It was a stroke of luck that brought freshman outside-hitter Kelly Williamson to UNM.
This summer, the UNM women's volleyball team was scheduled to visit China on a 12-day trip to Beijing and Shanghai. However, the sports traveling agency organizing the tour, TranSports Athletic Team Tours, declared bankruptcy 10 days before the team was set to depart.
Instead, the team went on a 10-day trip to Argentina with stops in Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Rosario from May 27 to June 7.
"It was funny because when we landed in Argentina, the whole team was wearing their 'China 2008' T-shirts," head coach Jeff Nelson said. "But it all worked out because we were able to recruit Kelly."
Williamson, who was born in Brasilia, Brazil, moved to Buenos Aires when she was 5. She first started playing volleyball in sixth grade for her middle school team.
"It wasn't until 10th grade when I joined an Argentine club team, because the level of play at my small school wasn't that high," Williamson said.
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Williamson quickly met other Argentine players in the area and joined the Argentine National Junior Team.
"I got a ton of experience playing with the team," Williamson said. "The level of play was great, and I learned a lot working out with them."
So, when the Lobos played the Argentine National Team on their 10-day tour, the cosmos aligned for the 18-year-old Argentine transplant.
"I was thinking about going to a smaller school in North Carolina," Williamson said. "Obviously, when I was offered a scholarship to come and play here at UNM, that was the deal-sealer for me."
Now, the Brazilian-American dual citizen is adjusting to life away from Argentina.
"This is my first two months living in the United States," Williamson said. "It's definitely interesting so far."
From the jungles of South America to the deserts of New Mexico, Williamson makes the transition look easy.
"I've been warned about the culture shock," Williamson said. "I also went to an international school in Buenos Aires, and I was always around a lot of people from different cultures. So I'm pretty used to it."
Williamson said the biggest adjustment has been getting used to the size of UNM.
"My school in Argentina was very small," she said. "There were 51
people in my graduating class. So, that's definitely a change now when I am in a class with as many people as I graduated with."
And she's fitting into her role on the UNM volleyball team, too.
"Kelly is obviously tall and very athletic," Nelson said. "She's got a big swing. She's a perfectionist, and she always wants to do her best. Right away, she's going to be a key player for us."
And every day, Williamson reminds herself that she is lucky.
"I'm happy with the way things turned out for me," Williamson said. "I'm fortunate to get the opportunity to play college volleyball. All along this was one of my biggest goals, and now it's finally here."
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