Sierra Rayzor sparks success again as she becomes national champion at Tampa
NEW ALBANY, Ind. (BVM) – Sometimes, an athlete can be described in one word: winner. While there are many more adjectives you could use to describe her tremendous play, that billing fits University of Tampa grad transfer Sierra Rayzor perfectly, as she has seen success at every stop of her volleyball career.
Rayzor began her volleyball career with her grade school growing up, and it was when her club volleyball experience began at age 12 that she continued realizing her love for the game.
“I really fell in love with the game,” Rayzor said. “I loved the community that it brought. It gave me something to work hard for. From there, I just fell in love with everything it took to be an athlete.”
A strong work ethic took the middle blocker’s game to new heights during her youth, particularly once she began playing with KIVA Sports in Louisville.
“I think it was there that I really realized I had some potential,” Rayzor added.
Entering her high school career at Christian Academy of Indiana, Rayzor was poised for success. She was also going to have the opportunity to play alongside her talented cousin, Alli Stumler.
“Believe it or not, Alli and I were actually neighbors back home in Indiana,” Rayzor noted. “So it was even more of a treat to grow up with her and really be best friends with her as we grew up. And then be able to come together, compete and travel together and win a state title with each other, I think that’s something that very few families get to say. I’m so glad, she’s such a humble person and such a great person to be around, too. It really made the whole experience that much better.”
Like Stumler, Rayzor shined on the court right away for Christian Academy as a freshman starter. During her sophomore year, the 6-foot standout continued to improve on the way to becoming a second team all-state player.
In her junior and senior seasons, Rayzor became a team captain, first team all-state performer, and Indiana All-Star.
“I think the development that I got through that is something that I can take with me off the court as well,” Rayzor said. “Getting those kinds of accolades and being the team captain, I was really able to develop some leadership and people skills. It was really cool to be able to see the younger players on the team have someone to look up to … these younger players on the team were kind of seeing me as a role model in a sense, and that was very humbling, but at the same time very honoring.”
While Rayzor was finding personal success, she was also leading her team to new heights. In her junior season, Christian Academy went an impressive 29-6, winning an IHSAA Class A state championship in five sets over Lafayette Central Catholic in a game Rayzor contributed 18 kills.
Christian Academy had finished runner-up the year prior in 2014, and also made the state title game following their first-ever state championship season in 2016, quickly becoming a powerhouse within Indiana.
“Going to a private school that has a religious Christian background, I think that really put a different aspect on the way our team was able to bond,” Rayzor said. “It made a key impact on why we were able to be successful. More than just playing a game together, we really cared about each other as people before we cared about each other as players.”
As the cousins played during their high school careers, it was quickly realized that each had a DI college volleyball future. Stumler would end up committing to Kentucky, while Rayzor decided she would play at Samford, committing already as just a sophomore.
“What sold me most on Samford was the dedication to the team aspect,” Rayzor explained. “Teams can only go so far if you’re bouncing the ball around, but when you truly care for each other and think of each other as a family, that’s what made me feel like I was at home.”
At Samford, Rayzor emulated her high school career, helping the Bulldogs’ volleyball program to new heights. The middle blocker played in all 31 matches during her freshman year, and continued to make an impact as a sophomore, leading Samford to a Southern Conference (SoCon) championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Bulldogs would again win their conference and make it to the national tournament during Rayzor’s junior year in 2019. But as Covid hit in early 2020, the lives of all college athletes changed, and Rayzor’s senior season was in jeopardy.
“Post Covid, it only amplified the time and dedication it took,” Rayzor said. “It was really challenging too because you had to isolate yourself through everything.
“I can remember the exact moment … Coach walked into the gym one day and said, ‘I’m really sorry guys, but there’s not going to be a fall season,’ and all three seniors started crying. We were so heartbroken and devastated. Senior year is the crowning moment of your entire athletic career for most people, and the thought of not being able to have one was devastating for us.”
Throughout the fall, Rayzor and her teammates had to isolate themselves from everyone, while also continuing to train for a season that may have not even happen. Thankfully, the NCAA was able to play a spring season, and Samford – with Rayzor leading as a team captain – did not miss a beat, winning a third consecutive SoCon title and earning yet another trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Yet, despite the success, Rayzor and her teammates made sure throughout their final season and entire careers at Samford to make sure the program stayed hungry.
“The legacy that I felt was most important to leave was one of humility,” Rayzor said. “Even though we had all the success throughout my career at Samford, it doesn’t matter how good you think you are. You always have to prepare like you’re not the best and always train to become the best. That was the No. 1 goal I had.”
Although Samford would bow out in the first round of the tournament, the spring gave Stumler and the Kentucky Wildcats an opportunity to claim a national championship.
The unique circumstances also allowed many college athletes a free year of eligibility, which Rayzor planned to take advantage of as she entered graduate school. Initially, the plan was to play another year at Samford. But after they discontinued the academic program she was prepared to enter, she began looking elsewhere. That’s when she found a new home at the University of Tampa.
“Originally, I was going to come back to Samford,” Rayzor said. “Thankfully, my head coach has great connections with the volleyball world. I reached out to a few different schools and entered the portal, but I was really drawn to Tampa. I had spent some time down there as a child for vacation and I knew that their program was top tier in DII. I talked to some of the coaches and the players and really liked everything they had to say.”
With Rayzor going to Tampa to become a teacher by obtaining her master’s in curriculum and instruction, it was certainly a strong choice academically. However, it also ended up being a great choice athletically.
This past fall, the Spartans went an impressive 34-2. They continued to dominate through the NCAA Tournament, capping the season with a 3-0 win over Washburn to claim a Division II national championship.
🏆 Presenting your 2021 NCAA Division II National Champions, @Tampa_VB.#StandAsOne⚔️🛡 pic.twitter.com/TigE9YOAwJ
— Tampa Spartans (@tampaspartans) December 12, 2021
“I wanted to make it the best that I could,” Rayzor said. “For me, it was just about soaking up the last bit of volleyball that I was going to have. I knew my team had some real talent when I saw our first intrasquad scrimmage.
“That championship moment, it was just hard to fathom. You’re playing this game and all the sudden at the end of one point, you’re a national champion. It’s just crazy to think about. The point was scored, everybody put their hands in the air, the gym filled with cheer, there were tears flying everywhere and people jumping all over the place. It was just very, very unique and indescribable.”
After winning a state title together over six years ago, Rayzor and Stumler have now won national championships just months apart from each other, creating special moments for both athletes and their families.
“We walked in for our family Christmas this year and my grandma was like, ‘You guys watch out now, I have two national champions as granddaughters,’” Rayzor said. “That was definitely something special. I think it really meant a lot for my family. The support Alli’s family has for me and my family has for her is something that’s unmatched. It really means so much more when it’s your family there supporting each other.”
With Rayzor’s playing career now finished, she will look to stay involved with the game by coaching in the future. Her volleyball life is bound to have more success in store, but looking back, Rayzor couldn’t be prouder of the work she put in that has led to many triumphs on the court over the years.
“Looking back on my career as a whole, I just can’t help but to be proud of how hard I really worked through all of it,” Rayzor said. “Not many people play volleyball through a pandemic and had to lead a team to another conference title through a pandemic. I’m just really thankful for all the opportunities that volleyball has given me and when it comes down to it, I think I am a much better person because of it.”
