Standing alongside teammates, senior Carter Mirabal opens his letter from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, turning a casual day of volleyball into a moment he had been working toward for years. Nearby, Mirabal’s close friend, Tommy Spalding, shares in the anticipation of what could be a life-changing outcome for him. For both athletes, the path to one of the most prestigious universities in the country was shaped by years of balancing academics, athletics and friendship—something their teammate Vaughan Flaherty would soon understand firsthand.
It’s extremely rare for three starting athletes to be admitted to the same prestigious institution simultaneously. According to a report by the LA Times, the odds of three best friends from the same sports team achieving this together are considered “astronomical”. While this accomplishment was unexpected, it had also been in the works for years.
“[Volleyball] is something that’s easy to keep doing,” Spalding said. “It’s not too hard on your body, and compared to most sports, it’s way more accessible. We’re at the beach all the time, and it’s so easy to bring a volleyball and play because there are courts everywhere, especially in Hermosa.”
Mirabal’s connection to volleyball began early. He started his club career at just nine years old, and was influenced by his father’s involvement as a coach. Flaherty, however, found the sport later on.
“I started volleyball in eighth grade because my PE coach told me to try out,” Flaherty said. “A lot of my friends were on the team, and I just liked it more than the other sports I had played.”
Similar to his teammates, Flaherty had played other sports growing up. According to Flaherty, volleyball stood out because of its energetic and very competitive environment.
“I played football and basketball, but volleyball just felt different,” Flaherty said. “The team culture is way more positive, and the coaches at Redondo really helped me enjoy the game.”
According to Mirabal, the hardest part about balancing academics and athletics wasn’t just the workload itself, but switching his mental focus.
“My brain will just get fatigued after doing homework for a long time,” Mirabal said. “It’s hard to go straight into a game and perform at your best when you’ve been mentally drained all day.”
Flaherty faced similar challenges, especially with the scheduling demands of a full season. Balancing long school days with intense practices and frequent games often left Flaherty minimal time to recover, both physically and mentally.
“Late practices and games keep me up later than I would want,” Flaherty said. “After a game, you’re still amped up, and it’s hard to fall asleep, on top of all the time commitment.”
Spalding also took on additional responsibilities during volleyball season. Through coaching younger players, he added another layer of commitment to his workload.
“[Coaching younger players] added extra hours during the week and tournaments on the weekend,” Spalding said. “It made it really difficult to get enough sleep and still get all my work done.”
Both athletes pushed through the challenges of athletic and academic pressures. Their efforts eventually led them to MIT, and according to the students, the achievement still feels surreal.
“I was planning on opening the decision by myself, just in case I got rejected,” Mirabal said. “But I ended up opening it with my friends, and when I saw I got in, I was super stoked.”
As Mirabal and Spalding celebrated their acceptances, Flaherty shared the excitement with them, not expecting the same outcome for himself. He believed that there was no chance that all three of them got in and started doubting his acceptance even more.
“It was so cool when Tommy and Carter got in,” Flaherty said. “We joked about how crazy it would be if all three of us got in, but I didn’t think it would actually happen. I was kind of just in disbelief. I didn’t think I had much of a shot, so it didn’t feel real at first.”
Mirabal described the experience as both exciting and overwhelming, particularly while waiting to see if his teammates would join him in admission.
We were all just yelling and scrambling to call each other,” Spalding said. “It took a minute to actually process what had just happened.”
All three athletes described moments of doubt during junior year, especially when academic pressure intensified. They were nervous that one bad grade could ruin their future.
“I definitely had some doubts when classes got harder,” Mirabal said. “I started thinking, ‘What if I get a B?’ I was worried about how that might affect my future.”
Given the insanely low acceptance rate Flaherty was feeling doubtful .Additionally, seeing that two of his teammates were accepted, Flaherty realized that his chances of getting in were lower.
“I don’t think I would have gotten here without my friends and family,” Flaherty said. “Being around people who push you makes a huge difference.”
According to Mirabal, consistency over time was key to reaching his goal of playing collegiate volleyball, which he had set in eighth grade. Spalding credited his father and coach, while Flaherty emphasized the role of his community.
Mirabal plans to continue playing volleyball while exploring mechanical engineering and possibly business. Spalding also plans to study mechanical engineering, with interests in developing firefighting technology. Flaherty hopes to explore engineering or computer science, taking advantage of MIT’s flexibility.
“I’m really excited to meet new people and experience something completely different,” Flaherty said. “It’s a new chapter, and I’m ready to see where it takes me.”
According to all three students, leaving behind Redondo Beach, their teammates and the routines they’ve built won’t be easy. But the bond they formed through volleyball—and the shared journey that led them to MIT—will remain.
“I’m excited to be around other driven people who have big goals,” Mirabal said. “[I want to] be able to make connections and do something meaningful.”
