Stellar Senior: Notre Dame’s Grace Campbell

Grace Campbell seems to have a knack for playing at a high level.

The Green Bay Notre Dame senior certainly does some of her best work above the net.

“The thing to me that always sticks out about Grace is she’s just cool, calm and collected,” Green Bay Notre Dame girls volleyball coach Ben Wolf said. “Even as a sophomore, she steps on the state floor – on the biggest stage where some kids are super nervous – and she’s always just up here. She always performs at a high level.”

The 5-foot-10 outside hitter has made a team-high 315 kills this season for the Tritons, who are ranked No. 3 in Division 2 of the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association state rankings.

Much like the famous soup brand, Campbell has become a household name at Notre Dame.

The Tritons have made WIAA state tournament trips to the Resch Center for girls basketball or volleyball in four of the past five years. Each time there has been at least one Campbell on the court.

Her older sisters, Eliza and Olivia, combined to help the Notre Dame girls basketball team make four state appearances, including winning back-to-back D2 titles in 2013 and 2014.

Grace would like nothing more than to add her own state championship to the family collection in attempting to lead the Tritons volleyball team back to state for a third straight year following a D2 runner-up finish last season.

Campbell, a National Honor Society student with a 4.0 GPA, discusses paving her own path in sports, her tough teammates and solving a Rubik’s Cube as AP’s Stellar Senior this week.

Is it starting to set in that this is your final season?

It hasn’t really hit me yet, but I know as it gets closer to the end I’ll start to realize that.

What was the biggest difference for you in making the transition to the varsity team as a sophomore?

It’s a lot more intense on varsity. There’s the crowd that’s yelling at you. But my team was great at welcoming the younger people, so it didn’t feel as different.

Why did you gravitate towards volleyball and not basketball like your older sisters?

When I played basketball, I really didn’t it like it that much. I don’t think I’m much of a physical person. I started playing volleyball because my middle school team didn’t have enough people and then I loved it.

Why do you feel you shy away from physicality because I feel volleyball requires that type of aggressiveness?

I don’t like to be pushed around, but I do like the feeling of getting a kill on the other side. I think it’s similar in that sense and yet it’s different.

What’s one of your earliest sports memories?

I remember watching the Olympics when Abby Wambach scored the header.

What’s your most embarrassing sports memory?

Probably when I left my earrings in for one of the games and we had to call a timeout so I could go take them out. I have three on each side, so it took a little bit to get them out and everyone was just staring at me.

What’s your all-time favorite sports memory?

State last year. I just remember looking up at the screen before the championship game because they had all these highlights and it was super cool because the lights were all down.

Your team’s tradition of writing “Win!” on the palm of your hands came had to be altered two years ago when the state officials told you couldn’t do that. Do you still write that on your ankles?

We put it above our hip now.

Do you feel you can make it back to the Resch Center and win the gold ball this year?

It would be pretty cool to go back there this year. That would mean the world. That would be the best thing ever.

What do you remember about your sisters winning their first state basketball title?

It was all so exciting. I think my parents were crying. It just didn’t seem real.

Did you fight with your sisters if they ever picked on you?

I wouldn’t say I fought as much physically with them. It was more with words. I know if I would ever make Olivia mad and if I would hit her, she would hit me 10 times harder, and I would be like, “OK, I’m done.”

What’s it like not having them around at home now?

It’s definitely cleaner in the house and quieter, but I do miss them a lot. I’m lucky that they’re close enough that they can come back on weekends sometimes.

You’re interested in attending UW-Madison. Are you looking at any other colleges and what career do you want to pursue?

That’s where I want to go right now, but it might change. I’m still applying to other schools. I’m thinking of going into pharmacy. I’ve always been interested in science. One of my mom’s friends said she could see me being one. I looked into it and was like, “Yeah, I think I would like to do that.”

What’s been the most difficult part about maintaining a 4.0 GPA?

At first, it was definitely harder maintaining the GPA because I wasn’t good at time management. I would stay up in the morning until like 1:00 working on homework. But now I would say I’m better at that. I’ve got that down.

Which teammate would you want with you on a deserted island?

Morgan Van Drisse. She’s very street smart, so she would know how to do the stuff to survive.

Who is the loudest person on the team?

I would say Sydney Slack is the loudest. She’s just always pumped up.

Which teammate is most likely to be late?

That would be Regan Umentum. She likes to sleep in I think, so she doesn’t wake up to alarms. I know one time she didn’t make the bus. She had to drive down by herself for a tournament.

Who is the politest person on the team?

Liz Schaupp. She’s just super nice and has nothing bad to say about anyone.

Which teammate should have their own reality TV show?

Definitely Courtney Tilkens. I feel like a lot of things happen to her. When she was little she got ran over by a mailman.

Regan went head first into the hockey boards at the Resch Center while chasing down a loose ball during your state semifinal match last year. What’s the worst collision you’ve experienced going after a ball?

At summer league last year, I was running for a ball that was shanked on the first contact. There was like a single chair, and I ran on top of it and fell over the chair and the chair collapsed. I would say that’s the worst one.

What’s something most people might not know about you?

I can solve a Rubik’s Cube and I can juggle. I can juggle three (items), but I can solve a 4×4 Rubik’s Cube.

How did you learn to solve that?

I don’t know. I think I just picked one up at the store once and I wanted to know how to solve it, so I looked it up online. Then my dad got the 4×4 because he said I needed more of a challenge when I started solving it pretty fast. I think I got it done in like a 1 minute, 40 seconds once.

What are you going to miss most about high school?

I’ll miss the people the most. We have a great group of senior girls and it will be sad that we will not get to play together anymore.

Favorites

Class: Gym.

Food: Perch.

TV show: “Riverdale.”

Movie: “Safe Haven.”

Music: 90s music.

App: Snapchat.

Childhood toy: Bratz dolls.

Athlete: Kelli Bates.

Coach’s comment

“She’s never over energetic, but she’s also not down on herself ever, either. She’s always just steady. She’s always just Grace. I look at her family background and how she’s grown up with her sisters being super competitive, and she’s competitive, but in her own way. Every drill she’s competing in her own way. But I think Grace having that real calm, cool, collected demeanor is the thing that is always going to stick out with me on top of her being a phenomenal volleyball player, quietly becoming one of the best attackers we’ve had come through the program.” – Green Bay Notre Dame girls volleyball coach Ben Wolf