Campbell Kline will be remembered as an important softball player in Severna Park High School’s history, and she has left her mark at the University of Maryland as well.
During her high school career, Kline was named the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year as she batted a meteoric .750 and led the Falcons to their first softball state title in 15 years. She was also named the Baltimore Sun’s 2018 All-Metro Player of the Year and was a two-time Capital Gazette Softball Player of the Year. Kline finished her high school career with 185 hits, the most in Maryland public school history.
One of her other crowning achievements was being named the Infielder of the Decade by Varsity Sports Network as she was the Falcons shortstop and leadoff hitter and the catalyst of the team’s high-powered offense.
“I’m still best friends with the girls who were on the state championship team and I’m still very close to coach Mere,” said Kline, referencing former Severna Park head coach Meredith McAlister.
After her stellar career for the Falcons, Kline chose to attend the University of Maryland, but she had offers from East Carolina, Duke, Delaware and Kentucky.
“Maryland has been a great experience,” Kline said. “I’m glad I chose Maryland because my family could see me play and my parents and grandparents have attended every home game.”
This year, Maryland has beaten several top 20 teams including Oklahoma State, ranked No. 3 at the time, and Oregon, which was ranked No. 22. After these victories, the Terps were ranked in the top 25 for the early part of the season. Maryland ended up with a 36-16 regular season record and narrowly missed being selected for the NCAA tournament.
The team was selected as the top seed for the National Invitational Softball Tournament (NISC) in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Kline has played in 42 of those games and has started 20. The former Millersville resident had a two-RBI walk-off single against Fairfield and three multi-RBI games.
But it is the outstanding team chemistry that Kline will remember the most.
“My teammates are phenomenal,” Kline said. “We have so much fun off of the field with the games we play on the bus rides to riding ATVs in the mountains of Mexico.”
During the senior tribute video, her teammates praised her “heart of gold” and her “selflessness.”
“In all my time coaching, Campbell is the one player I have seen who demonstrates what an ideal teammate looks like every single day,” said University of Maryland volunteer assistant coach John Garris. “She’s a highly skilled and talented player. What makes Campbell so special is that she truly puts others before herself in every way, every day.”
Kline has learned many skills outside of the diamond such as time management, organization and the value of hard work. Her days begin with a 7:20am weightlifting session, then classes, afternoon practice, study halls, and completing papers and studying for exams.
“I’ve learned not to waste a second and that hard work pays off, on and off the diamond,” Kline said.
Kline will graduate with a degree in criminology and has already landed a position at Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia. Kline had an internship with the firm last summer, which led to the employment offer.
Kline said she will miss her teammates’ laughter and the camaraderie and spirited competition that is a special aspect of playing sports at the highest collegiate level.
“Everyone who is around Campbell knows that she is the best teammate any of us have ever seen,” Garris said.
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