Ella Thompson of Camas named All-Region volleyball player of the year

In just three years, Ella Thompson went from never playing organized volleyball to committing to a top-25 NCAA Division I program.

But it wasn’t like she started from scratch.

With a father and two older siblings who were NCAA track and field athletes, Thompson had competed in that sport for most of her life.

When she began playing volleyball in the eighth grade, her track and field skills translated perfectly into her new favorite sport.

After all, when you combine the leaping ability of a high jumper with the arm speed of a javelin thrower, you might get an elite outside hitter in volleyball.

That’s exactly what Thompson is.

The senior capped her high school career by leading Camas to its third consecutive state trophy. Thompson was named to the Class 4A all-tournament team after