This girl was a senior at LHS when Kahlyn was a Freshman I think... Anyway, I carpooled them to basketball practice in Lawrence a few times and used to work with her mother at the Center for Army Lesson's Learned. Looks like she's finished with college and made a succussful start.
http://www.leavenworthtimes.co...ranks

Leavenworth, Kan. — For Victoria Henson, the goal was always the same.

“I was in high school and I was like oh, I want to play professionally overseas,” the Iowa State volleyball star said. “I knew some girls that did it and liked it a lot, so I’ve just wanted to do it ever since.”

The former Cyclone and Leavenworth standout is now just two weeks from accomplishing that feat. On Jan. 3, Henson will move down to Juncos, Puerto Rico to play professionally for Valencianas de Juncos.

“I was deciding between Puerto Rico and training with the (U.S.) national team in California,” Henson explained. “I was real torn between the two because the national team might of made me better in the long run, but Puerto Rico would be a real, professional job.”

“I decided to go to Puerto Rico.”

That decision marked the end of a long and challenging adventure for Henson that included a devastating injury, national glory and unexpected happiness.

It all started nearly five years ago when the Leavenworth volleyball hero decided to play collegiately at Iowa State University.

The commitment became easy when one of her main recruiters was hired at the school and so thus Ames, Iowa became her new home. Yet, a position change and a surprising injury soon thereafter threw a giant wrench into the freshman’s first year.

“I had shoulder problems when I was in high school,” Henson said. “When I got to college they finally figured it out, which was nice, but I had to have surgery and a medical red-shirt. That along with trying to learn a new position made it rough.”

The year was more than rough. It was down right punishing. The red-shirt year meant that Henson could practice and workout with the team, but couldn’t partake in games. She did however receive an extra year of eligibility.

Yet the months of rehab and long hours of practice, meetings and learning a new position, Henson moved from middle hitter to outside hitter, began to wear down the 18-year old.

On top of that, the fact that she could only sit and watch a game that she was putting so much work into nearly drove her out of the program all together.

“It was the hardest part of my career,” Henson said of the injury. “You want to play, you don’t want to sit on the bench, and then you have to work 10 times harder than the people actually playing just to get a shot at next year’s team.”

“There were times when I thought about transferring or starting fresh somewhere else.”

Her mother, Juanita Williams, remembers those days as well.

“Its hard when you have someone who really loves to play having to sit down and watch everyone else play,” Williams said. “She got hurt and lost her starting spot and it was really tough on her.”

Yet what got Henson through the difficult times is what has made her into the professional she is today — her work ethic.

“With volleyball you can’t just quit,” Henson said. “The tough times make you better and the harder you work, the farther it will take you. So I just went to work.”

Henson became a workout warrior, living in the gym and spending extra time on the court for workouts. She bypassed vacations, holidays and breaks, instead spending the time in Ames to get faster, stronger and better.

“She didn’t come home at all the whole time she was at school,” Williams said. “Victoria is the type of kid that if she wants something she will work as hard as she can to get it.”

Henson agrees.

“My mom would hate it because I never came home,” Henson said. “I would rather be in the gym working out. I never missed a day and that was a big part to my success.”

By the beginning of her red-shirt freshman season, Henson had secured a starting spot. The years that followed are nearly unmatched in Iowa State history.

Henson started the following four seasons at outside hitter, posting 103 matches with 10 or more kills and 16 matches with at least 20 kills.

This past season, she led the Big 12 conference in kills per set at 4.50 and in points per set, 4.90.

She also set school records in kills with 1,726 and with a 3.90 kills per set average. Earlier this month, she was named to the first team American Volleyball Coaches Association all-American squad, marking just the second time in school history a Cyclone received such an honor.

Henson was named to the all-American third team in 2009 as well.

“I was shocked,” Henson said of the school records. “I never thought when I first got there I would be doing the things that I did. It was exciting and rewarding.”

It’s no coincidence either that Iowa State has experienced abundant success during Henson’s tenure. The Cyclones made it to the Elite 8 of the NCAA tournament once, the Sweet 16 twice and most recently the opening round of the 64-team tournament with Henson manning the outside hitter position.

“She is a fighter and she will do whatever she can to out work anyone,” Williams said. “She works to be the best.”

The hard work paid off for Henson and continues to now that 2010 is about to roll over to 2011. Come Monday, the volleyball star will be on a plane heading south. The four-hour flight will take her away from the cold and ice of middle America, and before long all she will see will be warm waters below.

It was the goal all along.

“I’m a little nervous but really excited since I’ve never been out of the country,” Henson smiled. “I got a little apartment down there and I know a little bit of Spanish, like at the first grade level.”

“I’m ready.”