quote:

---

AUSTIN, Texas -- Destinee Hooker, the reigning indoor and outdoor national champion in the women's high jump, has signed a contract to play professional volleyball in South Korea.

The Texas standout has given up her college track career.

Hooker won four NCAA track titles and had one season of eligibility left. She also led the Texas volleyball team to the national championship game this past season, where the Longhorns lost to Penn State.

School officials say Hooker signed with GS Caltex professional volleyball club in Seoul and has already started playing overseas.

---

Can't help but be good for the Aggies' scoring chances at conference and nationals. Best of luck to Ms. Hooker!

With a national title, some returning athletes, the No. 1 recruiting class, and the best track coach in America, I'd say we'd do well regardless of whether Hooker competed or not.

I agree, but if anyone will tell you, Coach Henry will tell you it's a fine line between doing well and winning a team title. Every little bit helps.

I guess it was her destinee to play volleyball...

Has she ever cost us any points?

I don't know if this helps us score points, but it ceratinly does hurt their ability to score. That's for sure.

Wellll....we don't really sore many points in the high jump anyways...so in a national picture it doesn't affect us a WHOLE lot. But love it when the sips get screwed.

LC will be glad to NEVER see her again...

But really, best of luck to Destinee, she is a phenomenal volleyball player, and she'll continue to do insane things.

Wonder if that's the end of her T&F career? Because in truth she is a phenomenal high jumper too.

While Destinee Hooker is an amazing athlete and obviously a gifted high jumper, she is a notch below the truly elite level on the world stage with a personal best of 6'6". She probably would not command a lot of appearance money on the European circuit where she'd be lucky to finish in the top three even if she regularly jumped near her current peak.

She is probably talented enough that if she devoted a significant amount of training to high jumping she could compete on the world stage, but I think the fact that she is playing volleyball in Korea (for reportedly a six figure salary) says what her priority is. I believe she has her eyes on making the volleyball National Team for 2012. To do that, she will need to focus on developing her volleyball skills for the international game.

Even for someone as talented as Destinee Hooker, it is probably a stretch to think she could be truly world class in both volleyball and high jump.

By the way, here is video of her first professional match in Korea:

First set:
http://www.facebook.com/#/video/video.php?v=247625327090&subj=1434480086

http://www.facebook.com/#/video/video.php?v=247627662090&subj=1434480086

http://www.facebook.com/#/video/video.php?v=247631122090&subj=1434480086

She was named Player of the Match. A great start to her international career.

[This message has been edited by Husker (edited 1/15/2010 7:57a).]

Man, Destinee is a straight up beast. Didn't enjoy watching her maul the Ags every year but man, anyone can appreciate the pure talent that she was born with to play volleyball. Thanks for the links, husker! Couldn't have had a better start to her pro career.

The biggest impact Hooker's quitting collegiate track might be to increase the chances of Porscha Lucas winning The Bowerman next fall.

This past fall, Hooker, Porscha, and Jenny Barringer of Colorado were the female nominees. Jenny won and graduated. Hooker quit. Three will be nominated again and certainly Porscha will be one of the three. Unless there is some superwoman out there, Porscha should win. Let's hope she (and the rest of the Ags) has a great year!

Good point MidTnAg, hadn't thought about that. Sure, doesn't mean much on the track, but any kind of positive publicity like that can be great for the program as a whole.