Holly Campbell is a freshman on the Stanford Women’s Volleyball team who always dreamed of attending Stanford playing volleyball. Holly Campbell is part of a very veteran team that includes one very young player, Tiffany Hambly. Hambly has spoked in an interview that they want to get her more involved as she combines efforts with Campbell. In a recent match against Arizona, it took a little while for the team to get going, but they aimed to give Hambly more swings. Campbell too displayed a great performance, showcasing her skills.
Holly Campbell said that there was never one specific reason why she chose Stanford. “Obviously, it’s a great academic school, and I’ve just always been kind of drawn to it ever since I was a little girl,” Campbell said that she knew she didn’t want to go to UT as it was too close to home for her. Watching Stanford volleyball play since her young age, she always had dreamed of going there. “I remember I never thought I would actually be able to, so it was kind of like a dream come true being able to come here,” she added.
Campbell had a unique experience growing up in Austin, the most energetic town of the US state, Texas. She mentioned that while she probably didn’t know anything else besides Austin, she loved the atmosphere here and there, like Westlake, where she grew up, and it was like a small little bubble where everyone was connected and close with each other. This made her upbringing really special.
Campbell is excited and nervous about her first season at Stanford as it is a great opportunity and a big responsibility for her, which also involved playing for Texas twice. She admitted to being nervous about playing in Austin in front of all her friends and family, but it is also a really exciting and cool experience for the young freshman. She has spent her whole childhood witnessing many UT volleyball games, but getting an opportunity to play in that same place was like her dream come true. She had idolized those players growing up and now she plays along them and is very happy with all these blessings.
One of Campbell’s favorite parts about returning home from the game was seeing her family. One moment that she loved is the part when she took her whole team to her place for a tasty dinner. The entire team had dinner at her house and it gave her the chance to show everyone her three cats. This family reunion was a highlight for her after her winning in the volleyball season.
Connecting with fellow teammates after the event created extra fun and adventure for Campbell. She was thrilled to find another “cat lady” on the team, Jenna. Although Jenna currently has more cats than Campbell, Campbell is determined to catch up with her. Last year, Campbell had one cat and now has three, and it tells how optimistic she is about the future. This shared love for cats has helped them bond and now she is fully settled in the volleyball team with other experienced players.
Campbell had great fun with her team as she showed her teammates around Austin, particularly South Congress, a street known for its restaurants and shops. She talks about how everyone went paddle boarding and it was a pleasure for her to show these familiar places with her team.
Playing in Austin was a thrilling and energizing experience for Campbell due to the dream coming true vibe she experienced. She recalls it was difficult to hear anything like instructions from the coach during time-outs due to fans being so loud cheering the team. Campbell described the packed venue and the overwhelming noise, and she cannot forget that all.
Winning in Austin was especially sweet for Campbell. She admitted that she went in thinking, “Okay, we have to win this one.” The satisfaction of pulling off a victory in such a high-pressure environment was immense. Stanford won with scores of 25-16 and 25-.
Campbell is looking forward to getting to know her teammates better. She is enthusiastic about the upcoming season and confident it will be great.
