Volunteering her services

Robbinsville – In retrospect, the decision was made long ago.

As a Graham County native, Zoie Shuler grew up just on the other side of the mountain from Knoxville, so a love for the Tennessee Volunteers almost came as a birthright.

For two years, Shuler has consistently gave pitchers and batters alike fits in the 1A rankings of high-school softball in North Carolina. Known for swinging a hot bat – and balancing the showcase with speedy, consistent defense – the Lady Knights junior spent the summer garnering a lot of attention with the 16U Carolina Cardinals, a “travel” softball program based in Winston-Salem, which features players from both North Carolina and Virginia.

Enough heads were turned along the way, whether it be the long homers she launched or the fantastic coverage she displayed while fielding the ball. Emails and phone calls began to understandably increase from a trickle to a steady stream.

But in the end, Shuler was left with two choices – and they were not too shabby: SEC powerhouses Alabama and Tennessee.

“I took an official visit to Alabama and I got a call from Karen Weekly (head coach of Volunteers softball). I told her I was going to Alabama and she didn’t want me to go; she wanted me to come to Tennessee first, so I went on a Wednesday,” Shuler explained. “It was awesome. I loved the campus, I loved the girls. The environment felt like Robbinsville.

“She kept asking my dad what could be done to keep me from going to Alabama. We told her we had to go to Alabama, so I wouldn’t ever second-guess myself in the future. Alabama also had a great environment, but when we left, I felt like Tennessee felt more like home. Everybody encourages everybody and the Lady Vols is its own brand, by Pat Summit. It felt like women received more recognition for what they do.”

Her commitment became official with a social-media announcement around noon Oct. 26.

“Tennessee has always been my dream school to go to,” Shuler revealed. “It feels like a big weight has been lifted off me. I feel so much better about it.”

The day Shuler committed, six other schools reached out and questioned why Shuler had not given them a chance. A pair of in-state ACC schools – who shall remain unnamed in this report – pondered how Shuler could ever want to leave North Carolina to play college softball.

But Shuler was quick to note the lack of contact before her announcement.

“After I committed, they realized they messed up,” Shuler observed.

Already named All-Smoky Mountain Conference twice, Shuler also captured the division’s Player of the Year award in 2022. Along with classmate Memory Frapp, she was also named to the N.C. Softball Coaches Association’s 1A All-State roster last season.

Her noteworthy summer included 31 stolen bases, a .380 average and a .660 on-base percentage. She ran a 10.67 home-to-home time while the Cardinals was at a tournament in Denver.

With the Lady Knights, Shuler has a .527 batting average, with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, nine triples, 62 RBI and 37 stolen bases – and her junior season has not even began.

The very definition of a natural athlete, Shuler has dabbled in volleyball, basketball and track throughout her career at Robbinsville – with the latter being where she found the most success away from the diamond.

Thus far, Shuler has three state titles: a 1A/2A indoor track crown in long jump, as well as a pair of 1A championships in the long and triple jump. Collectively, she holds five school records for Robbinsville track, with three individual marks in the long and triple jumps, as well as the 200-meter dash. The other two are as part of the program’s 4x100 and 4x200 collaborations.

Each of the state titles and school records have been collected as a freshman and sophomore.

It is apparent that Shuler can do it all. Hit. Run. Field.

So what is the forecast for her final two years of high school?

“I can keep getting better,” Shuler said. “I can keep working out, getting stronger and be the best I can be.”

Shuler’s collegiate career will play out a scant 78 miles – as the crow flies – from her hometown, at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. The Lady Vols went 41-18 in 2022, advancing to the NCAA Regionals before falling to Oregon State.

It may not exactly be “Rocky Top,” but if early indicators hold true, Shuler will always have a direct link to home in Knoxville – even if it’s a game that not one single fan from Graham County can attend in-person.

“In college, it’s the fastest player on the team plays center field,” Shuler explained. “What really sold me on Tennessee is that when I help with hitting lessons here in Robbinsville, these little girls think I hung the moon. There’s so many girls that have came up to me since I committed and said they’re going to buy a Tennessee shirt now.

“But what’s cool is my dad figured out that if I play center field at Tennessee, I can look straight ahead and that’s Robbinsville. Home is right in front of me.”