Vivian Roberts (12) is top seed in beach volleyball, and has committed to play D-I sand volleyball at Boise State University. 

Roberts explained her journey towards choosing to play the sport. 

“I always knew I wanted to play volleyball in college, I just didn’t know if it was gonna be beach or indoor,” Roberts said. “But then the beginning of sophomore year came around, and I started liking beach more, and that’s how I knew I wanted to pursue beach volleyball in college.”

Securing her commitment required relentless preparation. 

“[The recruiting process] was hectic, but also a fun time, since it made me very aware of how lucky I was to have the opportunities that I did,” Roberts said. “It was summer going into my junior year, I was traveling all around the country, going to different beach volleyball camps, doing tournaments, and talking to coaches, so it was very busy, [yet] super rewarding in the end.”

After visiting multiple colleges, Roberts said Boise State stood out from the start.

“I went on a couple of visits to different colleges, and I was talking to my mom about where I wanted to go, and I kind of told her, ‘I just have a feeling it’s Boise,’” Roberts said. “I like the community that they have. Everyone is so tightly connected, the team is great, and I love the coaches. They made me feel like I was already part of the team, so I knew it was Boise.”

Robert said her aggressive playing style helped her stand out to the coaches at Boise. 

“When I was on calls with the [Boise coaches] they told me the one thing that separated me from the rest was that I was a very physical player, like I was strong,”  Roberts said. “They liked my arm swing, and I think that helped,  because with beach [volleyball] it’s more swinging shots, and the coaches all said they like how I swing and play aggressively.”

She said that playing at the D-I level will give her the opportunity to compete across the country and make memories with her teammates. 

“I’m looking forward to just playing at the highest level; that’s something that I’ve been looking forward to since I committed,” Roberts said. “I’m excited to play in different states around the country, which is a super cool opportunity that volleyball brings, and to make new memories with my friends. If I could describe my journey to Boise in one word, it would be rewarding, since everything fell into place and played out how I wanted.”