Kara Wolters is the tallest player to ever play Women's Basketball at UConn. The running joke is she's a black hole as when the ball went in the post, it didn't come out. Truth is she had 130 in her career as with every season at UConn , the numbers just got better and better. Her father, Willie played and starred at B.C. in the mid 60's under Bob Cousy where he started every game of his college career, and played for Seattle of the NBA. Her mom, Liz scored 50 in a game once at Wellesley, MA HS which at the time was a record. Let's add that her older brother Ray and sister Kristen played in college as well. So hoops was in the Wolters' Family blood.
At 6-3 by the time she reached 8th Grade, Kara would of course be a big deal in the post. Where at Holliston H.S. she still holds the scoring, rebounding and blocked shots record. But when you're tall, slow and even a bit overweight growing up, kids can be and were mean. When it came to college choices, she had many, but B.C. wasn't one of them. They wanted a more polished post player. UConn was....and with the help of Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey, the four year transformation of Kara Wolters was on.
Yes, she was 6-7 when she arrived in Storrs, but getting in shape was priority one in her freshman year. Geno Auriemma rolled the dice on her. A key contributor as a freshman, Wolters averaged 11ppg & 5rpg as the 1993-94 Huskies reached the Elite 8 as Kara scored in double figures of their last three games, including 23 on 11 of 15 shooting in their loss to eventual champion North Carolina. In fact Kara scored in double figures in every postseason game but one, the NCAA Opener.
Her Sophomore year in Storrs would be special. With Seniors Rebecca Lobo and Pam Weber & Juniors Jen Rizzotti and Jamelle Elliot...plus Carla Berube and talented freshman Nyskeha Sales, the Huskies were primed for another long run in March. Undefeated in the regular season, the Huskies rolled in the Big East Tournament, with Kara earning MOP Honors 19, 25 and 32 points in the three games. But the NCAA's were next, where Kara scored in doubles in 5 of their six wins en route to their first National Championship. That included 31 against Stanford in the Final Four Game.
the 95-96 Team, Wolters was now a primary option as her numbers went up. 19p-8rpg while shooting a career best 63% and a career high 105 blocks. As the Huskies again won the Big East. Kara repeating as Big East Tourney MOP , scoring 21, 22 & 28 points. The NCAA's again she flourished...Double Figures in every game, including back to back 20+ games against Michigan State & San Francisco before double double against Vanderbilt in the Elite 8 and Tennessee in the Huskies Final Four, OT Loss.
Her Senior year with Carla Berube as her fellow Senior, Sales, Amy Durand and Rita Williams, plus an up and coming Freshman in Shea Ralph, the Huskies rolled thru the season undefeated. Then blitzed the field in the Big East as Wolters scored 21 in the Final against Notre Dame. The NCAA's UConn & Tennessee were put in the same regional as the Lady Vols lost 10 games that season. And of course they met in the Elite 8 in Iowa City, where behind Chamique Holdsclaw, stunningly ended the Huskies season in Iowa City 91-81. Wolter's Final game a bitter loss, 17p-11r. Her career Numbers, 2,141 points, 927 rebounds and 370 blocks. Still Top 10 in all three categories and left Storrs with the highest FG% at 62.8 before Tamika Williams surpassed that in 2002. At season's end, Wolters was named the National Player of the Year.
In 1997, Kara was drafted and played two seasons in the ABL with the Hartford based New England Blizzard before joining the Houston Comets of the WNBA in 1999 where she won a WNBA Title. Kara went to Indiana in the 2000 expansion draft and eventually Sacramento where she played until 2003.
She's one of a handful of players with an NCAA Title, A WNBA Title, A World Championship Title with USA Basketball and a Gold Medal from the 2000 Olympic Team where Geno Auriemma was an Assistant Coach and Ray Allen played on the Men's Team..
Since the 2004-05 season, Wolters has covered UConn Women's Basketball. First as a color analyst on radio thru 2012. And now the in studio analyst for the games on SNY. Kara also has her Dream Big Basketball Camps in the Summer where current Huskies help out every year. And is involved in charitable work, speaking engagements and of course, playing Mom to her two basketball playing daughters Sydney and Delany where she coaches their AAU Team.
Kara is the epitome of what hard work and determination can do. From project to All American...The Big Girl, Kara Wolters