It’s time for another adventure for Gayle Tripp.

And, like last year’s trip that took her to Italy, this year she will also go overseas.

But this time, it’s to turn her volleyball skills into a professional career.

Gayle Tripp.

Her previous adventures included playing on the Rio Rancho High School varsity volleyball team and helping the Rams advance to four state championship games, which they split. She also earned All-State first-team honors three times and was the District 1-5A Player of the Year in 2004.

Then, it was off to the University of New Mexico, where Tripp played a solid libero (defensive specialist) position for four seasons, pursuing a double major in political science and communications and journalism and graduating on time last May.

She leaves Aug. 15 for Slovenia for two weeks and, “If I get picked up by a team, which could be anywhere in Europe — I’m not sure where. I’ll be there till May. The season doesn’t start till October, so I’m going out in August,” she said. The pro team will pay for her room and board, food and transportation, she said.

“I have a one-way plane ticket to try and get picked up,” she continued. “I’ll be there till they make final rosters, hang out.”

Tripp said the agent who represents her, who also found a professional team for Tripp’s teammate Jeanne Fairchild to play on in Puerto Rico, “places girls all the time. … Twenty-five girls (went) last year; 23 signed contracts. Two got offered contracts (but didn’t sign). There are only two liberos going out of 25 girls.

“I think you have to be very open-minded and you have to know it’s not going to be easy,” she cautioned. “You’re not going to backpack through Europe for four weeks. You’re getting a job — you’re in the real world now. … I’m a number and I’m an employee. I have to come in and do a good day of work and if I don’t, then there are repercussions.”

Tripp, the daughter of Gary and Jeannette Tripp of Rio Rancho, said her four years at UNM were a pleasure.

“We not only went places, not just with our record, but in general,” she said. “We actually traveled. I got to see a lot of parts of the world and the country. We played in some great arenas. At Johnson (Center), we were 19th in the country (in attendance) … and the support of the fans.

“What we did, what I did going in and coming out, I feel like I really had an impact — not personally, but with the teams we had, we really had an impact on the community and what UNM volleyball is all about. Last year, being 23-6, I think, is really good, and next year they should be just fine. It was one of the fastest and most fun experiences,” she said. “It’s really awkward to think that it’s already over.”

Playing volleyball at UNM was a big leap from playing the sport at RRHS, where she also dabbled in cheerleading, basketball and track and field.

“You’re a student-athlete but at the same time you’re really just playing volleyball,” she explained. “You don’t really have to think; you just kind of go.

“You go to class, then you go to workout, then you go to bed. Then you get up and do the same thing, but it’s fun because you have that support system. You have a family that carries you the whole way with your team, your coaches.”

Tripp said RRHS coach Toby Manzanares prepared her well for the collegiate level.

“I was very well prepared from coach Manz, from playing during the off-season, with camps and working out. I like to think of myself as a dedicated person in my workouts and being determined — not just to get through them but to do them with a purpose,” she said. “I think that I always had coaches that taught a really good work ethic … that’s the one thing that nobody can take away from you.”

Manzanares agreed.

“I’m thrilled to death for the opportunity she has,” he said. “I think that she’s done a lot of things to prepare her for the next level. The collegiate level is obviously another full experience. But just the opportunity to go (overseas) and give it a try… she’s going to be playing against some world-class players and she’s going to be competing against teams that have players on them that are going to play in the Olympics and on the international stage.

“Gayle’s done as much as she can possibly do to put herself on the floor and compete for a job, regardless of where she’s going to be playing,” Manzanares said. “Gayle’s been playing volleyball since she was a youngster.”

Dinks: Manzanares said former Rams standout Jackie Rodriguez, an All-State, first-team libero in 2008, is trying to walk-on to the UNM volleyball team. Two of Rodriguez’s senior teammates from last fall, Vanessa Leal and Madison Rhoades, are also vying for college spots: Leal is headed to Eastern New Mexico University, and Rhoades is going to New Mexico Highlands. With three former Rams already playing college volleyball — Ashley Rhoades at UNM, Tamara Fowler and Adams State and Sarah Koch at ENMU, Manzanares could field a full team.

… Rodriguez, Leal, Rhoades and former Ram Jocelyn Hamilton are on the North roster in the annual North-South all-star volleyball matches July 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Johnson Center.