game down to beat both Fitch and Shelton before losing to eventual champion Southington in a five-game LL semifinal."The Shelton match (was the most memorable)," Evans said. "A lot of people really came ready to play that game against a really good team. That game and the Southington game showed a lot of character about our team. Although we didn't win that Southington game, we kept everything in perspective about what we did that season."

"The Shelton match (was the most memorable)," Evans said. "A lot of people really came ready to play that game against a really good team. That game and the Southington game showed a lot of character about our team. Although we didn't win that Southington game, we kept everything in perspective about what we did that season."Evans, a two-time All-Area pick who finished the season with 384 kills, 213 assists, 155 digs and 46 aces, will miss volleyball, too.

Evans, a two-time All-Area pick who finished the season with 384 kills, 213 assists, 155 digs and 46 aces, will miss volleyball, too."I was talking with my friend about playing volleyball and how it's been my second love," Evans said. "I'll miss it, but life goes that way sometimes."

"I was talking with my friend about playing volleyball and how it's been my second love," Evans said. "I'll miss it, but life goes that way sometimes."