Know the New Bruins: Kat Lutz
July 24, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
Kat Lutz is a true freshman defensive specialist/libero from Del Mar, Calif. Lutz, who competed both indoors and on the beach at Torrey Pines High School, was named an AVCA High School and VolleyballMag.com Third Team All-American her senior year in 2022. She is part of head coach Alfee Reft's first freshman class.
ย
Q: Explain your background being born in Russia and moving to Southern California.
KL: I was adopted and moved to the United States as a toddler.ย My adopted family is my family. It's cool being adopted just knowing where I came from and where I am now is shocking. One thing I'm working on is raising awareness for adoption. I've done a few grassroots campaigns in my local grocery store and shopping centers handing out flyers to put the word out there. โฆ A while back I made flyers with QR codes that provided links to different meetings and websites that people can educate themselves on to show how many kids are in need. It's been just me putting this together and handing (the flyers) out.
ย
Q: How would you say being adopted has impacted your life trajectory and mindset in life?
KL: I feel like every day I come back to the word in my mind: gratitude. I'm really blessed to be where I am now.
ย
Q: How did you discover volleyball once in San Diego?
KL: It was an outlet I used, first playing for fun with friends at eight years old. Slowly and slowly, there were only a couple people left playing. I played a bunch of different sports โ tennis, gymnastics โ as a kid, you just sign up for whatever. I would say it was a gradual build to volleyball. As (my friends) stopped playing, I was in it for the long run.
ย
Q: What have your first weeks on UCLA's campus been like?
KL: It's been great. I feel like adjusting has been easy because (my teammates) have been so nice and welcoming and happy to help with everything. I love the campus. It's gorgeous. Before we lift a couple days, we go out onto the intramural field and we're out in the Sun early in the morning and it feels great.
ย
Q: What was your recruiting process to UCLA?
KL: I would say I put a lot of feelers out, but when this opportunity came, in the back of my head I always knew UCLA was meant to be. (What initially attracted me to UCLA) was the mix of the school and athletics as well as the fact that it's known worldwide. โฆ I remember going to a camp at UCLA two years ago and (Mokihana Tufono) was a committed athlete. I was talking to her and thinking, 'This is crazy. She's going to be an athlete here in a year.' It's amazing to think I'm going to be a student-athlete here, too.
ย
Q: What has it been like creating relationships with the Alfee and the new coaching staff?
KL: It's crazy because (Alfee) coached me in one of my club seasons for a little bit during high school. He went on to coach at USD. Our season ended and I missed him so much. Hearing that the staff was changing and hearing his name, I couldn't have been happier. I love all of (the staff). They are all so passionate for the sport and care for each and every one of us. They all value family, which I feel a lot of programs put that on the backburner.
ย
Q: What about Alfee's coaching philosophy in that one year you were with him resonated with you?
KL: I really liked how technical he was and how much he valued every single aspect of the game on and off the court; training hard, eating right and the mental side. That's something he really emphasized. Before practices we would have meetings and work on our breathing. It was great how passionate and dialed in he was.
ย
Q: Is there an experience in your freshman season that you are especially looking forward to?
KL: Definitely opening and closing with USC is pretty insane to be a part of. I remember coming to watch those matches and thinking, 'Oh my gosh, this is so cool.' And now, in less than two months we'll all be on the court together.
ย
Q: What about playing your position do you love most?
KL: I would say being the most vocal on the court. I feel like left backs, specifically, have a great view of every single player. And being the glue. You can always come back to the libero, defensive specialist or back row player and they will share, 'This is what's going on and this is what I see.' And I like being the energetic little ball in the back and going up to the middle (blocker) and hyping them up.
ย
Q: Who is Kat Lutz when she's on the court?
KL: I would say I'm a ball of fiery energy. I love going up to our middles after they completely obliterate the ball, shoving them and say, 'Let's go!' They can take it. They're strong.
ย
Q: You played against your now-teammate Brooklyn Briscoe in a lot of club matches. What was it like going head-to-head with each other?
KL: I feel it's like any rival club match. You step onto the court and there's this completely different energy, different from some random team from wherever they're playing. It's always a fun match. (Brooklyn and I) live two exits down from each other in San Diego, so we kind of butt heads all season. It's always been like that.
