GREENSBORO, N.C. - Since arriving on UNCG's campus in the fall of 2016, graduating senior Kylie Bouplon has cemented herself as one of the most reliable arms on the Spartan softball roster, but has done more than just succeed in the circle. An All-American Scholar-Athlete, Bouplon is turning her hard work and determination toward her goal of becoming a lawyer in the state of North Carolina.

Despite her senior year being cut short due to the global pandemic caused by covid-19, Bouplon is ready to move to the next level in her professional career by continuing her post-graduate education in law. The graduating senior plans to pursue a masters degree from Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in Raleigh, N.C. this approaching semester, after receiving her Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Sociology and concentration in Criminology. 

"I have been interested in attending law school ever since my sophomore year, after reading a book called Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson," says Bouplon. "This book highlighted some of the ways in which the justice system is not that just, and it broke my heart to read what was happening. I knew I wanted to become a lawyer to do my part in helping fix the problems in our current justice system."

After talking with the Spartan right-hander for even a few moments, it's clear what values Bouplon holds closest. Growing up in Winston-Salem, the former Forsyth Country Day graduate extols her home state and the weight she places on holding onto the family environment she experienced at her undergraduate program.

"...I knew I wanted to practice law in North Carolina and with Campbell's location in Raleigh, I felt I would have some great connections upon passing the bar," Bouplon explains. "I also visited Campbell and was struck by how everything felt like a family environment. Instead of a competitive and individual atmosphere, it was an atmosphere more focused on community where people were willing to help each other no matter what. That sense of community is what I was really looking for in a law school."

That familial atmosphere is something that Bouplon and her teammates developed over her four years in Greensboro, and while the graduating Spartan has 83 appearances for UNCG over her career, she commends that she best remembers the time that she spent with her teammates off the field more than anything else.

"I am going to miss my teammates," says Bouplon. "They are the best, and I love every single one of them. One of my favorite parts of every season was getting to spend time with my team in-season while we were on the road and playing all the time. Road trips were always so much fun. My teammates are really what made my experience at UNCG so rewarding, and I know they will always be my friends and have my back."

The Triad-native arrived on the UNCG campus in 2016, making an instant impact in her first year in a Spartan uniform, taking 30 trips to the circle in the 2017 campaign. Her 94.2 innings pitched were second on the UNCG roster that year, striking out 70 with a .285 batting average against. In 2018 the Spartans secured 46 wins and returned to the NCAA Championship Tournament for the first time since 1997, before Bouplon had her breakout season in 2019. As a junior, the righty threw 11 complete games, while holding an ERA of 3.51 and striking out 86. Her ERA ranked fifth in the Southern Conference as the Spartans clinched their third straight SoCon Regular Season title. 

"... As a freshman, I'll be honest, I was a little scared because all my life I had heard how hard it was to be a student-athlete. I was timid because I was worried it would be too hard," says Bouplon. "But now, I have a lot of confidence in myself and the work I am capable of doing. Being at UNCG has given me the confidence to embrace challenges and grow as a person from those challenges. I know I can do anything I set my mind to."

Bouplon's development extended beyond the playing field however as she continued to excel in the classroom, seeing her name included on UNCG's Dean's List and Chancellor's list in each of the first three years she attended the university. 

"[In my freshman year] I struggled to find that balance between school, softball, and friends," she says. "Once you find the balance of homework and time with teammates and friends however, it is hard to forget how to balance those things. I was also challenged with my mental game and was not fully confident in myself when I played. I started getting help with my mental game and it changed everything. I was confident and was having more success because of my mental preparation. That mental part of the game is just as important in sports as the physical!"

"... Softball challenged me to be a consistent teammate and to take challenges as growing opportunities. I went from someone who was not sure of herself to someone who knew they had what it takes to pull out a win from behind or to get three outs with bases loaded. These lessons carry into everyday life and I will always be grateful for the opportunity softball provided me in developing as a person."

After graduating in May, Bouplon will forgo her extra year of eligibility to extend her academic career in Raleigh, as she hopes to take the things she's learned during her time at UNCG to the next level of her professional career.. 

"At UNCG I made lifelong friends, figured out my path and what I wanted to do in life, and enjoyed playing softball with the best people around."

--UNCG–