Sweat, Stature and Sisterhood: Beach Volleyball Twins Dominate the Sand

ATLANTA, GA- Georgia State senior Angel Ferary took the court with her identical twin sister, Bella, to take on Texas Christian University at the 2022 Beach Volleyball NCAA Championships. This was a game they both knew they needed to win. After losing the first set, the sister pair returned to win the second and third sets, claiming victory. Closely after the twin's win, Georgia State was deemed the victor after beating TCU in the overall dual- one of the biggest upsets throughout the season. 

The Ferarys savored this moment, especially after losing to the opposing pair earlier in the season. To them, never backing down has been their theme throughout their careers. Angel and Bella began playing volleyball in the fifth grade but transitioned to beach volleyball after their first year in the indoor club. 

"Funny enough, we were kind of forced to because our mom said our whole team was doing it. We liked it, though, and decided to switch to full-time beach work, especially since we weren't given a lot of opportunities because we are really short," said Angel Ferary. 

To the twins, it was the perfect sport. You could not get subbed out, which meant more playing time. After realizing their natural abilities, the twins decided to stick with it and commit to playing a year-round club with Southern Select Sand. They became a force to be reckoned with, winning multiple national titles in the junior division and winning All-American twice in high school. After a few years of dominating juniors, Angel and her sister were ready to take their talents to the collegiate level. 

Many people who have seen the twins in person say that they are unorthodox compared to most of the other athletes they see on the sand court, a compliment Angel concluded: "fits them perfectly." The twins mentioned how they had to work twice as hard as other people to reach their level of success. 

"We wanted to reach a certain level, so there weren't many days off. We wanted to be fully prepared for college sports," explained Bella Ferary. 

However, the dynamic duo described how they had a difficult time getting coaches to be interested in them in their recruiting process. On top of that, both sisters wanted to recruit together. They needed to find a school that would take them both while also being okay with both of them being 5 feet 3 inches tall. 

"Our height was a huge reason many colleges didn't want us. Not many coaches wanted two 5 feet 3 inches tall players to play together,” stated Angel Ferary. 

Beth van Fleet, head coach at Georgia State University, saw something in the twins that few people could—heart and ruthless discipline. 

"Beth recruits people based on skill but, more importantly, character. She is a phenomenal judge of character, which is why we felt so confident going in," Angel mentioned. 

"We wanted a team that could push us and where we could push them. We didn't want to be the best ones on the team. We wanted to be in an environment where everyone wanted to work and play. We didn't necessarily care about the name," concluded Bella Ferary. 

Angel, accompanied by her sister, began their careers at Georgia State in the fall of 2020.

"Something changed when Angel and Bella joined the program. The level of competitiveness  skyrocketed while bringing a new-found sense of joy and humility to the game," said Coach Van Fleet. 

One thing still stood in the way: their height. Coach Van Fleet was hesitant to pair Angel and Bella together due to their physical stature. Typically, in beach volleyball, the blocker tends to be much taller with longer extremities, which makes it easier to take up space at the net. The defender is usually shorter, though still long in terms of extremities, so it takes less time to track the coming ball. Questions about who would block/ defend rose and stressed Coach Van Fleet as she pondered how to utilize the twins efficiently in her line-up. 

After watching practices and scrimmages, Coach Van Fleet knew that the correct answer was to let them play together. What most people didn't know was that keeping the twins together would be a dangerous feat for many schools that would have to face the GSU Sandy Panthers.  

 "I think there are pros and cons. In the long run, there are more things we can do because of it. We can run lower to the ground, run faster offenses, and hide behind blockers well. We think that if we were taller, we wouldn't be as good. We play the way we do because we are short," described Bella Ferary.  

Playing a more uncommon style of game is not the only thing they say feeds their success. Work ethic, maintaining strong priorities and time management are just a few things the twins describe that amplify their performance on and off the court.

"Once you can get those things in check, you will succeed. We understand the sacrifices that it takes to be excellent student-athletes. We have different lifestyles than most other athletes- we keep our eye on the prize," added Bella Ferary.

Coach Van Fleet knew she had made the right decision after the twins began beating teams considerably taller than them and breaking records within the sport. Together, the Ferary twins are the shortest combined pair in college volleyball right now. 

"The possibilities for them are endless. What they lack in height, they make up in speed, IQ, strength and ruthless discipline," added Coach Van Fleet. 

Angel and Bella have been a pair in the game for the majority of their junior careers, but they mentioned how there was a shift once they entered the collegiate world. A different sense of comfort comes with playing with a sibling. According to Angel, playing together, not only as sisters but as twins, is one of the keys to their success. 

"In all honesty, it can be stressful from time to time. There are ups and downs. We aren't afraid to yell at each other because we know we will never actually hate each other. Since we are twins, we do not have to talk as much on the court. Since we know each other very personally, we know we are on this journey together and have similar goals. So, I don't have to worry that Bella will not give 100% of the time. We are both on the same page," said Angel Ferary.  

The twins emphasized that they would not be as successful if split up. They have a special kind of competitiveness and camaraderie that is hard to match in a sport that is dependent on teams of two.  

Coach Van Fleet said, "They push each other in a special way, so I don't think it would be the same if they were not together." 

"Maybe it sounds bad, but  Bella and I have been competing for years, our whole life. So, playing together and having the same mindset makes us who we are. Also, we would have never split up, so it's not even a possibility," concluded Angel Ferary.

Since joining Coach Van Fleet's program, GSU has been to two NCAA National Championships and is currently working its way to a third. Angel and Bella aim to reach their 100th win as a pair, a rare feat in college beach volleyball before they graduate in the spring. 

"Right now, we are trying to make the most of it. Since we started the recruiting process six years ago, it has been our life. It is our last year, so having fun and making memories is most important while reaching our goals. We want our legacy at GSU to be long-lasting and positive," stated Angel Ferary.   

Upon finishing their collegiate careers and looking back on their journeys, the twins have attributed their achievements' success to two things: competition and prioritizing goals.

"Looking back, I think we have done so well because of how competitive we are; we don't take no for an answer. We also have goals, and we do everything we can to defend them. To us, that is what is most important. We see everything as a competition which has been built in us since we are twins. Nothing would be the same if we did not have those things," concluded Angel Ferary.