While the colors on their jerseys have changed, Ryla Jones ’24 and Isabelle Bardin ’25 will always be Huskies at heart. This past December, the Flint Hill community watched with collective pride as Ryla and Isabelle competed for their respective universities — Pitt and Purdue — under the national spotlight of the NCAA tournament.
They are part of a powerhouse cohort of eight Huskies currently competing in Division I volleyball. Together, they serve as the ultimate “proof of concept” for the Flint Hill athletics program, demonstrating that our Huskies are built for the national stage.
“When former students compete at the highest level, it generates excitement and inspires everyone in the program to see what their own next level can be,” says Varsity Volleyball Head Coach Thai Nguyen. “These athletes recognize they are part of something extraordinary — a legacy of champions that drives them to uphold the school’s reputation.”
This legacy isn’t just built on talent, but on the challenging daily grind that defines the Flint Hill experience. “As simple as it sounds, good time management is one of the most important skills to take with you to college, and Flint Hill helped me build that,” Ryla says.
That preparation provided a sense of steadiness as she transitioned from Pitt—where she competed in this year’s tournament — to her new home at Penn State. “Flint Hill helped me have the confidence to succeed anywhere. It can be hard being at a competitive school academically and athletically, but I was able to feel some of that experience before college.”
Isabelle agrees, noting that the transition to the Big Ten was seamless because the expectations were already familiar. She says, “At Flint Hill, we would have 2-3 games a week, with practice 5 times a week, which is very similar to how it is in college.” She credits her time as a Husky with helping her forge the “mental and physical toughness” to thrive in a competitive Division I environment.
That toughness was put to the test for the current Husky squad this school year. After a disappointment in the state finals last year snapped the program’s historic 13-year championship streak, the team entered the state tournament as an unfamiliar 6th seed — a position that sparked a new kind of resolve. As Coach Nguyen puts it, “This season was an exciting journey filled with ups and downs, and we have grown stronger from each challenge we faced.”
Ryla watched her alma mater’s comeback with a seasoned perspective on being the underdog. “Rankings and winning streaks don’t mean you’re entitled to anything,” she says. “When you know you aren’t entitled to success, I believe you work ten times harder for it.”
Led by five returning players, the Huskies reclaimed their throne this past fall, securing the program’s 14th state championship. Isabelle was among the first to celebrate from afar. “I was so very proud of them. I called a few of them, including my good friend Hunter, to congratulate them. Winning states is such an amazing, indescribable feeling.”
For Athletic Director Dewayne Robinson, the “year of challenge” following last year’s loss was a necessary evolution. “When you’ve been winning at that level for over a decade, you can start to take it for granted,” Dewayne admits. “Last year reminded them that success isn’t an inheritance and forced the group to look at the difference between talent and grit.”
The “DNA” of a Flint Hill player is now the blueprint for the entire athletic department. It is a culture defined by daily habits, accountability, and a commitment to being the “greatest version” of oneself. The visibility of standouts like Ryla and Isabelle proves that Flint Hill is a place where elite athletics and world-class education don’t just coexist — they fuel one another.
“When a current freshman sees an NCAA tournament athlete putting in work in our weight room during school breaks, it sets a personal example,” says Dewayne. “It tells the story that if you commit to the process at Flint Hill, the ceiling is incredibly high.”
“It feels amazing to know that they look up to me,” Isabelle says. “I hope the girls see themselves in me, knowing that I came from the same area, same school, and same team that they play on.”
Ryla, despite her success on the big stage, remains characteristically humble. “It’s still surreal to think that people actually look up to me. Knowing that younger girls look up to me is uplifting, and I’m grateful to everyone who believes in me.”
As the Huskies celebrate their 14th title, the message is clear: the titles are a result, but the culture is the prize. Whether on the court in Oakton or battling through a high-stakes December tournament in the NCAA, the Flint Hill “pack” continues to prove that greatness is a habit that starts at home.