For Hailey Chambliss, this season has been about more than returning to the field; it’s been about returning home.
After transferring from Missouri State, the senior midfielder is completing her debut season in black and gold, continuing a family legacy that began long before her own college career.
Her father, John Cambliss, once took the field at Taylor Stadium as a Mizzou baseball player. Now, she’s adding her own chapter to that family connection — this time just across the street, under the lights at Walton Stadium.
The connection to Mizzou has always been present for Chambliss. Growing up, Chambliss and her family made frequent trips to Columbia, attending games and visiting the campus.
“My dad playing baseball at Mizzou made us visit frequently, which obviously put Mizzou over any other school I visited,” Chambliss said.
At Missouri State, Chambliss made an early impact by breaking records – finishing her freshman year with five game-winning goals, breaking the single-season record, and becoming a top offensive threat in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Chambliss’s career took a pause when she pinkshirted her junior year following the birth of her daughter, Oakley Townsend. After a year away from competition, her return to play in 2025 carries extra weight — a mix of gratitude, perspective and pride.
“I am just really thankful to be surrounded by everyone at Mizzou and getting to share the field with all the girls,” Chambliss said.
That gratitude is reflected in her play. In just her second game as a Tiger, she found the back of the net twice.
“Scoring was obviously exciting because it has been so long since my last goals,” Chambliss said.
Chambliss has continued to impress for the Tigers, becoming an elite attacking threat off the bench. She currently leads the team in points, with two goals and two assists, despite playing under 500 minutes this season.
The transition to Mizzou — both personally and athletically — came with uncertainty, but the adjustment was smooth.
“My transition to Mizzou was very easy,” Chambliss said. “All the girls and staff were so welcoming, and it felt like home immediately.”
“Home” has several meanings for Chambliss. There’s the literal homecoming of returning to the university her family has long been tied to, and there’s the personal home she’s building as both a mother and student athlete. While balancing those worlds has been challenging, it’s also what made this season so meaningful.
“The most rewarding thing is having Oakley around me and being able to do both,” Chambliss said.
Doing both means early mornings, long travel days and constant adjustments — but also moments of perspective that few college athletes get.
Chambliss’s experiences help her bring an unmistakable energy to practices and games — a mix of competitiveness and calm that reflects her character.
“I hope I bring and show my competitiveness, but I also hope people see my positive mentality over anything else,” Chambliss said.
That positivity was hard-earned. From adjusting to a new school or stepping back onto the field after time away, Chambliss has learned to value patience and persistence.
“College soccer has taught me resilience and discipline that I will bring to whatever I go to next,” Chambliss said.
One could look at Chambliss’s return and focus on the stats that tell the story of a debut season. But for her, the story is just as much about the journey as the results. The pause in her career didn’t diminish her ambitions — it deepened her appreciation for the opportunity to play.
That sense of gratitude is something she carries into every match. When she steps onto the field at Walton Stadium, she’s not just representing herself but a broader circle — her family, her daughter and a university that’s long felt like home.
Playing at Mizzou also gives Chambliss a chance to reconnect with the legacy her father helped shape. For years, the Chambliss family has worn black and gold from the stands. Now, Hailey wears it on the pitch.
For Chambliss, every minute she plays for the Tigers — every sprint, every touch and every goal — is a small victory, a combination of the work it took to get here and the people who helped her along the way. She’s proud to be wearing black and gold, but even prouder of what it represents: family, resilience and a full-circle return to a place that always felt like home.
As Mizzou’s season comes to a close, Chambliss’s story serves as a reminder of what persistence can look like in college athletics. She’s proven that the path back to the game isn’t always linear.
Her return added depth to a Mizzou team that is still trying to find its confidence. She doesn’t just provide production on the field; Chambliss She doesn’t just provide production on the field, but experience off of it, brings a calm and grounded presence shaped by her experiences.
“Hailey is going to pick and choose her moments,” head coach Stefanie Golan said. “We’re really happy that she’s able to provide that right now.”
Her journey has been far from typical, but that’s what makes it compelling. Chambliss’s story isn’t just about soccer — it’s about what it means to come back, rebuild and make each moment count.