She Was Kicked Off Her Volleyball Team for “Provocative” Photos — What She Did Next Made Her Rich

For many athletes, leaving a competitive sport marks the end of one chapter. For Kayla Simmons, it became the beginning of an entirely different career — one that brought her more attention, influence, and financial success than volleyball ever did.

Once a collegiate volleyball player, Simmons built a reputation for her talent on the court and her growing popularity online. But her social media presence — particularly photos some considered too revealing for a student-athlete — sparked controversy. According to widely shared reports, concerns about her online image and its alignment with team expectations ultimately led to her departure from competitive college volleyball.

What might have ended someone else’s public visibility instead became a turning point.

Freed from athletic restrictions and institutional oversight, Simmons leaned fully into content creation and modeling. She had already built a strong online following, and her audience grew rapidly once she shifted focus. With carefully curated photos, lifestyle content, and direct engagement with fans, she transformed personal branding into a full-time profession.

Platforms like Only*Fans and major social media networks allowed her to monetize her popularity directly — something traditional college athletics rarely offer. Her transition reflects a broader shift in how digital influence can rival, or even surpass, conventional career paths.

Her story also highlights the evolving relationship between sports, personal expression, and social media. College athletics often operate within strict guidelines about public image, sponsorships, and conduct. At the same time, modern athletes increasingly build personal brands long before graduation. That tension can create difficult choices — between institutional rules and individual identity.

Simmons chose independence.

Supporters see her journey as empowering — proof that setbacks can become opportunities when someone takes control of their narrative. Critics argue the controversy itself fueled the attention that made her career possible. Either way, the outcome is undeniable: she successfully reinvented herself in the public eye.

Today, Simmons stands as an example of how visibility, controversy, and digital platforms can reshape a career path overnight. What began as a dispute over photos ultimately became a defining pivot — one that moved her from the volleyball court to global online recognition.