As the women’s varsity volleyball team wins their tenth game of the 2024 season against Apex Friendship High School, Taylor Bruce (‘26) earned her 388th career kill and moved to number one for the most kills in NC Division 4A East. The University of Georgia commit recently sat down with the GH Falcon to speak on her journey to becoming a D1 athlete.

At just seven years old, Bruce decided to begin her volleyball career after a recommendation of interest from her former track coach. She initially began by participating in a Town of Cary league once a week, where she quickly began to develop a passion for playing. She was introduced to the fundamentals of the sport and the basics of many different positions, allowing her to discover her favorite early on. “I knew I wanted to be a hitter from when I first started playing because it always stood out to me from all the other positions,” recalls Bruce. What was once an easygoing extracurricular turned into something unimaginable, providing her with incredible opportunities that would have otherwise been impossible. 

As for her schedule, Bruce juggles a mix of high school volleyball and club volleyball, depending on the time of year. “During school season, I have practice three hours a day, and every day that I don’t have practice I’m in the gym doing [strength] training. We also have games three times a week,” shares the Georgia commit. This differs greatly from her club schedule, which involves two hour strength training sessions and three hour team practices.

The University of Georgia first found Taylor at Big South, a national qualifier in Atlanta, Georgia intended for competitive club teams. She was put into contact with the school after one of its coaches reached out to her club coach expressing interest. “He just loved me as a player,” shares Bruce. When it came time to choose a school, Taylor’s decision was strongly influenced by many positive aspects at UGA, specifically the coaches. “I love them all so much. They really work on trying to elevate their program under a new coaching staff. I also just love the school in itself.” 

With over nine years of volleyball experience, Taylor is well-versed in what it takes to excel in the sport. “Everyone starts somewhere, but just keep going,” advises Bruce. “You’re going to have major setbacks, and I did too, but I didn’t even think when I started that I’d be at the level that I am [today].” 

Taylor will continue her journey to play Division 1 volleyball at the University of Georgia after her high school graduation in 2026. Until then, she hopes to lead Green Hope’s varsity volleyball team to their fifth and sixth NCHSAA 4A State championships in her junior and senior years.