NEW ORLEANS – Growing up in Huntersville, N.C., a suburb of Charlotte, Cierra and CJ Huntley did everything together. 

Born on January 6, 2002, the twins have been inseparable ever since and are both NCAA Division I student-athletes at App State. 

“We’ve been close since we were little,” Cierra said. “We always went to the same school and we were in almost all of the same classes. We’re really close, like being around each other and like each other’s company.”

Their closeness, however, didn’t eliminate the competitiveness that often exists between siblings, particularly in athletic families. 

“I’m very competitive; she’s very competitive,” CJ said. “Anything we did growing up, not just on the court. It was anything else we did too, like school work. We were competitive about who got better grades. We both have a competitive mindset and I think that’s what helps us to be the great competitors we are today.”

Their athleticism and competitiveness come honestly as both of their parents were collegiate athletes. Their father, Chris, played basketball at Wingate and remains the school’s second-leading scorer all-time. Their mother, Andrea, was a volleyball and softball player at North Carolina A&T.  Both Cierra and CJ began playing basketball, but both admit Cierra didn’t have a natural tendency for the sport. She chose volleyball, while CJ continued in basketball. 

The twins both see it as a positive - given their competitiveness - that they pursued different sports. 

“I feel like it is,” CJ said. “She, at first, started out playing basketball and wasn’t really that good. Our mom had played volleyball in high school and college, so she wanted to follow what our mom did. She has taken a big step in that sport. I am very excited for her and proud of her. I go to all her games just to support and cheer her on. I push her to be the best she can be.” 

Both were standout athletes at Davidson Day School, a private school in Davidson, N.C., approximately seven miles from their hometown. Cierra, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, was a four-time All-State selection in volleyball and helped her team to state championships in 2016 and 2019. She left as her school’s record-holder in kills and service aces. CJ, a 6-foot-11 forward, helped his team to a state championship as a senior, earning All-State recognition. 

When it came time to make their college decisions, Cierra and CJ chose different paths for the first time in their lives. Cierra signed with Virginia Tech, while CJ decided on App State from the start. 

“The people here love you and support you in anything you do,” CJ said. “Coach [Dustin] Kerns and all of the coaching staff, they just all believe in me and believe in the things I can do to help the team win. Off the court, they encourage me in the classroom and to be the best person I can be all the time.”

Cierra chose to go to Virginia Tech, where she competed for two seasons. While they were headed in different directions, Cierra and CJ held a joint signing day at Davidson Day – an event neither of them will ever forget. 

“It was awesome,” Cierra said. “We sat beside each other and our parents had shirts that were Virginia Tech and App State together. It was a great experience.”

CJ agreed, recognizing the support and encouragement that their parents have provided over the years. 

“It was pretty cool just seeing the way we push each other every day and seeing how it came to life,” he said. “We’ve always just wanted to play our specific sport in college. My parents pushed us every day growing up and wanted us to get in the position we are now. It’s a blessing to see us both compete at a high level now.” 

In the summer before their freshman seasons, the nation shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two were unable to train with their teammates and coaches before going off to college. But, fortunately, they have a court in their backyard and spent countless hours helping each other get better. 

“We have a basketball/volleyball court in our backyard,” CJ said. “During COVID, we were there almost every day when it wasn’t raining. She was on one side working on volleyball, I was on the other working on basketball. That encouragement just helped us focus even more.”

“I would practice volleyball and sometimes he would be my blocker and I’d sneak around him,” Cierra said. “And then I would rebound for him while he was working on his shot. It was really cool.”

While the two were finding their way as college student-athletes, being apart proved challenging. 

“That was the first time we’d been away from each other,” Cierra said. “It was really hard. We were used to always being around each other and seeing each other at school. We weren’t able to do that anymore, but we would FaceTime every night.”

While the distance was difficult, CJ believes that the two years the pair spent on their own helped them grow as people. 

“It was something we had to get used to,” CJ said. “It just made us stronger and we grew up a little bit more. We had always been together, been in class together and been at the same school our whole lives. But I was always checking up on her and we talked every day while she was at Virginia Tech.”

Cierra had seen limited playing time in her first two seasons at Virginia Tech and was seeking something different after the 2021 campaign. While looking through photos on her phone, she realized where her next stop would be. 

“I was just looking for a better opportunity,” Cierra said. “App is closer to home and it would be better for our family. They could take one trip instead of two. I realized that when I went to visit, I would always take pictures of App and the campus, and I didn’t realized how much I loved it until I came back on my official visit.”

Their careers at App State have gone in an upward trajectory. As a sophomore in 2021-22, CJ started 18 games and contributed 200 points and 113 rebounds on the year. In her first year on the volleyball squad in 2022, Cierra started 14 matches and recorded double-digit digs on seven occasions. 

“I absolutely love it,” Cierra said of App State. “Volleyball is going really well and I actually like all of my classes.” 

More importantly, the two have been able to see each other on a daily basis, helping each other through the challenge of being Division I student-athletes at App State. 

“We talk every day,” CJ said. “Just talking about how our days went and pushing each other to do our very best at what we’ve been struggling it. She’s been watching me play and teaching me some things I need to do. It’s a competitive thing – we want to push each other to be the very best.”

While the two never could have imagined that they’d be side-by-side pursuing careers as Division I athletes, they are enjoying every minute of the experience. 

“It’s crazy,” Cierra said. “I’m really grateful that this happened and for us to end up at the same school. I never would have thought that after graduating high school. It’s really a blessing.”