Success is nothing new for volleyball standout Karen Campbell ’16. In her last season as a Bison, Campbell hopes that both her team and her personal success will reach new heights. After an exciting first weekend on the court, she may already be on her way there. Leading the squad to a 2-1 record at Central Connecticut State’s Blue Devil Classic Aug. 28-29, Campbell earned herself a spot alongside teammate Meghan Wentzel ’16 as a member of the All-Tournament team.

The Bison showed a strong collective effort in their three matches, but Campbell stood out offensively with 31 kills and a .371 hitting percentage. In the team’s win against New Jersey Institute of Technology, Campbell recorded an impressive 11 kills and a .625 hitting percentage.

“I was unsatisfied with my performance my junior year and realized I had one more year to play and make it right. So that sparked the fire inside of me to work the hardest I think I’ve worked during the off season and this past summer to prepare to make my last year start off great,” Campbell said.

To fill this year with the greatness she desires, Campbell is working towards achieving both a personal and team goal: to earn respect for the Bison volleyball program. She is hoping that questions she has received since her freshmen year, including “Do you play basketball?” and “What do you do?” are transformed by the end of the fall semester to questions along the lines of “You’re on the volleyball team? I heard it’s pretty good.”

In order to accomplish these goals, she plans on boasting her contagious smile both on and off the court.

“I think my experience of playing over the years has taught me to not stress when I make an error in the game. It’s come to the point where I actually get motivated after I make a mistake instead of doubting my skills during a game because I know I can do better than whatever error I made,” Campbell said.

Campbell has played a crucial role for the Bison since her freshman year, when she was one of two players to make an appearance in all 107 sets of her first season. Her statistics have shattered many past team records, making her the first Bison since 2003 with 10 blocks in a single match and fourth on the single-season record list.

In her second season as a Bison, Campbell took no steps back. She played in every set for the second consecutive year and ranked second on the team for blocks (91) and fourth on the team for kills (169). As a junior, Campbell was voted to the Preseason All-Patriot League team, played in all but one set the entire season and recorded the team’s best hitting percentage (.214).

The Orange and Blue 6’2” standout is not ready to hang up her sneakers just yet. Campbell will have quite a few chances to make an even bigger mark on the program’s future reputation during her senior season.

“I hope by the end of the season we can all strive in pressure situations as a team and not have one or two of us affected by the stressful situations. This will be necessary to beat all the Patriot League teams we lost to by very close games last season,” Campbell said.

As the Bison return to the court Sept. 4-5 for the SHU Hampton Inn Shelton Invitational, the team will look for two solid wins against Brown and Hartford.

Bison Profile:

Position: Middle Blocker

Height: 6’2”

Year: Senior

Hometown: Chesapeake, Va.

High School: Cape Henry Collegiate

Stats:

2012:

– 92 block assists leading the Bison and ranking fourth on the team’s single-season record list

– All-Tournament team selection at Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational, La Salle Invitational, and Bucknell Invitational

– Patriot League Rookie of the Week

2013:

– 91 total blocks

– 169 kills

– Ranked sixth in the conference for hitting percentage

2014:

– Preseason All-Patriot League team

– 83 blocks

– 191 kills

– Team’s best hitting percentage with (.214)