Set Up for Success

First round of the conference playoffs. On the road, in a loud, intense environment. Win and advance. Lose and go home.

Those were the stakes on the memorable November day in 2023 when the Suffolk University women’s volleyball team pulled off a dramatic five-set victory over Gordon College in Wenham.

“That was my favorite moment in my entire volleyball career,” says senior Jayla Martinez, who has been playing the sport since third grade. “I was so proud of the way my teammates and I stuck together in a back-and-forth match and got the win on their court.”

Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Martinez was looking to “get out of my comfort zone and make a new start” when it came time for college. She chose Suffolk for its Boston location, academic reputation, and the opportunity to continue playing volleyball.

For the past four years, Martinez has made a name herself on the court, highlighted by her 1,723 career assists and helping her team to three consecutive winning seasons. As the team’s setter, she is responsible for running the team’s offense and setting up her teammates with perfect passes, just like a football quarterback.

“You need to be level-headed and make split-second decisions of where the ball has to go,” she says.

“Jayla has a great knowledge of the game,” says Head Coach Scott Blanchard. “As a setter, she has to make sure all her teammates are on the same page, like an extension of me as a coach on the court. She is also very productive under pressure and always encourages her teammates in a positive way.”

For Martinez, those teammates have become a second family who helped Boston feel like home, she says. “Even though we all have different personalities, we do things together and have found friendships through volleyball.”

Last spring and summer, Martinez, a political science major and Dean’s List student, completed an academic internship at The Washington Center, where she studied US foreign policy and worked for a DC public relations agency, conducting research and writing press releases.

“This was my first official job, and it helped me learn proper office etiquette in a professional work environment,” she says. “I made really good connections while there and have reached out to them for advice since then.”

Martinez, who will graduate with both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a paralegal certificate, plans to stay in the Boston area and work as a paralegal before applying to law school. She describes her experience as a Suffolk student-athlete with pride and gratitude.

“Suffolk was the right choice for me,” she says. “I had the best of both worlds.”