By Bill Sheehan

Right from the start, Nicole Vargas Polster knew 2023 would be a challenging season for her Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team. The third-year head coach had only six returnees, with freshmen making up eight of the 11 newcomers.

While the Titans have won only one of their first 15 games, Polster said the team is building a foundation for the future. "They were thrown into the fire early, but they are living and learning. I tell them, 'No one else is coming. You have to get out there and compete.' "

"If we follow our process and system, good things will come," she said. "We are doing some good things on the court with some really young people. How do we maintain that? That is the name of the game."

Ameena Campbell, a freshman outside hitter from Lawndale, is doing her part to elevate the Titans. The 5-foot-11 right-hander has started from day one and leads the team in several statistical categories, including kills (172) and digs (146).

Earlier this month, Campbell was named Big West Conference Freshman of the Week after racking up a career-high 19 kills, nine digs and three blocks at UC Santa Barbara and nine kills and six digs the following day at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.


"I love her competitiveness and style," Cal State Fullerton volleyball head coach Nicole Vargas Polster says of freshman outside hitter Ameena Campbell. Photo by Bill Sheehan 

Campbell will lead the Titans, who are 0-6 in conference play, against visiting CSUN (3-14, 1-5) at 6 p.m. Friday at Titan Gym.

"Ever since I was very young, I've always wanted to play volleyball. It's been cool to be able to do that and live out the dream. And to get as much playing time as I am as a freshman, I feel so lucky and blessed. It feels like my hard work is paying off," said Campbell, who wants to improve her serving and overall consistency.

"I love my team and the coaches. It has been a fun so far, minus the losing. And it's been a learning experience. At first, we were taking punches and not battling. But we are growing and getting better."

Polster, who served as a Titan assistant before being promoted to head coach, said Campbell initially seemed to keep a low profile. "At first, she was very quiet. But now that I know her, she is so talkative. Ameena wants the ball and wants to put the team on her shoulders and take that big kill."

"I love her competitiveness and style. Ameena has a leadership mentality. She is an assertive six- rotation player. We rely on her on the front and back rows," said Polster. "And she is very vocal on the court – something that is invaluable. She has what we want in a player -- the ability to direct and call the ball and have a strong on-court presence."

Campbell's mother, Tanesha Harvey, isn't surprised that she has stepped up. "She plays very big because of her ability to jump and communicate loudly with her teammates on the court. She helps her teammates hear each other and trust each other."

"Ameena will jump up and scream and cheer to motivate her team. She doesn't like to lose. She has a passion for winning and always strives to give her best," said Harvey.

Laura Williams, an opposite, or right-side hitter, said Campbell had an early impact on the Titans. "Ameena has added confidence and athleticism to the team."

"Ameena's strengths are her energy, her swings and her excellent IQ of the game. She is a very smart player, especially when we face tough situations," said Williams, a sophomore from Lakewood who played with Campbell on the Mizuno Long Beach Volleyball club.

"Off the court, Ameena is a firecracker. She's super funny, outgoing, a little crazy but overall a really good friend to have," added Williams, who is a transfer from Oregon State.

Fullerton's young team quickly bonded together, Campbell said. "Two weekends ago, we had games on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we all went to the beach together in Orange County. Even though we see each other every day, we're choosing to spend time together on our days off. That shows how much we enjoy each other's company."

Growing up in Lawndale, Campbell played basketball but didn't like physical nature of the game. At age 9, she quit the sport.

Campbell wanted to try tennis next, but her mother thought volleyball would be a better fit. "The good thing about volleyball is that it's a team sport in which she could use her height and jumping ability," Harvey said.

"My mom wanted me to try volleyball because I was tall," said Campbell. "I first played in a league at the park on the grass. I fell in love with the sport and have played volleyball ever since."

Campbell competed for Beach Cities Volleyball in Manhattan Beach and later for Mizuno, which is based in Gardena. She played middle blocker, right-side and outside hitter for the clubs.


Originally a basketball player, Ameena Campbell found volleyball more to her liking. As a 12-year-old, she was a member of Beach Cities Volleyball club in Manhattan Beach. 

She used a transfer permit to attend Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, a perennial CIF volleyball power. Mira Costa bested rival Redondo Union to win Bay League titles in her junior and senior seasons.

"It was a good experience and cool to be part of such a well-known program that has produced a lot of iconic players. All of us became close friends. A lot of the girls grew up playing volleyball, and their parents are volleyball legends."

Campbell saw action as a reserve outside hitter as a junior. By late in her senior season, she started at middle blocker as Mira Costa reached the semifinals of the State Championships. "It was a good experience and really fun. The practices and video sessions were intense."

She also was a member of Mira Costa's beach volleyball team, which won the inaugural CIF Championship in May. She continued to play for Mizuno during her high school years.

Multiple factors led her to choose Cal State Fullerton. "I really like it here. It's far enough from home but not too far. I've never lived in Orange County, so it's a new experience. I like the campus a lot, and I like the school overall," said Campbell, who is a business major.

Harvey has supported Campbell throughout her volleyball career. "In nine years, I never missed a club travel tournament," said Harvey. She has attended every Fullerton home match this season and traveled to Honolulu to see the Titans play Hawaii last Saturday.


Ameena Campbell played for Mizuno Long Beach Volleyball as a 14-year-old. "They mean so much to me," Campbell says of her grandmother Pamela Egans, left, her mother Tanesha Harvey and her sister Tealynn Robinson. 

"I've had some weekends when I've been back and forth across the 91 Freeway four times to watch Ameena play. I'm happy that I can," said Harvey, who is a self-employed agent for Allstate Insurance. "I'm proud and excited to watch her play. It's such a pleasure to see her hard work and commitment pay off."

Since seventh grade, Campbell has lived with her mom, her grandmother Pamela Egans and her sister Tealynn Robinson, 11, who is also a volleyball player. "They are my best friends. We are super-close – they mean so much to me, and I miss them so much."

Her dad, Mark Campbell lives in Hawthorne with her brother Jyler, age 12. Jyler's sport is baseball. Mark, who is dealing with an injury, has been a concession manager at Dodger Stadium.

"My dad and I share the same sense of humor. He goes to all my games. He is so proud and brags about me all the time," said Campbell. "Both of my siblings love coming to the games when they can."

Campbell studied American Sign Language for three years "I can hold a conversation, and I once considered doing it as a profession." She loves watching shows and movies. "I'm into film and how movies are made. The process interests me, the shots they take and the way they portray it with music."

She also enjoys listening to rhythm and blues, pop and indie music. And she paints landscape scenes with acrylics. For now, though, her focus is on helping the Titans turn things around in the second half of the conference season.

"We have shown glimpses of our grit. We just need to maintain it for longer and be a little more consistent with everything. Hopefully, in the second half of conference, we will get some Ws."

WATCH THE TITANS ON ESPN+
Titans fans can now watch every home event exclusively on ESPN+. Cal State Fullerton has built a top-tier production studio to give the viewers an ESPN quality production for all games at Titan Stadium. Additionally, all schools in the Big West Conference are committed to producing ESPN quality streams which will allow fans to watch the Titans on ESPN+ for all road conference games. 

FOLLOW THE TITANS!
Fans can keep up with the latest in Titan Athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook/FullertonTitans), Twitter (@FullertonTitans) Instagram (FullertonTitans) and Snapchat (FullertonTitans). In addition, the volleyball team has established its own Twitter (@Fullerton_WVB) and Instagram accounts (Fullerton_WVB).