Twin Tales: Louisville Holy Cross Pair including UK recruit

[player_tooltip player_id='477226' first='Trinity' last='Ward']'s name is well-known around the state because she is one of the highest-ranked players in this year's senior class and committed to the University of Kentucky. She attended a camp there and told UK head coach Craig Skinner she'd be one of his next recruits and accomplished it.   What many people may not know is she has a twin named Tristen Ward. The twins did not have an easy start to life, but the love of volleyball has helped them grow together.   They play for the Holy Cross Cougars (14-12) out of Louisville and helped them to a runner-up finish at the All "A" State Tournament in Elizabethtown on Saturday. They are not the only set of twins on the team, though. Sophomores Brianne and Delaney Stoff are also big contributors for the Cougars.   The Ward twins are both defensive specialists, but [player_tooltip player_id='477226' first='Trinity' last='Ward'] (right) does a lot of hitting as head coach Danielle Wiegandt and staff are trying to make the most of her talents as a hitter as well. Brianne Stoff (left) is an outside hitter and Delaney Stoff (second from right) is a middle blocker/hitter.   [player_tooltip player_id='477226' first='Trinity' last='Ward'] played defensive specialist for the Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Club this past spring while Tristen Ward (second from left) decided to play softball this past spring and not play club volleyball anymore after stints at Unity and KIVA. The Stoff twins play for the Union Volleyball Club.   The four talked about life growing up with their twins and the expectations for the season. The Cougars have dominated the 21st District over the years, but have lost to Mercy in the 6th Region Tournament the previous six seasons.   Growing up with Twin   Trinity: Life growing up was a little difficult. We had a lot of hardships with family issues so we moved around a lot until we were three years old and moved in with our aunt and uncle (Krista and Kyle Ward). We were the only stability in each other's life. We didn't really like the same things and we were very different. We of course argued like any other siblings but nobody really understood our relationship with one another because they hadn't gone through what we had gone through. We had our good times and we really learned that since the beginning we've only had each other. I enjoyed having someone that I could do things with and stay busy with all of the time.   Tristen: Life growing up with my sister has definitely been interesting. Trinity and I are both very competitive, so we make everything that we do into a competition. I think that this has translated into us becoming extremely hardworking because of each other. Trinity and I have always been extremely close growing up, and we get in lots of arguments, but most of the time we are there for each other through anything.   Brianne: It is normal besides birthdays. It is like having a sister, just closer and more of a best friend. We will always have each other whether we say it or not.   Delaney: Life has been great living with a sister that is always by my side and I can count on no matter what. Although there will always be some arguments, afterwards we just move on and act like nothing happened.   Pregame Superstitions or Rituals   Trinity: I listen to the same two songs before every game and about five minutes before the game I give myself positive self-talk and make a couple goals for the game ahead. I also do a handshake with Tristen before every set of a game.    Tristen: Trinity and I have a handshake that we do.   Brianne: We just listen and sing along to songs to get ourselves hyped up for the game.   Delaney: Some of mine and Brianne's rituals before games are listening to music and getting mentally prepared for the game.   On Season   Trinity: I am looking forward to growing together as a team, we are kind of young and smaller than most teams so it will be awesome to show everyone that we are more than that. I also am looking forward to proving everyone wrong about Holy Cross.   Tristen: I am looking forward to making it the best season, and being a leader on the court for my fellow teammates. I am committed to going all out this year since its my last year of high school volleyball.    Brianne: I am looking forward most to growing myself. I still have a lot to learn in the game of volleyball, but I know Coach Wiegandt will help me with it. I am also looking forward to growing closer to our team.   Delaney: This season I am mostly looking forward to playing and getting better at each practice, game or workout.   Growth during Club, Softball Season   Trinity: I grew a lot with leadership and patience. Holy Cross and Club Volleyball have a difference skillwise and figuring out how to switch to one another and stay ahead of the game was a big growing point for me. I grew with patience by being patient with myself when learning a different technique. It takes time to master a technique or skill and just doing it once will not work, you have to keep putting in that work in practice and out of practice on your own too.   Tristen: Playing softball made me realize how much harder I had to work when it came back around to volleyball season because I was losing all those reps that other teammates were getting by playing club. This realization pushed me to be the best physically and mentally for this season, and I have improved an insane amount.    Brianne: I grew in lots of ways for it being my first year playing. I learned new shots and tips, where to put the ball when I am not having a good game. I also grew in my mental game. I used to get angry at myself for one mistake, but my club coach helped me to not get so mad.   Delaney: Some ways I grew during club season was my hitting. My hitting got better after my club coach Pat kept me disciplined and consistent while hitting.   Getting over the hump in the 7th Region   Trinity: I hope that Coach Wiegandt and the staff will help us get over this hump by staying on us and keeping us disciplined. Even when we do good things there are always other skills to get better at. I hope they continue to lead us and make us work and put in that extra effort so we can succeed in the end.   Tristen: We have always been the team that makes it to the end, but doesn't quite finish. I am hoping this year that under Coach Wiegandt's guidance we will be able to not only excel and finish this year, but also improve our program as a whole, and how we work things. I think that organization, focus, and control are key things to making a program better and individual athletes better, and I think that that is what Coach Wiegandt is doing with this program.    Brianne: I hope that she and the staff will help us work on the things needed. For example, if we do bad in serve receive during a game that is something we can run a drill on during practice.   Delaney: I think Coach Wiegandt is a very smart coach and she will make the best decisions for each player in order to help the team in the best way possible. Coach Wiegandt is very disciplined and that will help our team grow.   