Cal wins 3-1. Lose third set but win 4th set by 25 to 8.

I just saw Stanford Head Coach Kevin Hambly's daughter has committed to Cal. Talk about a fun side story for the big spike!

CalFanatic said:

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I just saw Stanford Head Coach Kevin Hambly's daughter has committed to Cal. Talk about a fun side story for the big spike!

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She listed as 5' 11' is an OH from the Paly website. Think she got a scholarship from Cal but perhaps not from Stanford but I'm sure she would've gotten at least a discount from Stanford.

Quote:

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For junior Maura Hambly, volleyball isn't just a sport it's a crucial part of who she is. Her dad, Kevin Hambly, has coached at top tier Division I schools like the University of Illinois in the past, and is currently the head coach of the Stanford women's volleyball team, so she basically grew up on the court. To Hambly, the volleyball court felt like a second home.
"My earliest volleyball memories mostly consist of going to my Dad's games at the University of Illinois and playing with him in our backyard," Hambly said.
From Illinois to Stanford, Hambly has always had a front-row seat to elite volleyball. She watched top-tier players practice, compete and learn from some of the best coaches out there and from that, she picked up on little details and learned to really see the game.
"Growing up I watched a lot of volleyball, and me and my Dad would talk a lot about volleyball," Hambly said. "So from a young age I already understood the game at a high level, which definitely benefitted me as a player."
This high level of understanding for the game resulted in astounding success from Hambly, as she won team and league MVP honors for the Paly varsity team and the De Anza league in both her freshman and sophomore years and she is hoping to get her third consecutive win this season.
When it came time to plan her future outside of Paly, Hambly felt conflicted through her recruitment process, but in the summer going into her junior year, Hambly received an offer from the University of California, Berkeley, and she knew she couldn't pass it up. Her official commitment to Cal makes Hambly the first person in the Paly Class of 2027 to commit Division I.
"I didn't know what I should do, I had multiple offers and I didn't have to commit as early as I did, but ultimately I feel confident in the decision I made," Hambly said.
Throughout the recruitment process, her family played a big role in supporting her search for the right college.
"My parents did a great job of making sure I understood that my recruitment process was mine and mine alone," Hambly said. "I never felt influenced by the fact that my Dad also happens to coach a college program and my decision to commit to Cal had nothing to do with his job."
All of these factors led Hambly to UC Berkeley, where she's going to start her college career in 2027. But what she's most excited about is the buzz around the program.
"I'm extremely excited to see how the volleyball program improves in the next few years due to how the relatively new coaching staff who are in their second season at Cal have been able to bring in two really good recruit classes in those two years," Hambly said.
But for Hambly, being a Division I commit comes with challenges.
"I'm most nervous about how well and quickly I will be able to adjust to the grind of college sports, especially at a school like Berkeley where the classes are pretty hard," Hambly said. "But Cal has lots of resources especially for student athletes."
Despite Cal and Stanford being rivals, Hambly's bond with her dad has only gotten stronger.
"My relationship with my Dad has not changed, if anything we have gotten closer," Hambly said. "He never cared that Cal and Stanford are rivals because he understands what a great program Cal is building and how good of a school it is."
Now, as she steps into this new chapter, Hambly's thinking about what matters most, not just as an athlete, but as someone learning to trust her own voice.
"I would encourage people [who are going through recruitment] to make sure that they are making their decisions for themselves," Hambly said.
Overall, Hambly is exceeding expectations and is highly excited for her journey playing volleyball at Cal after she graduates from Paly.

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Our two legacy freshwomen, Abby Zimmerman (Daughter of volleyball alumnae and Cal Athletics Hall of Famer Lisa Arce Zimmerman) and Anna Flores (father, Ron, played football and baseball for Cal) are a big improvement as is having a portal fifth year senior Cari Bohm. Also, back from injury is sophomore Grace Agolli. Finally, senior Ashley Li is having her best year by far. This is a much better lineup than in years past. Hopefully, head coach Jen Malcom can recruit more for next year as we lose starters Li, Sophia Johnson and Sawyer Thomsen.

It appears that besides Hambly, Cal is bringing in Emma Kingston, a 6'4 MB from Mater Dei. She's both a High School and Club All American.

Also 6'1 Middle Blocker Destinee Chukelu from Georgia.