Rolling with the Tide
Pooler Volleyball Player Commits to Alabama and Aspires to Olympics and Pro Career

Story by Stephen Prudhomme
Photography by Erich Perez

Maggie Kyriakides has been active throughout her life. She played basketball and did karate, collecting a second degree black belt in the latter sport.

For the past five years, the 17-year-old Pooler resident has gotten her kicks in another sport, one that shares a net, ball and premium on jumping with basketball but does not feature triple digit scoring. It’s also an athletic pursuit in which Kyriakides has proved to be a quick study, earning a college scholarship and eyeing the Olympics and a professional career.

Kyriakides is a senior at Savannah Christian and an outside hitter on the volleyball team. In May, after receiving several athletic scholarship offers to play volleyball in college, she verbally committed to the University of Alabama and will sign Nov. 12. Kyriakides said she will major in either nutrition or sports management.

“The coaching staff is amazing,” said Kyriakides, explaining her decision to join the Crimson Tide. “I want to play professionally, and the head coach is a former pro. The SEC (Southeastern Conference) is a big level. Also, the girls have been so sweet and welcoming, and it’s close to home.”

Kyriakides participated in a college prep camp in June and remarked it was really fun. To successfully make the transition from high school to college, she cited the importance of talking and being loud. Her confidence remains strong. “The talent is there,” she said.

Getting Started

Kyriakides’ introduction to volleyball took place at the Pooler Recreation Center, where she played basketball; she practiced karate at Robertsons AKA for six years. With the encouragement of Julie Jones, her current coach at Savannah Christian, Kyriakides took up volleyball and found a new sport on which to focus her considerable athletic talents and energy.

“It came naturally to me,” Kyriakides said. “I really enjoyed it. It just clicked. Basketball was too physical for me. I was really surprised with my progress at first, but I worked really hard. My parents were a huge help.”

Kyriakides’ mother Lindsey said Maggie has always been competitive with other sports, but once she found volleyball it was on a whole different level. From the start, Lindsey added, her daughter was a natural and fell in love with the sport after her first game at the Pooler Recreation Center.

“Maggie loves volleyball with a passion,” her mother said. “When she steps onto the court you see a different side to her. She is so focused and ready to do whatever she needs to help her team. She is a very physical six rotational player.”

Lindsey said basketball helped Maggie with her hand-eye coordination and ball control, while karate aided her self discipline and balance. Being vocal on the court, she added, is something Maggie learned through her years of playing volleyball. “It helps her teammates by allowing them to their trust in her, and being loud also helps keeping the hype and mood up on the court,” her mother said.

Kyriakides played setter early in her volleyball career and competed for the junior varsity team at Savannah Christian in seventh and eighth grades. Moving up to the varsity team as a freshman, she switched to outside hitter. “I really enjoyed hitting,” Kyriakides said.

Year-Round Dedication

Julie Jones, director of the volleyball program at Savannah Christian, has coached Kyriakides throughout her high school career and since her first year with Club Savannah. Her success, she noted, is no accident.

“Her dedication in the offseason and love for the game has made her a top player in the state of Georgia,” Jones said. “Maggie has played a crucial role in the Raider program since her freshman year and has been a major contributor in the three region championships and playoffs runs over the past three years.”

During her three years on the varsity team, Kyriakides has recorded 123 aces, 832 kills, 67 blocks, and 382 digs. Honors in 2023 include 3-A Player of the Year, GVCA 3-A All State, AVCA Phenom, Under Armour Next Athlete, and named to the Top 20 Outside Hitters by Peach State Volleyball.

Her most impressive skill, according to Jones, is her ability to terminate a ball on the outside. “She is a very heavy handed attacker that can put a ball away from anywhere on the court,” the coach said. “Maggie is a six rotation player that we also count on a great deal with her serving, passing, and defense as well.”

Jones added she’s looking forward to see how Maggie continues to grow in the game and as a leader on the court her senior year and at Alabama. “I am excited that Maggie has the opportunity to play in the SEC after she graduates and know she will make us all proud,” Jones said. “Playing at the Division I level will bring some challenges, but I am confident that once she gets used to the speed of the game at that level she will do great things.”

Lofty Goals

Kyriakides competed at the national level for two years, inspiring her to take her game to the highest level in the amateur ranks.

“Competing in the Olympics is a huge goal of mine,” Kyriakides said. “I’ll have to train harder. I love to be in the gym. I definitely have the talent. Maybe I can compete in 2028. Realistically, it would be 2032.”

Chris Kirby, director of the Pooler Recreation Center, has trained Kyriakides on strength and conditioning for six years and said it’s been absolutely awesome to watch her grow into one of the best players in the state. He cites her work ethic as a major factor in her development.

“She is one of the hardest workers I have been around,” Kirby said. “She comes into the gym focused and ready to work. I love it when the younger girls are in the gym training with Maggie so they can see how hard you are supposed to train if you want to be great.”

Kirby said he’s seen several of Kyriakides’ high school games at Savannah Christian over the last few years and has enjoyed seeing her in action. Everyone in the gym is watching her, he added, because she hits the ball in a different way. “It sounds like an explosion when she spikes the ball,” Kirby said.

Kyriakides has had a great high school career, according to Kirby, and he expects her to follow suit in college, citing her work ethic, focus and her love of the game. “I can't wait to see her finish out her senior year of high school volleyball strong and then her college career,” he said.

Carson Reeves has played club volleyball with Kyriakides for the past three years. “Maggie’s a great player, teammate and person,” Reeves said. “She is either working hard in the gym or on the floor. She has a powerful arm swing that allows her to hit different shots with strength and consistency. She is a great player on our club team and I have loved getting to play with her for the past years.”

Gabe Woffindin is the assistant volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator at Lehigh University. He coached Kyriakides for two years on the 17s team at Club Savannah and described her as an athlete with whom you’re always excited to work.

“She has a cannon for an arm that can’t necessarily be taught,” Woffindin said. “Her drive, love for the game and the willingness to improve make her an excellent teammate and player to coach. Her growth between the years on the club was fantastic to see not just as a player but also as a competitor. Her willingness to be comfortable and eager to win the last point, score at the end of matches, and put the team on her back improved greatly in such a short time.”

Woffindin remarked he’s proud of Kyriakides and her decision to play at the University of Alabama and noted she’s always looked to play at the highest level possible and will be in great hands to keep developing, competing and excelling in the SEC.”

Kyriakides signed with Alabama in May after receding multiple D-1 offers. Her mother said Maggie was so excited and emotional. “We are so proud of her and can’t wait to watch her play at a higher level and grow as a person,” she said.

That growth was fueled by training in Greece for three years with a semipro team; Kyriakides has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Greece. Her mother said she would be honored to play in the Olympics one day. The question is which country would she represent. “She would love to play for the USA or honor her heritage and play for Greece,” Lindsey said.

There’s also the goal of playing for pay. “Maggie’s always wanted to turn pro after college and play in Europe,” Lindsey said. “She is extremely focused on her goals, and I can’t wait to see where her future takes her.”

Kyriakides said she’s a very physical, loud and competitive player who’s found her sports niche with volleyball.

“It’s a huge team sport,” she said. “I’ve made best friends throughout the sport. It’s such a competitive sport. It’s very high energy. I feed off that energy.”