It’s over for the Texas Longhorns! While they were mightily advancing towards a potential NCAA three-peat, their plans were crushed ruthlessly by the ambitious Creightons on the way. Taking care of the Longhorns in 3 sets, they continue to march ahead toward the title, straight into their second Elite Eight ever.

And while they pulled off this feat, many, including the seasoned Kendra Wait, emerged at the top. Dishing out 47 assists, clubbed with a match-high 17 digs, Wait presented a teaser of her endless talent. No wonder she becomes Creighton’s all-time leader in NCAA championship assists! But do you know that this volleyball pro once dabbled with multiple track and field events at the same time?

Kendra Wait’s track and field endeavors

Kendra Wait is not only a promising volleyball star but also has an athletic track record for the ages! Before stepping onto the court, she’d been a core field person who could pull off anything—sprints, shot put, long jump, pole vault; nothing was too tall a challenge for her.

But, we’re not talking about these at the collegiate level. Kendra Wait was a Kansas high school track and field star, in fact, the first female in state history to bag four state track titles in Class 6A in the same year. She started with a 12.02-second 100m win, followed by state titles in shot put (42-2.5), long jump (18-5), and pole vault (11-0), all of these just three hours apart.

This was at the historic Kansas high school state track and field meet at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, where Kendra Wait entered as just another competitor but left as an icon. Why not? She was named the Kansas High School Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year as a senior after winning Class 6A state titles and was just the 18th girl to win four individual Kansas state championships in one meet.

Another specialty? Well, Kendra Wait was the first four-gold winner in Class 6A, the state’s largest competitive platform. The diversity of her events itself suggested how versatile her athletic skills were. But hold on. That’s not everything she’s good at, as her notable volleyball career is a testament that she’s great beyond the field too.

Wait’s picked up incredible volleyball records

The 2023 season was particularly one to remember for Kendra Wait. She not only wrapped it up with her third-team All-American by the AVCA and Volleyball Magazine but also multiple other achievements to add to her CV. She was only the second player ever in program history to be voted a First Team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators.

Moreover, Kendra Wait also earned the All-BIG EAST acclaim for the third straight season, for she was honored as the BIG EAST Player of the Year and Setter of the Year. And truly, it looks like she’s entered 2024 with a similar fervor. In September, she was named the AVCA/GameChanger Division I Player of the Week after she aided the Creighton Bluejays to the Jayhawk Classic title!

With this honor, she becomes the third AVCA National Player of the Week in program history, breaking the dry spell after 6 years! And currently, Kendra Wait rides on an all-time high, for she now has a total of 73 career double-doubles, with an unbroken streak of 9 against the top 25 competitors! Don’t you think her skills are extraordinary? Let us know your take below!