South Side High School alumna to play pro volleyball in Finland

A South Side High School alumna is set to move on to the next stage of her volleyball career after signing to play professionally in Finland.

Kayla Principato, who graduated South Side in 2014, wrapped up her senior season at the University of Denver last December. She registered her 1000th point against Omaha on Oct. 3, leaving Denver with a .263 career hitting percentage, tied for 10th all-time. With 279 kills on the season, Principato helped the team claim the Summit League regular season and tournament titles in November.

She will now play for HPK Hameenlinna, which plays in the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball, or CEV, and in the Mestaruusliiga, Finland’s top division.

“I’m really excited because it’s the top team in Finland,” Principato told the Herald, adding that she is looking forward to competing for a CEV cup. “It was basically too good to turn down.”

Last summer, before heading into her senior season with the Pioneers, Principato earned a spot on the United States women’s volleyball team. Three days into her training in Minneapolis, Minn., the 6-foot-3 athlete was “mashed in the eye” by a volleyball, leaving her with a damaged retina and a concussion.

She now wears what she calls “forever goggles” because, due to her injury, she’ll have to wear them while playing for the rest of her career. They were gifted to her from an Olympian who suffered the same injury that she did.

Unable to continue playing, she returned home that August. But back in Denver for her senior season, she earned a number of accolades, including the Summit League Tournament Most Valuable Player, and Offensive Player of the Week. She continued training at the school, where she studied media and marketing, until graduating last spring.

“Kayla grew to be one of the best players in the University of Denver program history,” said Pioneers Coach Tom Hogan. “Her work ethic combined with an infectious positive attitude contributed greatly to four conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances. 

“We are very proud of her time with our DU program and representing us on the USA collegiate national team,” he continued, “and we look forward to following Kayla as she begins her professional career in Finland.”

Principato didn’t previously know anything about the Finland squad that she will join this month, she said, relying on research and her agent’s advice. “There’s not a lot of information given to prep you for the pro season until it’s happening, so everything has just all kind of happened relatively fast,” she said. …You’ve got to know if you want to do it.”

She is moving to Finland in the coming days for the start of practices on Aug. 13 ahead of a nine-month season that concludes in May. Her contract includes a salary and covers various living expenses, as Principato said she is amped to focus on her passion.

“I love playing at a high level,” she said. “That’s when I feel like I’m at my best, so this is like raising the bar another level and I feel really ready and prepared.”

Zach Gottehrer-Cohen contributed to this story.