My name is Kazna Tarawhiti Tanuvasa, and I am originally from New Zealand. My dad is from New Zealand, while my mom is from California, making me half Maori and half white. At the age of 5, my grandparents who lived in Arizona got sick, and my family moved to take care of them. After their passing, my dad found a job in Utah, and we have been here since.

After moving to Utah, I found a passion for dance. Dance is expensive, but thankfully my mom, who worked as a manager at the dance studio, was able to strike an affordable deal that allowed me to pursue dance. I trained 20+ hours a week in a variety of dance disciplines: hip-hop, ballroom, jazz, ballet, and tap­­­­. It was a significant portion of my childhood and provided me with unique opportunities to showcase my talents. My dance career ended when I was 12. My mom could no longer work at the dance studio, and the cost was too high without her discount. The door closing on my dance career opened the one to my volleyball career and led me to Utah Valley University (UVU).

My first experience with volleyball was at a church event. I was really bad, but I enjoyed every minute of it. In volleyball, there is high school season during the fall then club season during the spring. At the age of 13, my first official team was a club team for 16-year-olds that my mom highly encouraged me to join. I had no business being on the team with my skill level, and it was clear my teammates and their parents were confused as to why I was there. I rarely played and spent most of my time on the sideline taking statistics for my teammates.

The skill gap between the other girls and me was significant, so I had no option but to push myself to close the gap. My determination and hard work jumpstarted my volleyball career. My volleyball knowledge and skills rapidly grew and rose to a level where I could compete with the other girls in my first season.

I attended Pleasant Grove High School, which is well-known for its volleyball program. It was competitive — and exciting to be a part of the team. We won the Utah High School State Championships my first year and got second place my sophomore, junior, and senior years. Enjoying my high school volleyball experience, I wanted to continue playing and set my eyes on competing at the NCAA Division-I level. I sent my film to different universities, contacted coaches, and visited campuses, but one university stuck out to me through the entire process: UVU.

Growing up, I attended the summer volleyball camps held at UVU, and each camp made the university feel like home. My teammates were incredibly talented and super nice. I connected well with the coaching staff and valued the knowledge and feedback they provided to improve my game. I attended camps at other schools, but none compared to the feeling of home and belonging UVU gave me, which played a significant role in my decision to enroll here. After committing to UVU, I graduated high school a semester early and began preparing for my college volleyball career.

I have enjoyed every minute on the UVU Women’s Volleyball team. My talents have improved each season, and it is funny to compare my first-ever season on the bench to these past few seasons being part of a competitive, record-breaking, Division-I volleyball team. Over the past seasons, I received 2020-2021 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year, First Team All-WAC (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021), WAC All-Tournament Team (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021), 2018-2019 WAC Freshman of the Year, and the 2021 WAC Tournament MVP. I was also the first NCAA D-I All-American at UVU in the 2020 season. Our team continues to grow and become a household name within the conference. I am excited to see our team advance further in the 2021 postseason and play in my final season in 2022.

My favorite memory at UVU was being part of the first team to win the WAC tournament and have an NCAA tournament playoff berth. What made the success of that season special was the struggle we faced as a team the whole season, especially the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were strict guidelines in place, COVID scares, and a lot of uncertainty about the season altogether. The team persevered nonetheless, and the experience brought us closer together. Holding up the WAC tournament trophy as a team was especially meaningful to us after the abnormal season.

I graduated this past semester, summer 2021, with a bachelor’s in psychology. Now I am in my fourth year at UVU pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA). At the end of my undergraduate journey, I explored the programs available at UVU to further my education and continue playing volleyball here.

Since I am interested in becoming a sports psychologist, I have talked at length about my options with Kevin “DoK” Woods II, the sports psychologist who works with the volleyball team. He shared that the business aspect was the most difficult part about opening a practice, so he recommended that I pursue the MBA at UVU. Then, I can be better prepared to open my own practice in the future. With no background in business, it has been a difficult learning curve, but I enjoy what I am learning and know that it will open more doors moving forward.

A saying that has stuck with me is: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the ‘extra.’” Starting with no foundation in volleyball was a struggle, but the extra time and energy that I have put in have gotten me where I am today. I apply that on-court experience to my life off the court.

To my fellow Wolverines, enjoy the experience and be proud to be here. UVU is rapidly evolving and making its mark in the state of Utah and this nation.