Bishop Carroll cousins look to carry on Larkin family tradition in Kansas volleyball
Growing up in the Larkin family, the backyard volleyball matches are stuff of legend to Bishop Carroll cousins Ella Larkin and Riley Daugherty.
Their grandfather, Mike Larkin, played for the United States men’s national team. Ella’s father, Scott Larkin, played collegiately at Brigham Young and also trained with the U.S. national team. Riley’s mother, Julie (who is Scott’s sister), was a state champion at Bishop Carroll and played in college at Kansas.
It’s that level of competition that Ella Larkin, who is committed to play for LSU, and Riley Daugherty grew up playing against, which explains how they became a dynamic one-two punch in their senior year. Carroll (22-2) advanced to the Class 5A quarterfinals on Saturday with a sub-state championship win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
“Whatever team you were on did not want to lose, no matter what,” Riley Daugherty said. “You had to win. Our family is just very competitive, but it’s also a lot of fun.”
It didn’t matter if you were a grandfather or a grandmother, a father or a mother, a son or a daughter, if you had Larkin blood in you, you were playing volleyball.
Every time there was a family gathering, a net was planted in the backyard and a 6-on-6 volleyball match between the extended family would inevitably break out.
“It was all fun and games until people would start talking,” said Scott Larkin, laughing. “And then it would get serious. We would get after it.”
The family’s legacy carries weight around the state, as explained by Carroll coach Tammy Long.
“If you’re in the volleyball world, the name Larkin is a big deal,” Long said. “I grew up in Kansas City and I knew of the Larkins.
“My joke was always that I wished I would have been born in the Larkin family.”
Rick Daugherty wasn’t born in the family, but he did marry into the Larkin family after meeting Julie through playing volleyball in Wichita. He’s always enjoyed the challenge of trying to best his brother-in-law at the family games.
“I mean Scott played on the national team, so it’s always fun to try to get in his head,” Rick Daugherty said. “There’s always a lot of trash talk, a lot of fun.”
While the Larkins are considered volleyball royalty in Kansas, they were also careful not to force their children into the sport.
Ella Larkin and Riley Daugherty grew up playing other sports and were particularly skilled basketball players. But just like their parents, their love for volleyball was unmatched.
“I always worried about that question: Are you making your kid follow in your footsteps or is this something they really want to do?” Scott Larkin said. “I was so cautious about that, making sure she played all the sports. But Ella has been gung-ho from day one. I’ve never had the drive that she has.”
There is, of course, pressure that comes along when people find out what family they come from. But Ella Larkin and Riley Daugherty both say the benefit of growing up in a volleyball family with the wealth of knowledge that it offers far out-weighed any negative.
“It’s really special because I have my dad who is able to translate everything to me,” Ella Larkin said. “Knowing what he accomplished and he got to such a high level, that’s something hopefully I’ll be able to do too.”
“Whenever I had a question, I could always talk through things with my mom and my uncle,” Riley Daugherty said. “My mom coached me for the longest time and after tournaments, we’d go over what I could have done better. It’s awesome to be able to grow in knowledge and learn the game from them. Honestly, I think that’s why I want to be a coach sometime in the future.”
For Carroll, Ella Larkin and Riley Daugherty have become invaluable to their success this season. Larkin is one of the most versatile players in the state, capable of hitting from the outside or setting, while Daugherty has emerged as one of the top hitters in the area.
That’s what makes Carroll a favorite to make the Class 5A tournament in Salina, along with fellow seniors Caroline Hybl, Tori Brake and Ashton George.
“I love this group of girls and they’re all so awesome,” Riley Daugherty said. “Sometimes there is drama on teams, but everybody on this team gets along so well and we just have a really good time on and off the court. We’re all really good friends and I think that’s important because we play hard for each other when we’re out there.”
And for their families, it’s even more special because it reminds them of when Jennifer, Ella’s mom, and Julie, Riley’s mom, were on two state title teams at Bishop Carroll.
“It truly is amazing to be able to watch them play together,” Julie Daugherty said. “Watching her and Ella play is kind of like Jen and I out there. It’s really special to the family.”
Class 6A sub-states
At Heights: East (11-1), Northwest (10-1), Heights (6-6) and North (6-6).
At Southeast: Derby (20-11), Southeast (6-6), Campus (8-21), South (2-10), West (0-11).
Class 5A sub-states
At Andover Central: Andover (24-5), Newton (21-11), Andover Central (19-11), Emporia (17-10).
At Kapaun Mt. Carmel: Bishop Carroll (20-2), Kapaun Mt. Carmel (13-19), Valley Center (7-21), Arkansas City (2-27).
At Maize: Maize South (26-6), Maize (20-9), Eisenhower (15-15), Goddard (1-26).
Class 4A sub-states
At Circle: McPherson (30-3), Circle (14-10), Augusta (13-12), Rose Hill (8-19), El Dorado (4-24).
At Pratt: Andale (31-2), Buhler (21-9), Nickerson (19-12), Pratt (11-16), Ulysses (13-24).
At Wellington: Clearwater (18-12), Mulvane (9-19), Wellington (9-20), Winfield (3-20).
Class 3A sub-states
At Cheney: Cheney (25-3), Trinity Academy (22-6), Collegiate (17-7), Halstead (23-10), Kingman (13-11), Chaparral (13-12), Douglass (7-16), Haven (5-21).
At Smoky Valley: Smoky Valley (27-2), Rock Creek (25-8), Lyons (17-12), Hesston (14-15), Riley County (13-23), Council Grove (10-18), Southeast-Saline (10-20), Minneapolis (9-19).
Class 2A sub-states
At Garden Plain: Belle Plaine (29-4), Garden Plain (26-7), West Elk (16-6), Sedan (20-14), Bluestem (14-15), Independent (8-21), Conway Springs (5-19), Medicine Lodge (3-22), Cedar Vale-Dexter (2-23).
At Inman: Hillsboro (23-3), Sedgwick (30-5), Inman (25-7), Sterling (17-11), Moundridge (18-12), Remington (14-13), Berean Academy (12-18), Hutch Trinity (9-20).
Class 1A Div. I sub-states
At Little River: Pretty Prairie (23-5), Pratt Skyline (23-7), Norwich (13-11), Goessel (16-16), Little River (16-16), Canton-Galva (7-17), Fairfield (2-17).
At Udall: Udall (25-6), Flinthills (17-12), Central-Burden (10-18), Oxford (7-16), Classical (6-22), Caldwell (1-22).
Class 1A Div. II sub-states
At Burrton: Hutch Central Christian (15-8), Centre (10-11), Elyria Christian (15-17), Burrton (6-22), Peabody-Burns (3-25), Wichita Central Christian (0-13).
At South Barber: Argonia (25-4), Attica (24-6), South Central (26-9), Cunningham (11-10), Ashland (11-21), South Haven (9-19), South Barber (7-20).
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 1:41 PM.
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