Oregon senior Nicole Garbin went from a Conference Player of the Year to a player yet to come off the bench.

Fresh off the announcement that she was named the Pac-10's top women's soccer player, the 2001 Baldwin High graduate joined the Ducks' basketball team, in part to help heal the huge disappointment of the soccer team not receiving a berth into the NCAA Tournament.

"She loves basketball," Oregon soccer coach Tara Erickson said. "Growing up that was her first love. We all felt things had gotten taken away from us (with the NCAA Tournament). The rest of us have another chance. She doesn't get to go and play with that chip on her shoulder. At least she gets to put that drive into something constructive."

Garbin set numerous school records in soccer, including career goals (34), game-winning goals (22), career points (83) and shots (257). She is the first Oregon women's soccer player — and is believed to be the only one from Hawai'i — to be named the Pac-10's Player of the Year.

Garbin earned conference Player of the Week honors three times this season, and is the only player in Pac-10 history to win the weekly award four times.

Garbin helped the Ducks finish second in the Pac-10, but they were passed over in the NCAA selection process.

"We saw bracket after bracket go up, and we were waiting to see who we were going to play," Garbin said. "Then it was all done. We were wondering if they put up last year's brackets by mistake.

"I feel like I'm going to be bitter for a long time. I don't think I'm ever going to get over this. I've said in every single article this season that my goal was to make it to the tournament."

Garbin earned all of her accolades with "less of a supporting cast than some of the other teams," Erickson said. And now she must change roles as one of the supporting cast.

Garbin, an Advertiser All-State second-team selection as a basketball player, was a redshirt member of the basketball team her freshman year at Oregon.

So basketball coach Bev Smith approached Erickson and asked what Erickson thought about Garbin joining the team. Smith said Garbin's quickness, aggressiveness and strength should help her with the transition.

"We've lost a couple of numbers on our team, so trying to find a student-athlete to compete in practice, she obviously came to mind," Smith said. "Tara felt she would be up for it."

Said Garbin: "It was a great feeling for them to even consider me. I had not thought about it."

Garbin played on intramural basketball teams and in 3-on-3 tournaments, but thought her basketball career was over.

Conditioning wasn't a problem, but Garbin's basketball skills were admittedly "rusty."

She has yet to play in a game this season, but Smith said Garbin "can be on the floor and stay on the floor. Obviously, it will take some time to be in our system."

Smith thinks being a part of the basketball team will give Garbin an immediate focus instead of dwelling on the disappointment of the unexpected end to the soccer season.

"They said to let the disappointment feed me; spark some energy," Garbin said.

And although she is new to the team, her experience as a leader is already evident.

"I spoke up and talked about my situation on the soccer team, and talked about how we need to come together as a team and stay passionate and holding each other accountable," Garbin said. "It was good to be able to speak up; they were really open to what I had to say."

Garbin said her new teammates "welcomed me with open arms."

"I think I've proven myself," Garbin added. "That I have good work ethic and there's an opportunity to play and get some playing time. I'm just refocusing."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.