It’s rare to see a pair of siblings in the same sport. It’s even rarer to see a pair of siblings on the same team. But rarest of all are two star siblings on the same team, and that’s exactly what NC State softball has in senior infielder Taylor Ensley and her sister, sophomore outfielder Tori Ensley.

The Wolfpack hit the jackpot with the Ensley family. Hailing from nearby Franklin, North Carolina, Taylor made a name for herself in high school, winning three conference championships and being named a two-time NCSCA District Player of the Year. One of the most highly touted players in the state, Taylor’s collegiate choice was simple.

“When I first came to NC State, it just felt like a family,” Taylor said. “It felt like home. They were also looking at Tori at the time, which really piqued my interest because there was an opportunity that me and my sister could play college softball together.”

As Taylor began her freshman season with the Pack, Tori continued to dominate at Franklin High School, living up to the family name by taking home both the 2022 Conference and District Player of the Year awards and making High School OT’s top 25 watch list. Much like her sister, Tori quickly became one of the most impressive players in the state, and when commitment season came around, the choice was clear.

“Me and her are best friends,” Tori said. “I knew I wanted to be close to her no matter what school it was and it worked out that the coaches were interested in me as well. I don’t think it could’ve played out any better.”

Chemistry is one of the most important things in sports. It determines how well you work together as a team. It determines morale, motivation and unification. Teammate chemistry separates good teams from great teams, and what chemistry could be stronger than that of a blood bond?

Whenever Taylor makes a big play at-bat, you can always see her younger sister loudly cheering from the dugout. And whenever Tori makes a big play in the field, you can always see big sis cheering close by, as if she was the one who made the play. Their bond is so strong that they feel better watching the other make a huge play than making the big play themselves.

“We’re competitive, but we are also just proud of each other,” Tori said. “It’s never to the point where we’re jealous of one another. We’re always just lifting each other up and we feed off each other’s energy. It’s like we’re unstoppable. I think it’s really cool because everyone else is really close on the team, but we’ve got a blood bond and I think that’s really unique.”

“Tori played with me my whole life,” Taylor said. “Whenever we take the field, all I can see is that little girl running out there that was always smaller than everyone else, but she’s out there beating every person. Going out there and making the plays that she does, I have so much pride in the fact that my little sister is out here with me.”

But it’s not just their sisterly bond that makes them special. The Ensleys are the real deal and have become anchors for this Wolfpack team in their own separate ways. While both finished in the top five in batting average last season, Taylor’s experience at the collegiate level has made her a much bigger threat in the batter’s box, closing the 2024 season with a .333 batting average, the third-best on the team. Not only that, but Taylor recorded 50 hits, 30 runs and 11 home runs — no worse than third in every category.

“It’s exciting knowing how much work she’s put in all of her life,” Tori said. “She’s just grown so much in her confidence and it’s awesome to see her dreams coming to life.”

While Tori was a threat from the batter’s box with a .268 batting average, she proved to be one of the best outfielders in the ACC just as a freshman. She tallied 76 putouts in left field and finished the season with a perfect fielding percentage. Tori turned left field into a no-fly zone, quickly becoming known for diving catches and home run robberies, constantly making highlight-worthy plays game after game.

“She does that all the time,” Taylor said. “Diving catches and crazy hits. Seeing Tori do well, I feel better about that than when I do well. I’ve watched her since she was four or five years old out there with a glove and a bat when the bat was so big that it was swinging her. It’s just so fulfilling because I’ve seen how hard she’s worked for her whole life.”

When asked about their favorite moments as teammates, the sisters reminisced on some of their best moments on the field, but Tori took a different route when asked about her big sister.

“One of my favorite memories with Taylor isn’t even on the field,” Tori said. “She was just getting back from her hip injury and she started running for the first time. I just thought that was awesome to see her being grateful for the little things, remembering that she can walk and run again and not feel pain when she’s playing softball. Knowing that her final season of softball, she’s gonna be playing pain-free and get to leave it all out there.”

The sisters play with such a love for each other and the game of softball, and it directly translates to the locker room. The energy is contagious. Win or lose, their love for each other is evident in everything they do.

“I don’t know anyone who loves me as much as Taylor does,” Tori said. “Knowing that I have someone that’s never going to turn their back on me and always root for me even when I’m not doing well, she’s my number one fan.”

Just the second sister duo in program history, the Ensleys have made their mark on NC State softball, but aren’t done yet. As Taylor heads into her senior season, the sisters have one final season together and have high aspirations for the year. Under second-year head coach Lindsay Leftwich, the team is ready to shoot for the stars.

“I think that the next couple years with the way we’ve been building and developed habits, it’s gonna show up on the field, especially this year,” Taylor said. “Last year, I feel like we were trying to rush it because we only got so much time with Coach Lindsay. But I feel like all the habits have formed and that we’re gonna be great this year.”

Few things can be guaranteed in collegiate sports, but you can be sure to see the Ensley sisters suit up in the red-and-white, leave it all on the field and enjoy every second of it. Together.