Virginia Tech Receives Commitment From Taijah Campbell

On February 20, 2012 Taijah Campbell (6’2″, F, Advantage Titans, 2012) announced that she has accepted an offer from Virginia Tech (VT) to become a Hokie in the Fall of 2012.

After what had seemed like a tough time of decision-making, Campbell has a sense of relief that has come over her as she now relishes her decision.

“Everything just felt so comfortable, sort of like as if I already went there [before]. I also loved the atmosphere and how the majority of the staff has previously gone to the VT and returned to work there because they just loved it”, said Campbell.

Campbell who is from Ajax, Ontario, is a long Forward with a knack for rebounding and runs the floor well.  She is confident that these attributes, among others, will lend themselves for her to be a good fit a Hokie.

“I feel like their style is very similar to the game I like to play, which is a running game. I feel like they just need more of a post presence that can play that kind of basketball with”, Campbell said about how suited she might for her future role.

It a viewpoint echoed by her Advantage Titan rep Coach, Chris Smalling. “The running, faster game pace they run is a good fit, plus there’s an opportunity for her to step right in and get some playing time.”

In the past year alone, Taijah has had the chance to represent Canada twice. She played in the 2011 FIBA Youth World 3-on-3 competition in Italy and as a member of the 2011 Pan Am Senior Women’s Team. She represented her province, playing on the U17 Team Ontario squad that won Gold at the Canadian Nationals in August 2011. And to top it off, her Pickering Trojans earned a 4A OFSAA Bronze medal at the High School Provincials in November 2011.

The 2011 year was not bad for Campbell, a player that entered into high school with her sights set on majoring in soccer, not basketball.

“[My mom] saw more opportunities for me in basketball than in soccer, although she was equally as supportive of my playing soccer”, reflects Campbell. “I guess a mother really always knows best.”

Campbell will be looking to major in Sports Psychology when she attends Virginia Tech this Fall. During her visit to the school, she liked what she saw. But it was what wasn’t there that seemed to impress her the most.

“The fact that it was a big school, but it didn’t seem big and noisy”, she thought. “It was fairly calm, and I didn’t feel like I would be lost in the shuffle.”

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