HOLLAND - While Kamryn Burbridge's teammates were working in the gym in the spring, she was walking past Vatican City every day.
Or the Colosseum. Or the Forum. Or the Arch of Constantine. How about the Trevi Fountain, or the Pantheon?
The Hope College volleyball player studied abroad for the semester in Rome.
"I was based in Rome. I went past the Vatican every day. It was amazing," Burbridge said. "Learning the language and the culture was the best part. I loved everyone I met. Everyone in Italy is so friendly and kind. I want to go back for sure."
In between her excursions for ravioli and gelato, she was in class learning art history and Italian.
"It was definitely different," she said.
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It was the experience of a lifetime.
Then it was back to the volleyball court where the senior middle hitter from Grand Haven has led Hope to the Final Four twice.
"The really cool thing about it was that she went to Italy and studied abroad. Kam wasn't around for the spring and a lot of people would be worried about that kind of thing, but I was not at all," Hope coach Becky Schmidt said. "She came back from Italy with such great confidence and such great composure that I think comes from traveling the world and having to learn some skills and gain perspective that helps with leadership."
Burbridge earned All-American honors last year. The exercise science major recorded career highs in kills (287), kills per set (2.71), hitting percentage (.347), totaling 90 blocks, including 17 solo.
"I feel like it came back pretty naturally (after Italy)," Burbridge said. "My girls believe in me and my coaches believe in met that it was pretty easy to get back into things. I feel like everyone is adapting to their roles very well. It is a pretty young team. It is a lot of getting used to, but everyone is growing into their role."
Burbridge is the go-to hitter on a young team with just three seniors.
"Kam has been so steady for us all season long. It is absolutely beautiful what she is doing. She is touching 2 inches higher on her vertical, so she didn't lose anything eating too much pasta or anything. She has been a rock star for us.
"I know she feels a pretty heavy load, but she is carrying it very well."
The biggest adjustment for Burbridge at the beginning of the season was finding a rhythm with a new setter.
The past three years, she teamed up with All-American Lauren Lee. Now, sophomore Brooke Hehl has stepped into the starting role.
"It didn't take long for them to figure that out. She has a nice big target and is pretty easy to set in some of those situation. But finding her in tempo and in rhythm is the next challenge and I think Brooke is doing a really nice job," Schmidt said. "One of the things that is the most different about her game now compared with 2-3 years ago is she is able to put balls away that are a little bit out of reach or rhythm. She has a much bigger range."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: How Hope's Kamryn Burbridge returned from Italy to become one of nation's top hitters