At Georgia Southern, the Russell last name has quite a bit of history. Plastered around anything associated with the football team, you'll see pictures or plaques of Erk Russell, the legendary football head coach who led the Eagles to glory in the 1980s.

However, a different Russell family has also impacted Georgia Southern athletics. Volleyball senior outside hitter Chamblee Russell is continuing her family legacy, 30 years after her father Russ pitched for the 1990 College World Series team.



It was easy for Chamblee to be a part of the GS culture at a young age since her father and mother Heather met at the university.

"We'd watch Eagle football on TV when I was growing up and I had Georgia Southern T-shirts in a toddler size," Russell said. "With my dad pitching here, we always thought both of us getting to wear a Georgia Southern uniform would be a cool legacy thing."



Her father continues to coach at Allatoona High School, where she and her brother Rett attended. His experience as an athlete in Statesboro prepared Chamblee for what was coming as she headed into college.

It made almost perfect sense for Russell to attend Georgia Southern, but beforehand, head coach Chad Willis had a chance to recruit her, recalling what he saw from her as he went through the process.

"One thing we saw during her recruiting was that she got on the ball fast," Willis said. "We look for good arms, and Chamblee's got a good arm. When [the coaching staff] saw her, we noted that she was a local kid and a legacy. When all those facets started lining together, we got her on a visit and loved everything about her. We knew she had a high ceiling, not just as a player, but as a leader and a contributor off the court, and she's done all those things."

Joining during the 2020 season, which was tough to do in its own right, Russell's performance on the court eased the transition. Russell was first on the team in kills and second in digs, and despite a 5-13 record, Russell was twice named Sun Belt Rookie of the Week, which helped.

"Even though it was during COVID, it was one of those seasons where I knew it was meant for me to be here," she said. "It was a lot of fun freshman year, and I knew I made the right decision."

That season was also Willis' first recruiting class, featuring Russell and current teammates Ainsley Clifford and Rebekah Farthing, all of whom are heading into the stretch run of their senior seasons. Willis reflected on the journey each of them has had to embark on since coming to Statesboro.

"I feel for that 2020 class specifically because they came in as COVID freshmen," Willis said. "That's a difficult transition from high school senior to college freshmen. It's challenging enough in and of itself, but then you throw in what was happening in the world, I'm proud of how they came in and invested in themselves."

Russell has carved out a role as one of the team's premier pin hitters, and this season, with the addition of freshman Reagan Barth to the fold with Paige Powers and Jillian Gray, Russell has been a large part of the Eagles' most successful start to a season in program history.

Chamblee is not the only current Division I athlete in the Russell family. Her older brother, Rett, spent four years playing football at Wofford before taking his graduate year at The Citadel.

Rett playing at The Citadel opened up a unique opportunity for the Russell family in September. On September 2, the volleyball team played an afternoon game against Stetson, and then, that night, The Citadel came to Paulson Stadium to take on GS.

"It was hard to pick between navy and baby blue [that day]," she said. "It was really special to be able to play that morning and then go see my brother play that evening."



Following the team's sweep of Georgia State, the Eagles stand at 17-4, with Russell sitting fourth in kills and second in points/set and kills/set, including 18 kills in two games near home in Atlanta. The season has been an unprecedented success during Willis' tenure, something the outside hitter links to the relationships on and off the court.

"I think it's mostly culture-driven," Russell said. "We've always talked about connectivity and just building relationships from older girls to younger girls. In my four years our rankings, our scores and our RPI have all grown exponentially. It goes back to our relationships."

As volleyball heads into its stretch run, Russell is going to be relied upon heavily as the team looks to navigate a closing schedule of James Madison, Appalachian State and Troy – the second of whom Russell would like to beat more than the others.

Russell and the other seniors are taking in their final games as they come.

"It's starting to hit, I live with two other seniors and we're realizing how close the end is at this point," she said. "We've got four weeks left of putting on court shoes and knee pads and we're taking in every last bit of that."

Willis has also noted the importance of taking in the final games, as the depth of the roster is going to be key for any sustained success in the Sun Belt tournament.

"Down the stretch as a senior, play like a senior with your hair on fire," Willis said. "This is it, there's light at the end of the tunnel. It's the middle of October and there are so many outside things that start to impact a season. For Chamblee and the rest of the seniors, there's going to come a time where we're done and that's the end of your college volleyball career and you don't get it back."

When the Appalachian State series rolls around, it will be Russell's final two home games as an Eagle, something that comes for all athletes, but none ever expect to come so fast. For Russell, she's had an opportunity to embrace Georgia Southern like not many can, with her family connection impacting it the most.

"Georgia Southern has been incredible. These are some of the best people that I've met, some of my best friends that I know will keep for the rest of my life," Russell said. "It's been such a great experience to be here and play for this program."

In the final six games of the regular season and into the conference tournament, make sure you keep an eye on Chamblee Russell – she will be a big part of the Eagles' run at a Sun Belt title.