By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics

Boredom can be a strong motivator. Olivia Esposito discovered that back in elementary school when she had little to do as her friends played a sport called volleyball.

Esposito eventually decided to tag along, but only to be around them. A few years later, in the winter months of Pennsylvania, those friends stepped up to the club level. Esposito again tagged along, again only to be with her friends.

One thing led to another, which led to another. And today, Esposito is going into her junior season at William & Mary as a record-setting blocker and pre-season All-CAA pick.

"All my friends started playing club volleyball, so I said, 'I guess I should do this, too,'" Esposito said. "I really didn't take it serious until my sophomore year in high school. That's when I took a step back and said, 'Whoa, this might be something I'd like to do in college.'"

Why not? Esposito was already closing in on 6-feet tall. She was also athletic and a quick learner. Around that time, she left what she called her "smaller, family club team" and joined East Coast Power, which is known for developing Division I recruits.

Among them: Her best friend, Millie Grove, a junior outside hitter at New Hampshire.

"They have all the tools to get you to the next place," Esposito said. "My coaches were beyond amazing helping me in the recruiting process."

In the fall of 2022, a freshman on a veteran team, the 6-foot-1 Esposito started 12 matches and played in 46 sets. She had 31 kills with a solid attack percentage of .299. She had 47 total blocks, a W&M freshman-record 10 coming against Hofstra in the CAA tournament.

That showed promise, and as a sophomore, she delivered more. Starting 22 of the Tribe's 24 matches, Esposito finished with 112 blocks, 1.27 (which led the CAA and broke a program record) per set. Her attack percentage of .367 broke the previous school record (Julia Brown, 2021) by .33 points.

"She's dynamic, physical and a steady presence in the middle of the net," W&M coach Ryan Adams said. "She really shined last year, and we're hoping to continue that this upcoming season.

"She has a physicality and presence at the net. She's a great jumper and strong, and she's very talented at finishing over the net."

Esposito grew up in Carversville, Pa., just along the New Jersey border and 45 miles north of Philadelphia. Her parents (Christopher and Jacqueline), twin brother (Nick) and a cousin (Maddie Burke, a basketball player) all attended or attend Penn State. The only defectors are Olivia and another cousin, Allie, who played volleyball at American and is now a grad student at Miami (Fla).

"It's weird for me to not be at Penn State," Olivia said. "But I'll always be a Penn State fan -- in everything but volleyball."

William & Mary's academic reputation and volleyball program were crucial in Esposito's college choice, but another factor helped lead her to Williamsburg. She's a history buff and has been for as long as she can remember. A history and government major, Esposito had targeted the DMV area for her college home.

"This is one of the most historic campuses in the country, and it's absolutely gorgeous," she said. "Academically, it checks so many of my boxes. I'm finishing up with my government major with my capstone this fall. Then in the spring, I'm starting my history major.

"At William & Mary, there are a lot of different areas of the world you're required to fulfill -- Latin America, Caribbean, North America. I'm really excited to delve into those areas I haven't gotten to touch on yet."

She's also excited about the upcoming season. The Tribe returns nine veterans who played at least 32 sets last season. That does not include 6-2 middle blocker Ryann Love, who played in three matches before an injury ended her season.

"I'm so excited for this year," Esposito said. "We're really blessed with our schedule to be home a lot, and we always play phenomenal at home.

"The team is looking fantastic. Even though we just started last week, the team is coming together and meshing together. I love this team. This is one of the most special groups of people I've ever met."