Boise State’s “gothlete” reflects on athletics and academics

After junior visual arts major Nora Hayd finishes two hours of beach volleyball practice every day, the sand on the court is wiped clean before the next session. All those hours of practice and strength training are invisible when Hayd competes, but they decide everything on the court.

The same is true for Hayd's art. Viewers who see one of her paintings on display at Boise State's Center for the Visual Arts will see only the finished product, and not the hours of deliberation and refinement that went into it.

Hayd first made waves in late 2024 when she went viral on social media as Boise State's "goth volleyball player." She sat for interviews with The New York Times and The Today Show. Over a year later, that fame still shapes her experience at Boise State, where people recognize her on campus and around town. "It's always a great interaction," Hayd said. "Really sweet."

But fame is only a small part of Hayd's campus life. Off the court, she is a visual arts major in the School of the Arts. Her emphasis is on drawing and painting with a self-described "horror" vibe, but the expansive program and cutting-edge facilities in the Center for the Visual Arts have given her creative opportunities that cross disciplines.

"It's gorgeous," Hayd said of the visual arts building, the sleek metal-and-glass structure on Capitol Blvd. It was an immediate draw when she was considering where to enroll. "I actually went on three separate visits here just to tour the art building more."

The Center for the Visual Arts offers students a ripe workspace to explore inspiration. For Hayd, that includes her favorite, oil painting, and a variety of other mediums that she balances with her rigorous athletics schedule.

"The space is incredible," she said. "I have an incredible view and the studio hours allow me to come in and work any time."

Art and sport come together in Hayd's signature makeup style, which she shows off to varying degrees at beach volleyball matches. She sees a little of herself in other athletes with similar aesthetics.

"I just did an interview with [Australian basketball player] Caitlin Cunningham," Hayd said. "She talked about her 'war paint' because she's also an alternative athlete."

Hayd plans to graduate next year in spring 2027. That's still a long way off for a Boise State athlete who takes things day-by-day, but the visual arts program is doing plenty to prepare her for a creative career after graduation.

"I can see myself doing something with marketing, where I'm designing something with digital art," she said. "I just love the process and exploring. I can see myself doing that the rest of my life."

Beach volleyball season is already in full swing. Hayd is heading to Los Angeles the weekend of Feb. 27 for the Battle of LA, and her athletics will take her all over the country this spring. That experience will compliment her creative work here at Boise State.

"Playing volleyball and being creative, for beach [volleyball] specifically, they're extremely related," she said. "There's so much freedom in how you play to your strengths and your weaknesses."

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