Boyd fits right in with Saints

"A special thanks to coach Kull and all the girls for making me feel welcome from the first day I walked in the gym."

These are the words Mattie Boyd, a senior outside hitter on the St. Charles East girls volleyball team, had quoted in the Senior Night program that was distributed before the Saints' final regular season home game against Waubonsie Valley.

Boyd did not spend all four years at St. Charles East. She spent the first two years of high school at Larkin, another Upstate Eight Conference team, before transferring at the start of her junior year.

Not knowing how her new teammates would respond to her, Boyd was quiet at first. Immediately, however, the Saints took a liking to Boyd, which explains why she wrote what she wrote in the Senior Night program.

"The first day, when I walked in, (St. Charles East coach Jennie) Kull was so excited," said Boyd, who played on Larkin's varsity team freshman and sophomore year. "I walked in (the gym) in a boot because my ankle was hurt, and she was so excited to have me play. She didn't even know me.

"She's the nicest person ever. I don't know how easy the transition would have been if she wasn't there for me."

Boyd went from the new girl last year to the go-to girl this season, as she is clearly one of the best outside hitters in the area as well as the conference.

Kull feels incredibly lucky to have Boyd on her team.

"She was very business-like when she first came in, obviously because it was a new school and a new place and she wasn't sure what was going to transpire," Kull said. "It wasn't hard because she has a heart of gold. She's not vindictive or mean or negative. She's positive, cares about people, she's kind and she's competitive. I love that about her."

"She's brought more to this team than we could have asked for," fellow Saints senior Alex Coello said. "When she came here last year, she brought so much energy to the court. She brought the fire we needed."

It took some time, however, for Boyd to get going last year. She was plagued with a nagging ankle injury as well as transfer issues. By the time everything was cleared up, half the season was gone.

"When I played last year, I was still in pain with my ankle, and I knew I wasn't going to be 100 percent, but I was still given a chance," Boyd said. "I really got used to the team last year, so I felt really comfortable playing with them this year."

By the time this season came around, so did Boyd, who has been playing since seventh grade. Through Tuesday's matches, she has 328 kills, 49 blocks and 70 digs.

Boyd's best showing this year was Tuesday in the 3-game loss against Waubonsie Valley, when she posted a match-high 19 kills.

"She's tough to stop on the outside," Waubonsie Valley coach Kristen Stuart said of Boyd. "We tried to adjust our defense and blocks for her, but still got her kills."

"She's been unstoppable on the outside," Kull added. "(Waubonsie Valley) did make adjustments, which made her do some different things, but she's smart enough to see those adjustments and make the plays."

The No. 1 difference for Boyd this year? She stayed healthy.

"That's the biggest thing," Boyd said. "Kull said she wanted 10 kills from me from each match, and I've been working really hard. It's paid off. I'm really excited."

"She's just an amazing animal," Kull added. "She's a leader on the court and off. She doesn't get down. She's always willing to keep pushing. She's our enforcer."

DePaul took a great interest in Boyd and offered her a scholarship last season. She is more than thrilled to be a future Blue Demon as a libero.

"I didn't have any other schools I wanted to go to," said Boyd, who is thinking of going into pre-med as either an OB-GYN or physical therapist. "I always wanted to go to Ohio State, but there was no way I could go there because I'm not tall enough (she's 5-foot-9). Once I visited there (DePaul), I knew that's where I wanted to go."

One of DePaul's assistant coaches is one of Kull's former players, Dani Nyehuis. She was on the Saints' 2001 state championship team as an outside hitter that led the team in kills, just like Boyd has done this year.

"I see how Dani played through Mattie," Kull said. "I see that. We weren't sure she was going to have that, and she has that. They are both winners. That's a compliment to put her in that same category because Dani is amazing."

And so is what Boyd has done this year for the Saints.