Moore Excitement
Inseparable Connecticut twins join separate Power 5 volleyball programs
Aubrey and Ellie Moore have been asked one question constantly.
The two Darien volleyball stars, twin sisters who have been virtually inseparable their entire lives, are about to embark on new, and separate, journeys when they join two Power 5 college programs nearly 1,500 miles apart.
Ellie will be heading west to join Kansas in the Big 12, while Aubrey joins Boston College in the ACC.
So the question is an obvious one: What are their expectations now that they’ll be in different places for the first time?
“We don’t really know what to say,” Aubrey said. “We’ve never really experienced anything like this. We’re living with each other 24-7, we do everything together and we’ve been best friends growing up.”
“Right now, I feel like we have the we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it mentality in terms of how we’ll feel,” Ellie said. “As the day gets closer, it’s definitely starting to loom over our heads a little more and become maybe a little more scary.” As Aubrey put it: “It’s going to be weird separating.”
One thing that can’t be separated is the Moores’ strong and steady performance and the Darien volleyball team’s success during the past few years.
They leave a Wave program which has won 50 consecutive matches and back-to-back CIAC Class LL and FCIAC championships, the 19th and 24th respectively in the program’s storied history.
They were also part of a milestone in the career of Laurie LaRusso, who started the Darien program in 1982. LaRusso earned her 800th victory in the Wave’s 3-0 win over Southington in the Class LL final.
Determining that number took some digging.
“We didn’t know that at the time,” Ellie said. “But afterwards, we figured it out and it’s pretty special.
“(The Moores) are amazing leaders both on and off the court as well as Ayla (Schenk), my libero,” LaRusso said of the three senior captains. “This is an amazing team. The leadership I had from the captains was amazing and it’s been an honor for me to be able to coach this team. They
came in every day and they gave me everything.
“I can’t say enough about the captains.”
Aubrey, the Wave’s setter, broke Darien’s school record for career assists with 2,108, while also putting up 510 digs, 258 aces, 176 kills and 41 blocks. She was also the GameTimeCT All-State MVP and the CHSCA Connecticut Player of the Year for 2023.
Ellie, who made the GameTimeCT All-State and CHSCA First Teams, had 646 kills, 580 digs, 165 aces, 122 assists and 12 blocks.
Although she played outside for the Wave, Ellie is an experienced setter at the club level, and was recruited as a setter by Kansas.
“Not too long after that I went to a camp and I loved it,” Ellie said. “The coaches were great and the program is phenomenal. It was so nice meeting all the girls and as a school, what they offer for their student-athletes is top-notch.
“The atmosphere and energy on campus — you could feel that it’s really special.”
Stepping up to the Division I college level is a big leap from high school, but the Moores said they’re looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s always been a dream and a goal of mine to play at that level,” Ellie said. “I’m excited to be walking into a place where the level has been upped a notch and the level of play is much faster. I’m sure adapting to the college experience as a student-athlete will be tricky at first, but it’s something I’m looking forward to.”
“It’ll be exciting just to be in the gym with those girls and we’re going to get a lot better really quickly,” Aubrey said. “We’re prepared to come in and work really hard and it’ll be fun.”
The Jayhawks’ 2024 recruiting class ranks fifth in the nation, first in the Big 12 and first in Kansas history. That follows a 24-6 season for four time Big 12 Coach of the Year Ray Bechard, who has coached the team since 1998.
While she’ll be back at setter when she joins Kansas, the fact is, both Moore twins could play any position.
“There’s definitely something about being a setter because the whole team looks to you,” Ellie said. “You’re involved in every play and a lot of the team’s success depends on you. So that’s an aspect of the position I enjoy. But I do like hitting and I’ll definitely miss it. It was a good outlet in high school.”
Aubrey is joining a Boston College team run by Jason Kennedy, who took over the program in 2018 after three years at USC. He reached 50 career wins faster than any other Eagles’ coach and posted a 19-13 mark last year.
Aubrey said she went to a BC camp during the summer of 2022 and followed up this year before committing in September.
“It spoke for itself with the academics but what really sold me was the coaches and the players,” Aubrey said. ‘I loved all of them and the people there were so great. It feels like the right fit. It feels like it’s totally meant for me and I’m so excited to get there.”
The future arrives quickly.
Ellie and the rest of the incoming freshmen at Kansas will join the Jayhawks for an overseas trip in May before returning to Darien for graduation in June. She leaves for college not long after that.
Aubrey said she’ll be leaving for Boston College 10 days after graduation.
While they’ll physically be apart, there will likely be many texts and calls between Kansas and Massachusetts: “Probably a lot more than we realize right now,” Ellie said with a smile.
“We’re each other’s biggest critic and at the same time, biggest supporter,” Aubrey said. “We wouldn’t be here without each other.”