ย
Favorite food: Avocado
Favorite musical artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Hobbies: Urban farming
Favorite sport to watch besides volleyball: Beach volleyball
Favorite vacation spot: Vermont
Favorite T.V. shows: "The Queen's Gambit" or "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
Athletic inspiration: Simone Biles
ย
ย
Q: Explain your background being born in Russia and moving to Southern California.
KL: I was adopted and moved to the United States as a toddler.ย My adopted family is my family. It's cool being adopted just knowing where I came from and where I am now is shocking. One thing I'm working on is raising awareness for adoption. I've done a few grassroots campaigns in my local grocery store and shopping centers handing out flyers to put the word out there. โฆ A while back I made flyers with QR codes that provided links to different meetings and websites that people can educate themselves on to show how many kids are in need. It's been just me putting this together and handing (the flyers) out.
ย
Q: How would you say being adopted has impacted your life trajectory and mindset in life?
KL: I feel like every day I come back to the word in my mind: gratitude. I'm really blessed to be where I am now.
ย
Q: How did you discover volleyball once in San Diego?
KL: It was an outlet I used, first playing for fun with friends at eight years old. Slowly and slowly, there were only a couple people left playing. I played a bunch of different sports โ tennis, gymnastics โ as a kid, you just sign up for whatever. I would say it was a gradual build to volleyball. As (my friends) stopped playing, I was in it for the long run.
ย
Q: What have your first weeks on UCLA's campus been like?
KL: It's been great. I feel like adjusting has been easy because (my teammates) have been so nice and welcoming and happy to help with everything. I love the campus. It's gorgeous. Before we lift a couple days, we go out onto the intramural field and we're out in the Sun early in the morning and it feels great.
ย
Q: What was your recruiting process to UCLA?
KL: I would say I put a lot of feelers out, but when this opportunity came, in the back of my head I always knew UCLA was meant to be. (What initially attracted me to UCLA) was the mix of the school and athletics as well as the fact that it's known worldwide. โฆ I remember going to a camp at UCLA two years ago and (Mokihana Tufono) was a committed athlete. I was talking to her and thinking, 'This is crazy. She's going to be an athlete here in a year.' It's amazing to think I'm going to be a student-athlete here, too.
ย
Q: What has it been like creating relationships with the Alfee and the new coaching staff?
KL: It's crazy because (Alfee) coached me in one of my club seasons for a little bit during high school. He went on to coach at USD. Our season ended and I missed him so much. Hearing that the staff was changing and hearing his name, I couldn't have been happier. I love all of (the staff). They are all so passionate for the sport and care for each and every one of us. They all value family, which I feel a lot of programs put that on the backburner.
ย
Q: What about Alfee's coaching philosophy in that one year you were with him resonated with you?
KL: I really liked how technical he was and how much he valued every single aspect of the game on and off the court; training hard, eating right and the mental side. That's something he really emphasized. Before practices we would have meetings and work on our breathing. It was great how passionate and dialed in he was.
ย
Q: Is there an experience in your freshman season that you are especially looking forward to?
KL: Definitely opening and closing with USC is pretty insane to be a part of. I remember coming to watch those matches and thinking, 'Oh my gosh, this is so cool.' And now, in less than two months we'll all be on the court together.
ย
Q: What about playing your position do you love most?
KL: I would say being the most vocal on the court. I feel like left backs, specifically, have a great view of every single player. And being the glue. You can always come back to the libero, defensive specialist or back row player and they will share, 'This is what's going on and this is what I see.' And I like being the energetic little ball in the back and going up to the middle (blocker) and hyping them up.
ย
Q: Who is Kat Lutz when she's on the court?
KL: I would say I'm a ball of fiery energy. I love going up to our middles after they completely obliterate the ball, shoving them and say, 'Let's go!' They can take it. They're strong.
ย
Q: You played against your now-teammate Brooklyn Briscoe in a lot of club matches. What was it like going head-to-head with each other?
KL: I feel it's like any rival club match. You step onto the court and there's this completely different energy, different from some random team from wherever they're playing. It's always a fun match. (Brooklyn and I) live two exits down from each other in San Diego, so we kind of butt heads all season. It's always been like that.
ย
Favorite food: Avocado
Favorite musical artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Hobbies: Urban farming
Favorite sport to watch besides volleyball: Beach volleyball
Favorite vacation spot: Vermont
Favorite T.V. shows: "The Queen's Gambit" or "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
Athletic inspiration: Simone Biles
ย
Players Mentioned
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