Aug. 23, 2017
The 2017 Auburn volleyball team boasts a large group of new faces in four freshmen and two transfers and AuburnTigers.com is spending time to get to know these newcomers.
Our final newcomer is junior Isabella Thompson! The 6-0 middle blocker hails from Stockton, Calif., and comes to Auburn after spending two years at Santa Barbara City College. At SBCC, she guided her squad to two WSC North titles and was one of the top blockers in the conference.
Q: Let's get the general question out of the wayÃÆ'¢Ãƒ¢'¬¦why Auburn?
A: I chose Auburn because from the second I walked on campus, I felt comfortable. I'm all about something "feeling right" and trusting those that surround me; the people in Auburn were so welcoming and kind that I felt they really wanted to help me succeed and become a part of this journey. Also, I've lived in California all my life so I wanted to experience something new, a different culture, and new state. I was ready for change.
Q: You had a lot of success at your previous school. What do you hope to bring to the court for the Tigers?
A: I hope I can bring a leadership on the court so that the team will feel that they can turn to me at any point and I will help get the job done. Whether it's needing to get a side out to stop a run or simply feeling that they can turn to me for anything.
Q: When you first arrived on The Plains, what was your first impression of the South and what makes it so different from California?
A: My first impression of the South was that it everything moves at a slower pace then what I'm used to. Being from California, I already knew about the variety of things to do in my state so being new to the South, I am excited about discovering all that it has to offer.
Q: What are your goals for your first year with Auburn?
A: My goals for my first year with Auburn start with me contributing on and off the court. I'd like to bring energy and competitive drive both in practice and in games in any matter that I'm called upon. Another goal for myself is to be more aggressive because in order to play at this level, I want to be sure that my team can count on me to put a ball away and give my max effort every chance I get.
Q: What has been the biggest adjustment on the court coming to Auburn after two years of junior college play?
A: The biggest adjustment on the court coming to Auburn after two years of junior college is mostly learning the play calls they run. For the most part, everything else is easy to gather because my junior college ran a fast offense so the transition hasn't been too difficult.
Q: You're a psychology major. What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: I haven't decided yet what area of psychology to pursue; I love working with kids so I'd be interested in doing something that involved children and making a difference in some way.
Q: You're hometown in close to both San Francisco and Sacramento. Which town is better and why?
A: San Francisco definitely! I love the city, being surrounded by big buildings; everyone is walking around, tons of sightseeing. It's always attracted me.
Q: Away from volleyball, what hobbies to you have?
A: Besides volleyball, I don't really have many hobbies. My two main interests are music and sports. I love to sing and listen to songs or find new artists that I haven't heard yet. With sports, I'm a huuuuuggeeeeee college football fan, NFL fan, college basketball, NBA, you name it.
Q: If you could visit any country in the world, what would that be and why?
A: If I could visit any country, I'd like to go to France because my dad was born there. When I was younger, my family went on a trip to Italy, which is where my grandmother was raised, so it would be cool to visit where my dad is from and get to travel around to see all the sights.
Q: What is your favorite food to snack on and why?
A: My favorite food to snack on is probably cereal; anyone who knows me knows that I can have four bowls of cereal no problem! Anytime, anywhere.
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