Layla Merlin '26 Recruiting Profile

`Hello, my name is Layla Merlin. I am a 5”11 left handed right side hitter looking to play volleyball at the collegiate level. As a child, I played a variety of sports, playing baseball, basketball, and cheerleading from the age of 2 all the way up to 8th grade. At some point along the way, those sports just weren’t challenging me. That was the time that I found volleyball. 

One day, I turned on the TV and a college volleyball match was on, and it was amazing. I remember thinking to myself, “I want what they have”. From that day forward, after begging my parents for multiple weeks to enroll me in a volleyball camp, I was in love. Playing volleyball has taught me so much about myself, such as the fact that when I want something, I will not stop trying to pursue that thing. Volleyball has also shown me how to overcome adversity and succeed when faced with challenges. I have been in the gym constantly since I began playing, always working to better myself both as an athlete and as a person. Being on the shorter end of right side hitters, having a strong vertical and high volleyball IQ are important factors to my success. While I am always working to improve my vertical, I have simultaneously been working to be smart with the ball at all times on the court. Since I have started focusing on my volleyball IQ, I have found more success on the volleyball court.

Academically, I strive to have high grades as well as constantly challenging my mind by taking honors and AP classes. My goals in high school are to maintain a good grade point average whilst also making sure to put in extra work on the court. My goal for college, besides obviously to play volleyball, is to make sure that school never becomes something that I don’t enjoy. Since I have been very young, school has always been something that I look forward to every day, so maintaining that lifestyle is very important to me.

I am a great candidate for a collegiate volleyball team because I will never fail to give 100% both on and off the court. In my home, I am constantly playing volleyball. Being able to have a space to practice in my house has encouraged me to get touches every day, therefore improving my performance on the court. I pride myself on bringing positive, competitive energy and support to my fellow teammates on the court.