Hansen, Kirkbride sign with colleges
Nov. 2—BURNS — Seniors Brooke Hansen and Savannah Kirkbride, who helped Burns win a state title last season, signed their national letters of intent to play for Gillette College and Eastern Wyoming College, respectively.
The seniors were praised by their coach for all the hard work and dedication they have put in over the years, and expressed her pleasure with coaching the two seniors over the years.
"Both Brooke and Savannah have incredibly impressive careers in volleyball," Burns coach Anndee McKinney said. "I've been around them for several years now, and we are excited to watch them in the future."
Hansen said she knew early on that playing volleyball at the next level was something that she wanted to do. It was a dream the senior had since junior high, and she was extremely excited to see it become a reality.
"I've really been working hard to continue playing for a long time," Hansen said. "Just to see it all come together and come true is an awesome thing."
Throughout her three years on varsity, Hansen has posted 698 kills and 191 assists. Hansen has continued her strong career into her senior season. Her 269 kills on the season not only leads Burns by a substantial margin, it also leads Class 2A.
She also leads Burns with 3.1 kills per set and is second on the team with 145 assists on the year.
Hansen started her recruiting journey during her junior year, where she began the painstaking process of sending out film of herself and her skills to various coaches and schools around the country.
It was a stressful process Hansen admitted was difficult at times. But thanks to her support group, Hansen powered through the adversity.
"My mom helped me out a ton," Hansen said. "She read a book about it and was the one person who really did a lot for me. (Coach) McKinney also helped a lot with the film, and she gave me some good advice on what to do."
Gillette College ultimately won out for Hansen's services, but it wasn't the only school she was considering. Hansen said she took a hard look at North Platte Community College in Nebraska, but the facilities and coaching staff ultimately made Hansen's decision easier.
"In the end, I think Gillette is going to be a really great place for me, and I'm excited about it," Hansen said. "When I went for a visit there, (coach Julia Machin) was super nice, and I got to watch how she coached the team and all that stuff. That really sold it for me."
While Kirkbride didn't start to feel that college volleyball was in the cards for her until a bit later into her playing career, it quickly became a goal between her freshman and sophomore years of high school.
It was that passion and commitment that helped Kirkbride sign with Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington. Kirkbride said the accomplishment is something she is excited to show off to her friends, family and classmates.
"Between freshman and sophomore year, I really realized that I actually really loved this game," Kirkbride said. "I really improved between those summers, too, so I showed up sophomore year and was a lot better, so I was like, 'Yeah, I could really do this.'"
Like Hansen, Kirkbride has been a major component of Burns' success throughout her time in a Broncs uniform. The senior has posted 382 kills and 676 digs throughout her time on varsity. More importantly, however, Kirkbride stands as the school's all-time leader in blocks with 141 blocks in her career.
Kirkbride's recruiting process saw her travel to a few different colleges around the region outside of Eastern Wyoming. This included Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado, and Western Nebraska Community College. But with each visit, something didn't quite feel right.
Then, Kirkbride visited Torrington and everything started to fall into place. In the end, the proximity to home and the relationship Kirkbride had with Eastern Wyoming coach George Hamilton was enough to sell the senior.
"We had a great connection right away, and it felt like a good fit," Kirkbride said. "He's told me what he saw in me and where he could take me, and that's exactly what I wanted. He's a really calm and patient guy."
Kirkbride's love for the game of volleyball helped her earn the opportunity to continue at the next level. It also is something she was excited to share with her classmates, friends and family.
"This is awesome, honestly," Kirkbride said. "This really shows that it's not just a love, it's a talent and that I have what it takes. It's really awesome to show all these people that I love this game and that I get to pursue it."
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Matt Atencio covers Laramie County prep sports for WyoSports. He can be reached at matencio@wyosports.net. Follow him on X at @MattAtencio5.
