Not in Kansas anymore

Student athletes transferring is an issue every university has to deal with. At Gonzaga, the women's basketball team could not be more excited to welcome junior transfer Taelor Karr with open arms.

Karr is a native of Paola, Kan., and attended Kansas State after high school. After two successful years in the Big XII, she made the decision to find greener pastures. The process was daunting and difficult but she narrowed her choices to Gonzaga, Colorado and Memphis. In the end, joining the Bulldog family was right for her.

"One of the things I really liked about Kansas State was that it was close to home," Karr said. "Friends and family could always come watch my games. But when everything transpired with the transfer, coming to Gonzaga was the best choice."

Joining a successful team was very important to Karr, but just as important was feeling comfortable. When her search for a new school started, she had to contact the universities she was interested in playing for. After watching the Zags reach the Elite Eight last year and the excitement the team brought each game, she made the call to Head Coach Kelly Graves.

"I called him and let him know I was interested in maybe coming to Gonzaga," Karr said. "I made several official visits with many schools but I fell in love with the team, the coaching staff and coach Graves."

As a Wildcat in Manhattan, Kan., Karr helped the team to a record of 21-11 and averaged 10.3 points a game as a sophomore. In her freshman season she earned Big XII Freshman of the Week honors once and averaged 9.1 points a game.

She is most comfortable as a wing, and she will be bring an aggression and talent to the backcourt. She takes pride in being a hard-nosed player who can make a three and play feisty. Karr will admit she might not be the biggest but she makes up for it elsewhere in her offensive game and tough defense.

So the decision was made. Karr came 1,600 miles away from home to join her new family. Adjusting to Spokane has been smooth thus far, but Karr came to town with an open mind and a willingness to do whatever she needed to be successful.

"I am pretty easygoing and laid back," Karr said. "But it has helped that since I have been here that I am cared for on and off the court. I am respected and treated as a human being here. Everyone cares about me and there is a great at-home atmosphere in this community."

Off the court, Karr is an accounting major and loves the reputation of the business school. Her goal post-basketball is to get her master's in accounting at Gonzaga and pursue a career.

"Gonzaga is an amazing thing to be a part of," senior Shannon Reader said. "We are not just a team but a family. When you join this team you are also joining our family. We are all sisters and we all look out for each other. As cliché as that sounds, it is actually what happens.

"When freshmen or transfer players come here and realize that we are a family and they want to join our family, those are the players we want. Taelor is one of those players that fits in well and we love having her on the team," Reader said.

As for now, Karr and Reader along with the rest of the team will prepare for the upcoming season. Both have high expectations for the talented team. Neither is looking at the past and like Graves has told them, they can do great things with the players they have.

"We have only been in practice a little over a week but we are all going in each day and working hard," Karr said. "Coach Graves tells us every day that if we individually play to our strengths and avoid doing things we are not capable of then we will be successful.

"Personally, I know I am going to show up every day and go where the coaches put me so I can do my best. Whatever the team needs me to do I will and I know if we all do what we do best, we will come together as a family and a team and win."