WASHINGTON (May 12, 2020) – Howard University rising junior advertising major
Kennedy Lewis chatted with four-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women's volleyball champion
Kira Porter (Lake Tahoe, Nev.), asking 10 questions for the 2019-20 Senior Profile series.
Q: What's your favorite part about volleyball?
A: My favorite part was Friday night home matches because preparation was always fun. My teammates and I would get fired up in the locker room. Also, I had my friends attend the matches, so that was always special.
Q: How did you get started in volleyball?
A: My mom played volleyball her whole life, so she would take me to her recreational league games when I was young. My initial introduction to the sport was always prepping with her teammates while watching the matches. In sixth grade, I played for my middle school team and eventually started playing club where I became more serious about the sport.
Q: What kept you motivated?
A: My love for the sport and time with the team kept me motivated. Sometimes, I felt lazy and tired before practice. But once practiced started, I was ready to go. I like competing and being able to workout with my teammates always kept me going.
Q: If you were not competing in volleyball, what other sport would you do?
A: I would play either basketball or soccer. On the West Coast, they are both played in the fall, so I stopped playing in middle school.
I love soccer so much, and I played basketball once I learned how to walk (lol).
Q: Who is your favorite athlete and why?
A: My favorite athlete is my brother because he is a gym rat like me. He plays basketball and loves to compete. He would always teach me new moves while playing one-on-one.
We are very similar in our style of play and athleticism, so I admire him a lot.
Q: What's your favorite memory at Howard?
A: My favorite Howard memory was winning the 2019 MEAC Championship during my senior year.
Q: Plans after graduation?
A: I really like D.C. and want to spend more time exploring the city. So, I plan on moving to the DMV area while pursuing a full-time position in marketing.
Q: What or who will you miss at Howard?
A: I am going to miss playing volleyball and my teammates. I am going to miss the fun times because your team is your family and I am grateful that I got to meet so many amazing women.
One thing that I will miss specifically is going to the cafe at 9 a.m., every morning after spring training with the entire team. We would eat breakfast together, tell jokes, and recover after our three-hour morning workouts.
Q: What advice would you give future Bison?
A: My advice to future Bison would be to seriously stay focus on your studies and your sport, but also enjoy your experience and meet as many people as possible.
Also, do not get caught up in distractions and focus on your personal growth. During college, you will meet challenges, but you can choose whether those experiences make you stronger or weaker at the end of the day.
Q: Who would you like to thank?
A: I would like to thank my coaches for recruiting me and seeing my value as a student-athlete.
Also, my mom for her support during my career while guiding me to who I am today. She made all my recruiting videos, traveled all over the country to every tournament, and paid for all my expenses. I am so thankful for her.
About Porter
Kira Porter was a four-year member of the women's volleyball team where she won four MEAC titles while making four NCAA Tournament appearances. She chose The Mecca because of its HBCU culture.
In her four-year career, Porter was named to MEAC All-Conference twice (2018 & 2019) while earning multiple all-tournament teams. In 2018, she led the league in hitting percentage (.350) while en route to being named tournament most outstanding player.
In Spring 2020, the Nevada native graduated with her bachelor's degree in business marketing and plans to move back to the DMV area while pursuing a full-time position in her field of study.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
