Former TCU volleyball outside hitter elan McCall announced Saturday via Instagram that she would be leaving Fort Worth and transferring to UCLA.
The reasoning behind the transfer remains unknown, as neither McCall nor TCU Volleyball has disclosed the reasoning for her departure.
“I want to do right by her [McCall] and right by our program and just stay really focused on the girls here,” TCU head coach Jill Kramer said.
McCall shined bright in her rookie campaign last season with the Frogs. The Leander, Texas native led TCU with 370 kills, racking up six Big 12 weekly honors along the way. After the season, she was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American as well as to the All-Big 12 First Team.
After playing for the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team — Anaheim over the offseason, she missed the first 10 matches of her sophomore season with a nagging leg injury. Upon return, the hitter was able to play in just 51 sets, recording 93 kills.
McCall’s absence certainly appeared to hurt the Frogs in 2019, as TCU finished 12-18 on the season, including a 4-12 record in conference play.
On the other hand, UCLA finished at 19-12 last season, earning an appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Bruins would sweep Notre Dame in the first round of the postseason before falling to eventual runner-up Wisconsin in the second round.
Despite the loss of her top offensive player, Kramer remains positive about a TCU team that is returning the remaining five starters.
“We’ve got a young team who gained a lot of experience last year, and I’m excited about them coming back,” Kramer said. “At the end of the day, I do right by the girls on the team when I stay focused on them and what we are trying to accomplish.”
