Marie Laurio, a freshman outside hitter for Syracuse Orange Women’s Volleyball, played a key role in the team’s five-set victory over Boston College after being asked to play right side—a position she had never played before. She was given only 20 minutes of preparation before the match but contributed 10 kills, one block, and an ace to help secure the win.
Head Coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam highlighted Laurio’s performance as an indicator of her potential. “I recall that match against Boston College, we literally worked with her for about 20 minutes before the match on the right side going over attack angle and blocking,” Ganesharatnam said. “When she was called upon, she just jumped in and did a really great job in that match. It shows she’s capable of doing great things.”
Laurio made several important plays during the fourth set to force a decisive fifth frame and added three more kills in the final set, including one that gave Syracuse a lead they maintained until the end.
Reflecting on her approach to playing multiple positions throughout her first season, Laurio said, “I’m just out there to do my job. I just want to help the team as much as I can. Even if I wasn’t starting, I’m still going to bring the same amount of energy and same amount of competitiveness. Whether I come in off the bench or I’m starting, however I can help the team out, I am going to bring that same energy.”
Laurio started six matches during her freshman year—three at outside hitter and three at right side—and finished with 55 kills overall. She also developed defensively over the course of the season, averaging 5.5 digs per appearance across her last eight matches and recording a career-high 16 digs against Clemson. In addition, she ended with 11 total blocks.
Coach Ganesharatnam expressed optimism about Laurio’s future contributions: “As a freshman she got opportunities to play and she was able to test the waters at the outside and right side position,” he said. “There’s a lot of room to grow, but we are very pleased with what she showed as a freshman. We’re excited to see her continue to grow.”
Laurio is from Ann Arbor, Michigan and previously played club volleyball for Legacy Volleyball. Her brother Roman is also involved in collegiate athletics as a wide receiver at Princeton University.
