Coryn Fields has become the player Madison High School can count on most this season.
The Energy Institute High School student, who plays volleyball for Madison because her magnet school does not offer athletics, leads the team in kills per set (3.5), kills (106), blocks (25), and hitting percentage (3.333), according to the MaxPreps website.
But Fields’ impact extends beyond the court. As a senior captain, she is leading Madison while preparing for the next chapter at Alabama State University, where she plans to play volleyball and study engineering.
“My ability to lead Madison in stats starts with how Coach Lockhart has built a team that believes in playing for each other,” said Fields. “My setters, Sara De Guia and Morgan Woodard, do a very good job at feeding me the ball at multiple positions on the court. For me, discipline in training directly translates to being able to perform on the court. Maintaining that standard helps me stay efficient in all areas of my game, especially my hitting percentage.”
“She has a strong approach, accurate contact, and is consistent with tracking the ball and court awareness,” said Madison head volleyball coach Tiffany Lockhart. “As a blocker, she has good timing, reads the hitter, good footwork, and strong hand positioning.”
Fields’ production is the result of years spent developing her game outside her high school.
“Starting sports early taught me to put academics first and manage my time intentionally,” said Fields. “While it has been a challenge, balancing rigorous coursework with year-round volleyball, plus my extracurricular commitments, pushes me to stay organized and disciplined.”
Fields attends Energy Institute High School, but because her school doesn’t offer sports, she is permitted to play volleyball for her zoned school, Madison.
Fields’ love for volleyball began early, with her opportunity to play club volleyball starting in seventh grade.
“Playing club volleyball pushed me to grow in every part of my game,” said Fields. “Competing at the national level exposed me to the best athletes in the country, which helped me develop a deeper understanding of the sport and a higher skill standard.”
Being surrounded by that caliber of talent challenged Fields to elevate her consistency, discipline, and competitiveness, giving her the confidence to prove to herself that she belonged at that level of play.
“Coryn has gone from learning and adjusting to becoming a complete player and leader,” said Lockhart.
While Fields has continued to develop as a volleyball player, she has also made academic achievement a central part of her high school career.
Fields serves as Madison’s team captain and earned All-Academic and First-Team honors in her sophomore and junior seasons, an achievement she hopes to repeat in her senior season.
“Being a captain in my senior season gives me the opportunity to leave a meaningful impact on our program while helping younger players grow their volleyball IQ,” said Fields. “My natural leadership style is leading by example, building team cohesion, and communicating consistently. This year, my goal is to guide our team to a district championship and push past the first round of the playoffs.”
That combination of academic ambition and athletic success shaped Fields’ college search, as she targeted schools with strong engineering programs before ultimately committing to Alabama State.
Fields wants to study Biomedical or Civil Engineering, making a strong engineering program an important factor in her college decision. Attending a STEM-focused high school has strengthened her interest in engineering, and she wants a college that will provide a solid foundation for her career after volleyball.
“Being a captain in my senior season gives me the opportunity to leave a meaningful impact on our program while helping younger players grow their volleyball IQ,” said Coryn Fields.
“Coach Penny Lucas-White, Coach Madison (Beasley), and Coach Candace (Martin) have built a program that is both highly competitive and genuinely welcoming,” said Fields. “What ultimately made me feel it was the right fit is how strongly they support being a student first. With me majoring in a very demanding degree, their emphasis on academic balance and personal growth really stood out.”
Alabama State checked two important boxes for Fields, but her campus visit gave her an even clearer picture of what her future there could look like.
“During my visit, I was able to meet with the Director of the College of Engineering directly,” said Fields. “I had already researched the program beforehand, but being able to ask detailed questions and get a clearer understanding of the classes, expectations, and overall structure of the major made a huge difference. Hearing how much the program has grown, expanding enough to upsize its facilities twice, showed me that ASU is investing in engineering and creating opportunities for students.”
The Alabama State University engineering program aligned with Fields’ career interests, while the volleyball program offered the competitive environment she wanted. With both sides of her future taking shape.
“I’m looking forward to connecting with my new teammates, building real chemistry, and contributing to a program that values hard work and family,” said Fields. “Academically, I’m excited to pursue a challenging engineering degree that will prepare me for my career after volleyball. The way Alabama State brings together strong academics, competitive volleyball, and a community that feels genuinely supportive makes me confident it’s where I’m meant to be.”
Lockhart believes Fields’ preparation has put her in a strong position for the next level.
“Alabama State is getting an academic scholar, strong work ethic, solid technical skills, mental toughness, and a solid foundation player,” said Lockhart.
Fields has already demonstrated that she can excel as a volleyball player and a student. Now she is preparing to take those same qualities, including leadership, discipline, and ambition, to Alabama State, where volleyball and engineering will become part of the same future.
