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University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Craig Lassig
Skylar Wine Makes an Impact on her Dream School
September 19, 2018 | Volleyball
Special to GoHeels.com
By: Molly Green
It took North Carolina head volleyball coach Joe Sagula less than one week to go from having never heard of Skylar Wine to making her an integral part of the Tar Heels' program. In the same amount of time, Wine, who played two seasons at the University of Pacific decided to transfer. She went from her home in Arizona to boarding a cross-country plane to her new home at UNC in only a matter of days.
"It happened so fast," Sagula said of the recruitment process.
Sagula was introduced to Wine when he received a call from a friend who was raving about her. His friend explained that she is "a really good person, a hard worker, and she was a good player," Sagula said. Wine was looking for a fresh start to her volleyball career and Sagula quickly realized she was exactly what his program needed.
Wine was raised with sports in her blood. Her mother and sister played volleyball and her father played other sports.
"We've always been a super sports-oriented family," Wine said.
Wine started playing volleyball when she was eight years old, and it has been a central focus of her life since. The emphasis she puts on the sport gives her "something to be focused and dedicated" to, and clearly it has paid off.
To begin her college career, Wine moved from her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona to Stockton, California to play volleyball at the University of the Pacific. After two seasons on the West Coast, she decided it was time for a change. Wine traveled across the country to become a Tar Heel when Sagula offered her a spot on the team.
"The community; everyone is so nice here. It's kind of crazy in a great way," Wine said with a big smile on her face as she spoke about her favorite part about her new home at Carolina.
Wine joined the Tar Heels as a junior, having already accumulated two years of experience as a college athlete and student.
"She has a calmness and she knows who she is because she's not just a kid," Sagula said. Sagula describes Wine as very stable and her teammate and roommate Mia Fradenburg, who shares Wine's affinity for the American Horror Story TV series, agrees.
"She brings consistency. On and off the court she's very solid," Fradenburg said.
Stability and consistency are two traits that Wine can bring to the young team, which has two transfer students and two freshman starters this season. Wine was majoring in accounting at Pacific, and now is the pre-business program at Carolina. The maturity she brings to the novice squad is irreplaceable. She has great potential to act as a role model on and off the court.
But Wine brings more than her dependability to the court.
"She's been a good hitter," Sagula explained. "She's learning more shots, but her biggest development is the fact that she's willing to work hard to become a better ball handler."
Wine has already proven to have a meaningful impact on the team, but Sagula wants to see her grow even more.
"As she improves in her ball control, she's going to be an even more significant player" he stated.
"While I admire her calmness, sometimes I want to see her a little more excited," Sagula said when talking about another area for improvement.
UNC hosted UNC Greensboro, Maryland Eastern Shore and Michigan State in Chapel Hill for the Carolina Classic over Labor Day weekend, where the Tar Heels finished 2-1. UNC faced UNCG for the 2018 home opener. In her Carmichael Arena debut, Wine was unstoppable. She led the match with 15 kills, hitting an impressive .682.
Wine was not the only player to make the transition from California to North Carolina. Ironically, Andie Shelton, her best friend and Duke's new setter and outside hitter, also traveled cross-country after playing at Pacific with Wine.
"It's funny because we both transferred into the whole rivalry thing, so we're still new to it," Wine said about her and Shelton. "What are the odds we both transfer into the biggest rivalry ever."
The two have been able to stand by each other through their new journeys in North Carolina. They went from playing on the same side of the net in California, to being on opposite sides of the net in one of the most iconic college sports rivalries. UNC and Duke are scheduled to face off twice during ACC play this season.
Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
By: Molly Green
It took North Carolina head volleyball coach Joe Sagula less than one week to go from having never heard of Skylar Wine to making her an integral part of the Tar Heels' program. In the same amount of time, Wine, who played two seasons at the University of Pacific decided to transfer. She went from her home in Arizona to boarding a cross-country plane to her new home at UNC in only a matter of days.
"It happened so fast," Sagula said of the recruitment process.
Sagula was introduced to Wine when he received a call from a friend who was raving about her. His friend explained that she is "a really good person, a hard worker, and she was a good player," Sagula said. Wine was looking for a fresh start to her volleyball career and Sagula quickly realized she was exactly what his program needed.
Wine was raised with sports in her blood. Her mother and sister played volleyball and her father played other sports.
"We've always been a super sports-oriented family," Wine said.
Wine started playing volleyball when she was eight years old, and it has been a central focus of her life since. The emphasis she puts on the sport gives her "something to be focused and dedicated" to, and clearly it has paid off.
To begin her college career, Wine moved from her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona to Stockton, California to play volleyball at the University of the Pacific. After two seasons on the West Coast, she decided it was time for a change. Wine traveled across the country to become a Tar Heel when Sagula offered her a spot on the team.
"The community; everyone is so nice here. It's kind of crazy in a great way," Wine said with a big smile on her face as she spoke about her favorite part about her new home at Carolina.
Wine joined the Tar Heels as a junior, having already accumulated two years of experience as a college athlete and student.
"She has a calmness and she knows who she is because she's not just a kid," Sagula said. Sagula describes Wine as very stable and her teammate and roommate Mia Fradenburg, who shares Wine's affinity for the American Horror Story TV series, agrees.
"She brings consistency. On and off the court she's very solid," Fradenburg said.
Stability and consistency are two traits that Wine can bring to the young team, which has two transfer students and two freshman starters this season. Wine was majoring in accounting at Pacific, and now is the pre-business program at Carolina. The maturity she brings to the novice squad is irreplaceable. She has great potential to act as a role model on and off the court.
But Wine brings more than her dependability to the court.
"She's been a good hitter," Sagula explained. "She's learning more shots, but her biggest development is the fact that she's willing to work hard to become a better ball handler."
Wine has already proven to have a meaningful impact on the team, but Sagula wants to see her grow even more.
"As she improves in her ball control, she's going to be an even more significant player" he stated.
"While I admire her calmness, sometimes I want to see her a little more excited," Sagula said when talking about another area for improvement.
UNC hosted UNC Greensboro, Maryland Eastern Shore and Michigan State in Chapel Hill for the Carolina Classic over Labor Day weekend, where the Tar Heels finished 2-1. UNC faced UNCG for the 2018 home opener. In her Carmichael Arena debut, Wine was unstoppable. She led the match with 15 kills, hitting an impressive .682.
Wine was not the only player to make the transition from California to North Carolina. Ironically, Andie Shelton, her best friend and Duke's new setter and outside hitter, also traveled cross-country after playing at Pacific with Wine.
"It's funny because we both transferred into the whole rivalry thing, so we're still new to it," Wine said about her and Shelton. "What are the odds we both transfer into the biggest rivalry ever."
The two have been able to stand by each other through their new journeys in North Carolina. They went from playing on the same side of the net in California, to being on opposite sides of the net in one of the most iconic college sports rivalries. UNC and Duke are scheduled to face off twice during ACC play this season.
Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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