By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Seaman product Camryn Turner is set to play her junior year for the University of Kansas volleyball team with a growing leadership role this year after earning All-Big 12 second-team honors as a sophomore last season.
Camryn Turner
Turner has embraced the spotlight during the first two years with the Jayhawks, with her hard work with the Lady Vikings in high school significantly translating to the Division 1 level.
It was always a dream for Turner to wear the crimson and blue while representing its volleyball program. That spark of playing Division 1 volleyball and realizing that she is in rare company helps her have an extra pep in her step when she gets out of bed each morning.
“Sometimes you get caught up in what you’re doing, but I always take a step back and realize that this is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Turner said. “I’ve always wanted to play here, and now I am. Sometimes I forget that this is just amazing, and I’m living out a dream that I’ve always had growing up.
“That spark is still there for me. It’s honestly unreal to think about sometimes.”
In high school, Turner was regarded as one of the best players in Kansas. She left Seaman as the all-time leader in assists (1,433) and kills (1,316). In addition, she earned 1,065 digs in that time.
Before arriving on KU’s campus, the millions of different thoughts that ran through her head stressed her out. Every freshman student-athlete has a tight stomach and a head swirling with unknowns.
Turner went through the aches and pains mentally but realized that her hard work put her there for a reason, and her new teammates who had been through the same situation would pick her up when she needed support.
“Everybody that comes in to play at the college level is so anxious, but the older girls at KU made it easier for me because they made it such a welcoming environment,” Turner said. “The unknown of what my life would be like was different for me. But my older teammates assured me that it was going to be an easier environment to thrive in than I was thinking it was going to be.”
In 27 matches and 12 starts as a freshman in 2021, Turner accumulated 39 kills, 217 digs and 16 blocks. In addition to that quality stat line, Turner led the team in assists with 602.
On paper, it appeared Turner had a terrific first year but Turner doesn’t believe it was as great as it looked off the court. Turner hated asking for help but realized that it was needed in order to reach her potential.
“I was struggling bad,” Turner said. “I do not like asking for help. It was a big jump from high school to college with all our traveling. I got to a point where I reached out to our academic advisors.
“We have all of these resources with people that want to help us. So I was able to learn how to lean on the people around me. Being vulnerable and asking for help to adjust was important to me.”
As a freshman, the goosebumps of playing for her dream school were with her for every match. Turner’s most impressive match was the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State, where she had career-highs for kills (8), attack attempts (15) and assists (59).
After having a memorable first year with KU, she became comfortable with the setting of being a Division 1 volleyball player. At the end of her freshman year, she was confident she could play with or against anybody on the floor.
“I think the biggest improvement I had from freshman to sophomore year was my confidence,” Turner said. “That was the biggest turning point for me. Once I was more confident in my abilities, I recognized that I deserved to be here. I put in the work to be where I am. I realized that I am here for a reason and I can help my team. I was more comfortable in my own skin.”
Turner’s standout freshman year paid off in much bigger things last fall. She appeared in every single set for the Jayhawks, nearly doubling her assists with 1,025, which led the team. Turner ranked second on the team with service aces (23) and digs (287).
The Jayhawks had several tournaments before the 2022-2023 Big 12 season began. They played in tournaments such as the Utah Classic, Black Knights Invitational, Kansas Invitational and Jayhawk Classic and Turner believes those tournaments helped her get into her peak form.
“There wasn’t a specific game that I was super blown away by, but at the same time, I think when I realized I was going to be good was the tournament we had in New York when we played at Army,” Turner said. “We had a fresh new season, and I was trying to get back into the rhythm of things again.
“I was just trying to show who I am and to be a bigger leader for the team. After that, I was ready to show my team I was ready to take on that leadership role that they needed me to be in.”
After two solid years, Turner wants more for her third year. She wants to embrace a leadership role fully and consistently put her team in situations where it can thrive and succeed.
“Something I really want to focus on for this upcoming season is to bring out the best in my teammates more often,” Turner said. “I have gotten into the groove of things, but now we have young girls that want to play and make an impact for us. We want to make the young girls comfortable with the uncomfortable of this sport.
“Volleyball is so random and demanding. It’s not fixed, so if I could help them and get the best out of them with every match and practice, that would be great. I want to really focus on that aspect this year.”
Turner has embraced herself as a role model for the next generation. She realizes there could be somebody at Seaman that wants to be just like her. Turner wants to help girls that want to live out a dream, similar to what she is doing now.
“Don’t be afraid to be great,” Turner said. “That’s something Steve Darting used to say to me at Seaman High School. When he said that to me, it just stuck. My mom also says that to me all the time. Sometimes you don’t want to step on anybody’s toes, or you don’t want to step out, but it’s crucial to grow.
“Play your game, always stay true to yourself, and great things will happen.''
