Chambana Sun

Illinois Volleyball has bolstered its roster with the addition of two transfers, as announced by Head Coach Chris Tamas. Vivian Campbell and Averie Hernandez are set to join the Fighting Illini for the 2024 season, complementing six other newcomers.

Coach Tamas expressed enthusiasm about the new additions, stating, "Today, we add two exceptional players and people to our roster. Both homegrown talents provide us with tremendous skill and depth to our roster as well as being overall great teammates and people. We are excited to add them both to the Orange and Blue today."

Vivian Campbell, a transfer from Cincinnati, hails from Oswego, Illinois. She played eight matches at Cincinnati last season and achieved a personal best of 27 assists against Butler. Campbell was recognized as First Team All-State during her high school career at Oswego East and was named team MVP in 2022.

Tamas commented on Campbell's skills: "Vivian has a very nice delivery as a setter and the thing that stuck out to me the most when watching her film was that she can be very deceptive, which I think you need to be at our level."

Campbell shared her reasons for choosing Illinois: "I chose Illinois because of how much it feels like a family and because of the dedication and trust the program has in its culture."

Averie Hernandez comes from Northwestern University where she played 25 matches last year. The Bloomington native achieved double-digit kills in 14 matches during her sophomore year. Her high school accolades include nominations for Gatorade Player of the Year and holding kill records at Normal West.

Coach Tamas spoke highly of Hernandez's experience: "Averie has some good experience in the Big Ten. She has an all around skill set and she is able to play with speed on the pin."

Hernandez cited Illinois' supportive fan base as part of her decision: "I knew that the fan base at Illinois was so supportive... I chose Illinois because I have full confidence in the people behind the scenes helping my teammates and I reach our full potential on and off the court."

The additions aim to enhance both front-court and back-court options for Illinois Volleyball this upcoming season.