The Fort Lewis College volleyball program added a local transfer Friday, as Courtney Bayles of Bayfield announced she would transfer from Adams State University in Alamosa.
Bayles, a setter who starred for BHS from 2014-17, redshirted for the Grizzlies last season and will enter FLC with four years of eligibility remaining.
Fort Lewis College head coach Tricia Melfy said Bayles will have an immediate impact on the program.
“On my very first day as head coach, I was interested in Courtney,” Melfy said. “She committed to Adams shortly after, and I thought I lost out on a really good player. So, it was a pleasant surprise when she reached out to let us know she wanted to transfer to FLC. She’s got great hands, is a talented player and, more importantly than that, she brings the right character and really wants to charge into the (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference).”
Bayles said one of the major reasons she transferred to Fort Lewis was because of Melfy’s coaching style, which reminded her of BHS coach Terene Foutz.
“When I called her, she seemed like a very spunky person and loved what she was doing,” Bayles said. “She really does remind me a lot of Terene, and it felt right. They’re both so passionate about the sport, and Terene was one of the first people I spoke to about transferring, and she’s my role model. She spoke a lot about how Melfy was as a coach and what she’s done to get FLC to be an up-and-coming program.”
During her time with the Wolverines, Bayles was a four-year varsity player and helped BHS reach the 2014 and 2016 state tournaments. She accumulated an impressive 1,647 assists and had 82 aces. During the final three seasons, she missed just two of 235 sets the Wolverines played and averaged 7.5 assists per set.
The transfer is significant in more ways than one. The Skyhawks will have to replace Kendra Swackenberg, a senior who helped FLC reach the RMAC tournament for the first time since 2013. Swackenberg was an All-RMAC Honorable Mention member as she racked up 617 assists and averaged 7.52 per set.
Melfy said Bayles alongside incoming freshman Payton Harmann of Arizona will compete for the position.
“I think Payton and Courtney are going to battle it out, and I really want to utilize them both,” Melfy said. “We are absolutely going to miss Kendra, but I am also confident that these two will definitely fill in, and we’ll be so solid at the setter position.”
Melfy said she wants Bayles’ commitment to be a signal moving forward for more local talent.
“I feel like there hasn’t been as much local talent on our roster in recent years as you’d think,” Melfy said. “It’s not only a great local addition for fans, but it’s going to be great to hopefully start a new tradition for local talent to choose the Fort moving forward.
“Her character for a young lady is great; she’s funny, entertaining, super hard-working and brings it all. She’s a positive addition for the program.”
When Bayles steps onto the court for FLC, she’ll be doing so with a fresh start.
“I’m just looking forward to playing again and getting up to the pace of RMAC play,” Bayles said. “I’m really excited to come into a program where everybody is really motivated to play, and I think it’s definitely on the up-and-up.”
bploen@durangoherald.com
