TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Catholic High School’s volleyball team had a great couple of weeks. They knocked off a state champion, a state semifinalist and a team they had not beaten in five years.

A lot of their success can be attributed to senior outside hitter Charlotte Thompson. One of the Crusaders captains plays big and loves to put on a show for the crowd.

“We have a humongous student section,” Thompson said. “And they’re all friends, all familiar faces. So, I just felt so great to be on the court. I wasn’t overwhelmed whatsoever.”

Thompson’s comfort level on the court has resulted in big stats this season. She leads the Bay area in kills, averaging 14 per game. Her dominance at the net has made for a very special senior season, one that kind of snuck up on her.

“It’s like finally hit that I’m the senior and I know we’re going to college,” Thompson said. “So, it’s just like everything is happening faster than I thought it would.”

Thompson’s rise in the sport has been just as quick. She’s been playing volleyball for eight years. She started her athletic career on the softball field. But the constant chaos on the volleyball court soon had her switching sports.

“I just like how everything was going all the time,” she said. “There was never, you weren’t just sitting in the dugout. You weren’t just waiting in centerfield. Everything was always happening.”

Not one for standing around and waiting for something to happen, Thompson’s using volleyball to take her places. She’s committed to Mercer University and will play at the next level.

“The dream is to go to the NCAA Tournament and potentially play outside of college,” Thompson said. “But most likely, just to make the most out of my college years.”