Founders Federal Credit Union is proud to support women's sports programs at USC Upstate; please enjoy the latest feature on USC Upstate Volleyball presented by Founders FCU.

When Summer Kohler first heard from USC Upstate, she wasn’t searching for it.

She hadn’t sent an email. She hadn’t studied the roster. She hadn’t circled the school on a recruiting list.

Instead, the opportunity found her in a crowded club volleyball tournament, in a conversation that felt different, and in a program whose vision resonated long before she knew much about the campus itself.

“I had never even heard of USC Upstate,” Kohler said. “I never sent emails or anything like that. But Coach Ali saw me at a tournament, gave my coach her number and the very next day we hopped on a call. It just clicked.”

For the freshman outside hitter from North Port, Florida, that conversation became the beginning of a journey that would take her hundreds of miles from home and directly into the starting lineup of a rising Big South program.

A Culture Before a Campus

In recruiting, facilities and accolades often dominate conversations. For Kohler, it was something less tangible that stood out.

“The biggest thing was the girls on the team,” she said. “I’d been on visits where I didn’t feel welcomed. But at Upstate, everyone was so welcoming. You could tell how close-knit they were.”

That sense of belonging mattered.

“It could be the best school ever, but if you don’t feel welcomed, it’s not the same,” she said. “That environment made the difference.”

By the time she stepped on campus, Kohler felt something she hadn’t felt elsewhere — a sense that she had found the right place, even before she fully understood what that meant.

From Uncertainty to Opportunity

The transition to college volleyball was not seamless.

“It’s a completely different game,” Kohler said. “Learning everyone’s tendencies, building chemistry, that takes time.”

Like many freshmen, she arrived expecting to wait her turn. Then came a preseason scrimmage against Wofford.

“That was when I found out I was starting,” she said. “I was kind of taken aback. I thought, ‘Okay, now I have to prove I deserve this.’”

Her mindset shifted.

“I went from thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can handle this,’ to ‘I have to handle this,’” she said. “I wanted my teammates and my coach to know they could count on me.”

That mentality defined her freshman season, one built on growth.

Growing Up Away From Home

Leaving Florida meant more than adjusting to faster play and tougher competition. It meant learning independence.

Her father had been involved in her volleyball journey, serving as a high school assistant coach and travel coach. Suddenly, that daily support system was gone.

“It was definitely an adjustment,” Kohler said. “I couldn’t just come home and talk things through like I used to.”

But she wasn’t entirely alone.

Her older sister, Serena, a volleyball player at Gardner-Webb, was just 30 minutes away — close enough to become her anchor.

“She’s kind of my support system,” Kohler said. “We’ve become really close over the past couple of months.”

That closeness took on a new meaning when the sisters faced each other across the net.

“It was so bizarre,” Kohler said, laughing. “We looked at each other and just smiled. We were trying so hard not to laugh.”

Their family packed the stands for the matchup, their loyalty split between programs — and jerseys.

“The first game, my parents both wore Gardner-Webb,” Kohler said. “The second game, they split it. My dad wore Upstate, my mom wore Gardner-Webb.”

On the court, the rivalry was real. Off it, it was all love.

“We were arguing about who aced who and who blocked who,” she said. “It was just super fun.”

Built by More Than Volleyball

Kohler’s development wasn’t shaped solely by volleyball. At Venice High School, she was also an Olympic weightlifter, a rarity that gave her an edge.

“We lifted every single day before practice,” she said. “That’s abnormal for a high school team.”

That foundation helped ease the transition to collegiate training.

“Some people come into college with no experience in weightlifting,” she said. “I felt a little more prepared.”

Her high school résumé speaks for itself: nearly 1,200 kills, over 700 digs, multiple state and district titles, and national recognition as an All-American and U19 gold medalist. But those achievements are only part of her story.

Eyes on the Future

Off the court, Kohler is studying exercise science with aspirations of working in sports performance, training, or coaching.

“I just don’t think I could leave sports after I graduate,” she said. “I love being around athletes and learning how the body works.”

On the court, her focus is clear.

“The goal is to win a conference championship,” she said. “But personally, I know I have a lot of room to grow skill-wise and leadership-wise.”

Growth, after all, has been the theme of her first year.

Finding Home in Spartan Green

When asked to describe USC Upstate in 30 seconds, Kohler didn’t talk about wins or facilities.

She talked about people.

“It feels like a family,” she said. “There’s so much support from staff, athletes, teachers and the community. It feels like we’re trending up.”

For a player who arrived without knowing much about Upstate, that feeling of belonging has become everything.

And for USC Upstate volleyball, Summer Kohler’s journey is just getting started.