Relationship with Coach Skinner at UK   Trinity: That helped me with my commitment by realizing that Craig was all in for me. Knowing that he wanted me there made my decision really easy. While talking to Craig you could tell he wanted to learn more about me and wanted to listen to what I was saying and that's what I value a lot - someone who listens. Another thing that helped me with my commitment was that he was honest. He told me what I needed to work on and some of my weaknesses and hearing that means he really paid attention and he wanted to change those weaknesses to strengths.   Leadership Role   Trinity: I am trying to be a leader by leading by example and doing everything to my maximum ability. I also am trying to lead by making sure we all are staying accountable for ourselves and one another as well as giving credit where credit is due to ourselves and others. I am trying to lead in a way where in stressful situations when others look to me, I am that calm person bringing others together and decompressing the situation.   Overall Talents   Trinity: I have embraced this role to help the Cougars win by being confident in my ability even while playing a different position. As I am normally a DS/L, I am also playing as an Outside hitter. I also have embraced this role by giving it my all, always trying my best, and giving max effort so that I can set an example. Sometimes I put a lot of pressure on myself and it is really difficult, but then I think about how not everyone is perfect and as long as I'm doing my best, that's what others will see.    Motivation on Playing with a Player [player_tooltip player_id='477226' first='Trinity' last='Ward']'s Calibur   Tristen:  I think it teaches you that if you can't be the best in one aspect, then you have to improve yourself in another. I have improved my leadership skills to become as big of an impact on our team as Trinity has skill-wise. Not only that, but becoming that leader has given me so much confidence that I am able to play to my best potential and push myself to even top Trin's skill level sometimes. As a team, I think it pushes us to play to our fullest potential so that we can all carry a good amount of weight so that other players aren't the only ones holding the team together.   Brianne: Individually I want to strive to read the court and to have the leader mindset that she does. As a team, I want us to strive to have as much energy as she does, whether we are doing bad or not we need energy like hers.   Delaney:  I feel that when I play with Trinity it is just like playing with another teammate although she does keep me more disciplined and motivated to get to a higher level.   Playing Softball Instead of Club Volleyball in Spring   Tristen: It has been gratifying because it truly helps you to understand your true potential. Before softball season, I didnt have a lot of confidence when playing volleyball. I had skill, but I could never fully use that skill because of how little confidence I had. I knew that because I played softball I would have to come out and play 10x harder and push myself to the next level to catch up to where other teammates were at who had played club. Softball season was an amazing break for me mentally from all of the stresses that volleyball gave me, and I think that that break gave me the ability to come back stronger and more determined to prove myself on the volleyball court this year.    Solid Libero Play   Tristen: I think some keys are that you have to be a leader. You can't be quiet on the court, and you have to help your teammates out and pick up some of their slack when they're having a rough game and aren't able to play to their fullest potential. You also have to have self confidence and know that you are in that spot for a reason, and that no matter how tough it is, you cant give up. You also have to have the ability to come back stronger after making mistakes. There is no room for mental weakness, and you have to keep telling yourself that you can do it. Something that I always do when I'm playing in a game is in serve receive, if I shank a ball or have a bad pass that leads to my team losing the point, I look the server right in the eye and tell her to give me another one. This act gives me the confidence to prove myself, and make a better pass the next time.    Differences with Outside and Middle Hitting   Brianne: As an outside the sets are always higher and you are the "outlet." The outlet is if there is a bad pass it goes to the outside. In the middle, the sets are lower, and you must have a faster approach to the ball.   Delaney: As a middle blocker my job is to block and the timing for hitting is way different. While on outside you must wait unlike the middle which has to go as soon as the passer touches the ball.   Most Power on Spikes   Brianne: One thing is making sure you explode to get as high in the air as you can. Also making sure you follow through with a fast arm swing.   Delaney: The key to getting the most power for a kill is using your arms and legs to pull yourself up and when hitting use your core to get the most amount of power.   Note from Mom and Dad   Watching Trinity and Tristen play sports together has been such a great experience. We first started them in sports just as a way to burn off all of their extraordinary energy in a positive way. Over the years, they turned that energy into skill both in whatever sport they were playing and in interacting with coaches and teammates. Trinity and Tristen are extremely competitive with each other on and off the court. Regardless of the outcome of the game, seeing them work together on the court and pushing each other to be better is always one of the highlights. - Mom and Dad (Krista and Kyle Ward)   We are most proud of who they have become as people, their dedication to the sport, the support they show to all their teammates, and love they have for each other. They have turned into wonderful young women who are inclusive and kind. - Dad and Mom (Chris and Patty Stoff)    Ward is so crisp and smooth on everything she does. She quickly sets up her legs, feet and arms to make solid passes and leans whatever direction is necessary to do that. Her legs are constantly wider than her hips. She adds versatility to the Cougars with her hitting and serving. She can rise up and smack balls down and has some great movement on her serves.     Ward brings solid play at the libero position for the Cougars. Ward gets in good position and consistently makes crisp two and three-point passes. She works well with her teammates.     Stoff does a nice job delivering from the outside, especially the strong left side. Stoff can hit balls off blockers and out of bounds or hit them so hard defensive specialists can not dig them up. Stoff does a good job putting power into balls when the team is out of system.     Stoff does a great job reacting to balls in the middle the moment the opponent makes the first pass. She anticipates balls coming to the middle and does what she can to deny them from coming over. Stoff angles overpassed balls away from defenders for points. Stoff can do all sorts of spikes from both the center and seams at the net.

Trinity Ward Trinity Ward 5'8" | DS/L Holy Cross (Louisville) | 2025 State #182 Nation KY 's name is well-known around the state because she is one of the highest-ranked players in this year's senior class and committed to the University of Kentucky. She attended a camp there and told UK head coach Craig Skinner she'd be one of his next recruits and accomplished it.