STANFORD, Calif. – Seniors Madi Bugg, Jordan Burgess and Brittany Howard will play in their final regular season match at Maples Pavilion on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. against rival California.
Since 2012, Bugg, Burgess and Howard have posted a 110-18 overall record with the Cardinal, including a 59-2 mark at Maples Pavilion and a 69-9 record in Pac-12 play. They have won two conference titles and helped lead the Cardinal to its 19th Final Four appearance, the most by any program in the nation.
The trio took time to reflect on their experiences on The Farm and with the Stanford women's volleyball program.
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Madi Bugg • Setter • Apex, N.C.
Looking back, what are some of your favorite memories with Stanford volleyball?
I think the Kumbaya circle that Nina (one of our athletic trainers) made us do together in a particularly stressful time is the epitome of how odd/caring/hilarious this group of people is.
What do you know now that you wish you knew as a freshman?
I wish that I had trusted that everything was going to be alright more. I was way too stressed and anxious for someone who really had very little to worry about.
What do you think you will miss most about this team?
I'm going to miss the laughs and the donut lovers.
Off the court, what has been the best thing you have experienced at Stanford?
The best thing Stanford has given me is the opportunity to push my own boundaries. I was scared out of my mind so many times in the past four years and put in situations that I was just clueless about how to handle, and I'm forever grateful for every single one of them - even the ones I totally failed at.
What has been your favorite class at Stanford?
My favorite class was Intro to American Law. Half because the professor was a genius and looked like the grandpa from 'UP', and half because I loved the subject.
What will you miss most about being a college student?
I'm going to miss being surrounded by people who are all striving to be their best and constantly learning/evolving. I've made some of my best friends at this school who have taught me more about myself and the world around me than I ever expected. I'm going to miss having the most amazing people in the world right down the hall. I'm also going to miss being able to wear a morph suit to a party and being considered 'cool' for doing it.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I plan on playing professionally for however long I still love playing, and then I want to start coaching or maybe go to law school. We'll see how much money I have laying around when that time comes.
Jordan Burgess • Outside Hitter • Fort Myers, Fla.
Looking back, what are some of your favorite memories with Stanford volleyball?
Playing Washington in Seattle my freshman year was really cool. Over and over that year, we managed to pull out a lot of matches people didn't think we'd win. The momentum would be completely with the other team, and we'd flip a switch, pull together, and win a lot of close battles. Against Washington that year, we lost two sets 25-10, but we came back and won in five sets after being down 6-1 in the fifth. It was awesome and completely unforgettable.
What do you think you will miss most about this team?
I will miss my teammates. I'll miss how much Madi talks to herself, Inky's constant laughter, Brittany's nicknames and her special language, Merete's realism and ability to bring out the most competitive side of just about anyone (me especially), Kelsey's ability to fill a room, IV's winks and constant support, Grace's grace-ness (she's one of a kind), Sarah saying "Can't we all just love eachother?" and "Here we go Caaaaaardinal!", my life-long friendship with Sid, Courtney's opinions, Tami's love for candy and goodnight hugs, Payton's rinsta and shameless use of social media, Alexis' appreciation for weird things, Hayley's grandma-ness and positive light, and Halland's ability to be every single animal, all the time (including a tadpole and a rodent).
Off the court, what has been the best thing you have experienced at Stanford?
My junior year, I dove into life outside of volleyball. I came to love the design school at Stanford and I met some professors I plan to do research with in the future. Stanford and the Bay Area have a ton to offer, I can't get enough!
What has been your favorite class at Stanford?
Creativity and Innovation with Tina Seelig and Rich Cox was my favorite class. We worked on teams with students across the university to tackle design challenges, including "Making a Line Better" and "Decreasing Recidivism for San Quentin Prisoners". It was my first deep dive into design thinking- I drank the kool-aid and I loved it!
What will you miss most about being a college student?
I believe college is about empowerment. We're surrounded with opportunities, creativity, positivity, and an eagerness to do anything and everything we can dream of. Stanford has a really cool vibe- you feel a really special energy around here. I'll miss it.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I'm 50-50 on playing professionally and finishing my pre-med classes so I can apply to medical school. I love the field of Global Health and Design and I also love volleyball. The dream would be to pursue both at the same time overseas!
Brittany Howard • Outside Hitter • Los Altos, Calif.
Looking back, what are some of your favorite memories with Stanford volleyball?
By far my favorite and most vivid memory with Stanford volleyball was beating UCLA on their home court (first time they ever played in the renovated Pauley Pavilion), and the night they raised their 2011 banner. We were up two sets to one, and I went back to serve at 23-23 in the fourth set. They called a timeout, we went back on the court and my serve went long. Worst feeling in the world, 24-23 UCLA. They serve at us, we get over the net, they set first team All-American Rachael Kidder, who tools us high line off the block. The ball goes over Madi's head into the corner. I don't know what happened, but I extended for the ball, popped it up with one hand, and it miraculously went right to Madi. She set Jordan, who ripped the ball in the seam for a kill. 24 all. I do not remember what happened in the last two points, other than we won both of them. We were going absolutely crazy and had just stunned ourselves as well as the entire gym. One of my favorite memories of my life, and I couldn't have asked for a better team to do it with.
What do you know now that you wish you knew as a freshman?
I wish I knew how fast the time would go. Everybody tells you it goes fast, but in freshman fall, you feel like you have infinite amounts of time before you graduate. I don't think I would've done much differently, other than constantly appreciate being at Stanford and made the most of every opportunity that came my way while being an underclassman.
What do you think you will miss most about this team?
I will miss so much about the team. I will miss going to practice with my best friends every day and pushing ourselves together in the gym and the weight room. I will miss road trips (specifically bus rides) and the conversations we have, stories we tell, and acapella singing remixes we do. I will miss going to Jimmy's and The Farm Stand to satisfy our insatiable hunger before or after practices. I will miss having such a close group of friends that have seen me at my best and my worst, who know how to get me out of ruts, and how to celebrate with me when I am successful.
Off the court, what has been the best thing you have experienced at Stanford?
Other than the people, I think just biking around campus and looking around at the beautiful buildings and weather is such a great feeling. This year especially, I've found myself taking the long routes and thinking about how extremely thankful I am to attend such a beautiful and amazing university.
What has been your favorite class at Stanford?
My favorite class has been CS 105 "Introduction to Computers'. I would have to say a main reason this class was so fun is that I took it with Grace Kennedy, and together we got really into it. The main language we learned was HTML which is used mainly to create websites, so Grace and I got pretty creative. The feeling that comes from writing code for hours and then having it actually work is top 5 best feelings I have ever had.
What will you miss most about being a college student?
I will definitely miss my teammates and friends the most. To me, college is a weird four-year camp where you are constantly surrounded by amazing, smart, fun people and I am so thankful for the relationships I have made at Stanford. I will miss having one-two classes a day, going to watch some Netflix, calling up one of my friends to get food, or having a popcorn date (sitting and eating popcorn together, usually in silence, until you reach the kernels). I weirdly will not miss the other 80 percent of college filled with midterms, finals, papers, and Green Library.
What are your plans for after graduation?
GREAT question! Still working on figuring this out. I am deciding between going overseas to play professionally, getting my masters, or finding a job. Pretty exciting adult stuff... stay tuned to see where I end up next!