NC State softball sisters relish one last chance to play together in college
It’s not uncommon for teammates to call each other “sisters.” Duke women’s basketball is known for its “sisterhood” mantra. Former N.C. State basketball guards Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James refer to each other as twins.
But two N.C. State softball players really are sisters — Taylor and Tori Ensley comprise one of 15 sister duos playing together in Division I softball this year — and they are taking every second of a final season together on the diamond.
“You think of your teammates as family and sisters or brothers, but it’s really nice to have, an actual sister out there,” Taylor said. “You know they’re definitely rooting for you all the time.”
Soon, the sisters’ two-year run of playing college softball together will end. Taylor, 22, is a senior, and will finish her collegiate softball career this season. Tori, 20, is a sophomore and has two years of eligibility remaining — but any remaining time she has with the Wolfpack will be without her sister.
Taylor said last year her favorite memories of Tori’s freshman season at N.C. State were all of Tori’s “firsts”: first hit, first home run, first big defensive play.
Now, they’re celebrating the same accomplishments, but as “lasts”: last on-field celebration, last diving catches, last home runs. Both of them face a major change with Taylor graduating, and they’re trying to acknowledge and cherish each other and the moments they’ve been given.
“Those things, being able to be right beside her in the dugout instead of in the stands next year,” Taylor said. “This is the best experience I could ever ask for. The best two years of my college career have been with Tori.”
‘I wanted to be close to her’
During the Ensleys’ journey to N.C. State, Tori’s recruitment and Taylor’s lived experience playing a key role in each other’s decision to join the Wolfpack.
Taylor recalls the previous coaching staff evaluating her and Tori when they were high school recruits. She wanted to play softball at a major program, and she wanted to do it alongside her sister, if possible, and N.C. State felt like the best fit.
Tori, meanwhile, considered all of her options, because she wanted to carve her own path. But Taylor’s experience at N.C. State sealed the deal.
“I knew I wanted to be close to her, depending on what schools were interested in me,” Tori said. “I was really excited about that. Since she came here, I was familiar with the coaches and the campus and the players, and I just fell in love with it.”
Franklin, North Carolina, has about 4,300 people, and not many have been athletes who’ve earned scholarships to Division I schools. The Ensleys feel blessed for the opportunity, and to have community members travel for their games.
“A lot of people from bigger towns don’t get that,” Tori said. “I think that’s really unique, and keeps us pushing on.”
Their parents, Kim and Todd, said it’s been special to watch their daughters play together in college, watching their daughters’ progression over the years.
Kim Ensley admitted the family wasn’t certain Tori would choose the Wolfpack and was relieved when she did. From the time Taylor turned 12, Kim and Todd spent years separated on weekends as they drove each child to her respective travel games.
The past two seasons have been easier. With the exception of some of the midweek games, the Ensleys have been in the stands nearly every weekend. It’s nice, and less expensive, to see their daughters thrive alongside each other — whether hitting home runs in the same game, going back-to-back in the batting order, or holding camps for younger kids.
“They just love each other so much, and they’re best friends,” Kim Ensley said. “It’s been so awesome just watching them play together this whole time.”
Growth and gratitude
Tori Ensley walked toward the visitor’s dugout at UNC in Chapel Hill on April 18 after grounding into a double play to end the sixth inning. She stopped in front of Taylor, who was second in the batting order, to discuss what she saw from Tar Heels pitching and defense during her at-bat.
Leading off the seventh, Taylor hit a solo home run over the left field fence, giving N.C. State a one-run lead. Tori stood with their teammates at home plate to celebrate what became the game-winning hit.
The sisters believe being part of the Wolfpack helped them improve as players, and doing it together made them even better. They have a unique relationship that they don’t necessarily have with anyone else on the roster. (No, they don’t argue, but the team likes to joke about their quips back and forth.)
When Taylor returned from hip surgery last summer, the senior couldn’t walk. She didn’t hit a ball until the fall; Tori was by her side for all of it.
The opposite has also been true: Taylor supported Tori last season as Tori navigated the transition to college ball.
“It’s just given me a sense of boldness and comfort having Taylor out there,” Tori said. “I know whenever I give full effort or I’m struggling, she’s gonna hold me accountable or she’s gonna encourage me. I think that pushes me to my fullest, and it’s contagious to everyone on the team.”
While outsiders primarily see the Ensleys’ growth from an athletic standpoint — Taylor has become the team leader in hits (51), Tori is the leading base stealer (12), and they’re also both hitting above .300 — the deepening of their personal faith has been the most special area of improvement, because they have come to see themselves as more than athletes.
“We’ve seen them grow in their faith, because they’ve got a good church family and they’ve got Athletes in Action,” Kim Ensley said. “And, they’ve grown as athletes, for sure. We owe it to the coaches, and we really appreciate what they’ve done with them.”
Person growth translated to less pressure — they stopped letting results define them — and better performances. Every day allows them to get better, put forth their best effort and show gratitude for the opportunities they have. Putting their value less into runs and hits has actually led to more.
N.C. State head coach Lindsay Leftwich said the Ensleys have made each other better, but they also make the team better. She said the sisters bring positivity to the team, constantly searching to celebrate the smallest things.
“They’re so good at celebrating every tiny thing, and when they do that together, collectively, it makes everyone around them better,” Leftwich said. “They’re gonna celebrate that you tied your shoes correctly, you know? That’s something that is innately in you. It’s something that has made me better, made me more grateful, and made me see the positives in everything, too. I think they’ve done that not just for me but for everyone around them.”
‘Be themselves together’
The Ensleys are alike in a lot of ways, but part of their success comes from embracing their differences, too.
“It’s important to not compare ourselves, because Taylor and I, we’re on the same team, and we’ve gotten this far, but we’ve had our separate journeys,” Tori said. “We have our different styles, and I think that’s what makes us interesting. It’s not so fun being the same person.”
Tori internalizes shortcomings and mistakes, Leftwich said, and immediately focuses on getting back to work. Taylor pushes off failure in a more casual, lighter way. Imperfection doesn’t bother her the same way it once did.
Leftwich said the sisters both have the same goals, but their mental approaches are not. In other situations, the opposite is true. Taylor may be more serious — she can command the dugout — and Tori is more laid back. That’s something the Wolfpack has come to appreciate.
“It’s really neat to watch them be themselves together and not just be like, ‘Oh, you’re Taylor’s little sister,’ or, ‘You’re Tori’s big sister,’” Leftwich said. “It’s like, ‘You’re Taylor and you’re Tori. You’re both headed in the right direction, and you’re both yourself at the same time.’”
End of the ‘Ensleys’ era
Taylor and Tori stood near the dugout at Dail Softball Stadium on Friday, the sun beginning to set. Their white uniforms were dotted with clumps of red dirt and their eyes held a glint of admiration and appreciation as they talked about their relationship and what the sport has meant to them over the past 15 years. They’re closing a special period of their lives; on the precipice of a completely new one.
N.C. State honored its seniors, including Taylor, over the weekend. It has one more series — on the road at Auburn — to close the regular season. Things will be different next season, but they’ll both face their new opportunities with the same tenacity that they’ve approached every other challenge.
Yes, it’s sad knowing they won’t play softball together anymore, but there’s comfort, too. They’ll always be part of the Wolfpack. And, more importantly, they’ll always be sisters.
“I think not only is she gonna affect me in future years,” Tori said, “but she’s gonna affect every single young person that comes to this team.”
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
