Since the mere age of five, NC’s senior outside hitter and defensive specialist Sarah Boyle (7) for the Lady Warriors varsity volleyball team (34-16) has signed her commitment for collegiate athletics. Wednesday, November 13 marked the day she — alongside five other NC athletes — celebrated the official signing day, with Boyle committing to Florida International University (FIU).
Boyle’s extended experience has given her various abilities to further herself as a person and as an athlete. Her versatility has allowed her to play in every position for both indoor and beach volleyball, where she has played for Southern Select Sand Volleyball (S3), A5 and Cobb Atlanta. The diverse skills she has gained from these positions helped solidify her spot at the Division One college, where she and her twin sister, Olivia Boyle, plan to play professional beach volleyball.
Boyle has grown through the ranks since she began the sport and eventually landed a spot on NC’s varsity volleyball team her freshman year. Boyle has served as a starter for the NC team, where during the 23-24 school year, they came first overall, winning the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Championship.
“I’ve been playing [volleyball] since I was five years old, and it’s kind of like a safe space for me. I’ve just done it for so long. I played every single position for indoor [volleyball] and every single position for outdoor. I played for S3, for A5, and I played for Cobb Atlanta,” Boyle said.
Though the team achieved this feat during Boyle’s junior year, she has continued to accomplish victories untouched by other NC players. From her celebration of career 1000 digs and 1000 kills this past season, Boyle constituted the first NC player to reach this goal. Due to her amazing achievements, she was even chosen as a Georgia Volleyball Coaches Association (GVCA) All-Star, proudly representing NC.
To continue her volleyball career, the Boyle sisters decided to sign with the FIU beach volleyball program. Though this pursuit means a switch from Boyle’s indoor career, she chose to follow her enjoyment and love for the beach version of the sport.
“To go to a good school for indoor [volleyball], you have to be really tall. I just wasn’t tall enough. So for my position, you have to be six foot or taller to get into a good school, and I’m only 5’9. So that was the main reason. And also, I just enjoy [beach volleyball] more. You don’t have to stress about getting subbed out whenever you do something wrong, because it’s only you and the other person on the court,” Boyle said.
Planning to major in architecture and minor in interior design, Boyle expresses her excitement to attend FIU and see the opportunities that lie ahead. The Chant wishes Boyle success in all her endeavors and holds pride in all she has accomplished. Go Panthers!
