MURFREESBORO, N.C. - Larkin Best is not just your average student-athlete at Chowan. While Larkin shares in many similar experiences as her Chowan peers, Larkin is part of a rare squad. It's not unusual to have other brothers and sisters, but it is highly unusual to have four babies that were all born on the same day. That's right. Larkin Best is a quadruplet. She is a member of a special quad-squad that is so rare that only about 3% of babies born in the United States are quadruplet sets. In 2024, nearly 3.7 million babies were born in the United States and of those births, only about 121 represented quad baby sets. In life, the chances of meeting twins is high, and in some cases, crossing the path of triplets may be in the cards. But meeting a quadruplet is a rare occurrence. Having a member of this elite squad on Chowan's campus this fall is a remarkable occurrence worthy of documenting. 

From the beginning, the color blue is what set Larkin Best apart from the others. As a baby Larkin's blue eyes are what set her apart. It's how her family could tell the difference between her and her siblings. Of the four, Larkin is the only one born with blue eyes. Eighteen years later, the color blue is setting her apart for another reason. Every day since August 14th, Larkin has been suiting up in the Chowan Blue, setting her apart from the multitude of other athletes who didn't continue their athletic playing careers past high school graduation. 

Larkin's parents, Glenn and Jane Best, found out at the gender reveal ultrasound appointment at about 18 weeks that they would need to prepare for not one, not two, not three, but a four pack of Best babies. "My husband was more calm about it which was needed since my reaction was immediate tears," said Larkin's mom, Jane. "Preparation was non-existent until the babies were born. I was put on rest at home shortly after finding out we were pregnant and then put on bed rest in the hospital at 22 weeks." 

After two months in the hospital, Jane and Glenn welcomed four babies. All healthy. Three girls and one boy, all born at 30 weeks. "Our church, family, and friends were phenomenal in supporting us." 

Jane and Glenn set about to create order and routine with four babies to care for. "I made a spreadsheet to track feedings and oxygen intakes, naps, and diaper changes," said Jane. "This was kept in a binder to make sure we didn't miss anything. We strived to keep everyone on the same schedule and there were no on-demand feedings." 

As the children grew, so did their own unique personalities. The Best quads are fraternal. This means that each of them looks different and developed as individuals. "As they got older, they did not want to dress alike," Jane said. "When we introduced them to things like dance and sports, they were all signed up. Dance didn't last very long. All of them are very competitive individuals and sports in general was more appealing to them." 

Sports seems like a great place to land for all four kids since they literally have been competing for space, food, and attention from their days in the womb. Ever the organized mom, Jane went to work on her spreadsheets again. "School teams and travel teams meant we had to get organized again. Games for multiple teams were on a spreadsheet and we would ensure that either a parent or grandparent could always be there." 

"Honestly, I feel like their main goal was to keep us as busy as possible so we didn't get ourselves in trouble," said Larkin. "They always tried to make sure we could get to as much as we could. My parents would split up and take whoever needed to go one way and whoever else needed to go another way. I will say that we ran them in all different directions of the earth and it feels like it hasn't stopped."

All four Best children had storied high school careers both academically and athletically. The oldest, Eben, and the youngest, Haley, made a break from the pack as juniors in high school when each applied and were accepted into the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham. Eben is now studying Animal Science at North Carolina State University while Haley signed to continue her soccer career at Coastal Carolina while studying Exercise Science. 

The middle of the pack, Larkin and Cadence, stayed in Clinton, North Carolina where they excelled in a variety of sports and extracurricular activities at Clinton High School. Cadence was accepted into UNC-Chapel Hill and is studying Radiological Sciences. And Larkin, the blue eyed, four-sport athlete, signed to play soccer at Chowan University where another blue sets her apart from her siblings. 

No close family likes to be separated, and for the Bests that's no different. The day would come when all four knew that each would have to forge their own paths away from home. "We all knew once we graduated that we would start taking different paths," said Larkin. "We all spent a lot of time with each other this summer trying to prepare for it (seperation). I am the more emotional one of the four and it hit me kind of hard. It still is hard to know that they aren't just one door down and I can't just go jump on their beds and bother them."

While distance may keep them from being together as often as they want to be right now, Larkin says they make sure to check in. "I try to make sure I text them every day and call each of them at least once a week. With me and Haley both playing college soccer, I feel like I talk to her a little more than the others because we understand what each other is going through on the field." 

Larkin appreciates that each of the quads has different personalities and unique interests. "As we got into high school, we all started to find our own paths, whether that was a sport, clubs, friends, or even academically.  Haley is a phenomenal reader and also excels in math which led her to get ahead in math courses early.  Cadence decided to step away from soccer and focus on volleyball, while also being heavily involved in our health science club. Eben is also extremely smart.  He can do anything he puts his mind to if we are being honest.  In high school, he devoted his time to soccer while also trying to be in the band and on the track team in the spring."

Larkin's love for her siblings overflows when she speaks about them, but Jane couldn't help but to point out what makes Larkin unique. "If I am telling you something interesting about Larkin, I am going to go with her perseverance," said Jane. "Larkin tore her ACL playing soccer at the end of Junior year.  She was devastated.  Knowing she would miss her senior travel season she chose to try new things, and really engaged herself in high school fun." 

"She joined the golf team. She really had never played before, but she practiced and enjoyed it, making regionals.  She joined the swim team and was a solid competitor making team regionals.  Even though not cleared for contact, she continued to be a part of the basketball team.  She helped coach the JV, practiced with the varsity as she could and was able to finish a few games at the end of season.  She was determined to play soccer and she did.  Her fight to be an active athletic participant in high school, supporting her teammates, trying new things and excelling led her to be named the Female Athlete of the Year," continued Jane. 

But just like any other student-athlete, Larkin is still sorting out how to balance her time. Being a student-athlete means early morning workouts, late night study sessions, two-hour training sessions all the while holding down a full academic load and a social life. 

"My time at Chowan so far has been great. It's getting easier trying to find a balance between school, soccer, and having a personal life," Larkin stated.

At Chowan, every student has the opportunity to be involved in a variety of extracurricular activities as part of their college experience. Larkin is trying her best to squeeze in all that the school has to offer.  "I've had the chance to attend club meetings, be involved in church, and help with fundraisers," she said. "I have always loved being involved in the community and in school so being able to do that here at Chowan has been absolutely amazing. I hope to continue to stay involved and grow not only as an athlete but as an individual over the next few years." 

For much of her life, Larkin Best has been known as a part of a group; known as a part of a small team formed because two people loved one another and created four of the same and yet all together different souls.  A village-a small pack-came together and helped each one of the Best family members along the way so that they would be strong enough to forge their own paths, to burn their own trails, and to discover their own selves. Despite their roads leading different ways, the Best babies all share an internal map bound together with love and DNA that will forever lead them back to what makes them strong. As Kipling once wrote, "The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack." 

For now, Larkin can be seen wearing the Chowan Blue and White for the Chowan women's soccer team, engaging with her teammates, entering campus classrooms, participating at the Chowan Chapel, and perhaps even a part of the chain crew at a Chowan football game (true story, this actually happened.) For now, Chowan blue is what sets her apart.