KARLA FAIRBANKS CLAIMS GLIAC WEEKLY HONOR
Senior Outside Hitter Earns North Division Player Of The Week Kudos
Senior outside hitter Karla Fairbanks (Rogers City) of the 2004 Ferris State women's volleyball team has been named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division Player of the Week in an announcement made today (Sept. 13) by the league office.
The All-America candidate registered 50 kills, 32 digs, six service aces and five total blocks in two appearances last weekend (Sept. 10-11) at the annual Great Lakes Region Crossover in Wheeling, W.Va. She totaled a match-high 27 kills in Saturday's (Sept. 11) 3-2 loss to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and added 23 kills in Friday's (Sept. 10) 3-2 triumph over Indianapolis. Fairbanks, who averaged 5.00 kills per game, also tallied 16 digs, three service aces and two blocks against Indianapolis along with 16 digs, three aces and three block assists versus SIUE. She did not play in FSU's 3-0 victory over Fairmont State (W.Va.) on Saturday (Sept. 11).
The 5-11 Fairbanks has 1,232 career kills to date and moved past former player Alaina Olds (1,222; 1999-02) into ninth place on FSU's all-time chart last weekend. Fairbanks is eight kills away from matching Stephanie Chaffin's (1989-92) eighth-place mark of 1,240 kills. In addition, she leads the Bulldogs in both kills (4.65 kpg) and service aces (0.73 apg) to date this season.
Fairbanks, who was named a co-recipient of Ferris’ 2003 Most Valuable Player Award, registered a team-high 516 kills and 336 digs during the 2003 campaign. She also became the 13th player in school history to register 1,000 career kills. A 2004 team tri-captain, Fairbanks recorded 26 double-figure kill outings and totaled 17 double-double (kills & digs) performances last campaign while earning first-team All-GLIAC recognition. She claimed GLIAC North Division Player of the Week kudos twice (9/8 & 10/5) last season and finished the season ranked third in kills (4.57 kpg) and fourth in service aces (0.51 apg) among the league’s leaders.
Besides earning first-team All-GLIAC accolades in 2003, Fairbanks attained both first team American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and Daktronics, Inc., All-Great Lakes Region kudos. She also garnered AVCA Honorable Mention All-America recognition as a junior.
Ferris State, which is presently 8-2 overall this season, opens GLIAC action Friday, Sept. 17, versus Findlay at FSU’s Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Match time is set for 7 p.m. (EDT). The Bulldogs will then host Ashland Saturday, Sept. 18, in a 4 p.m. (EDT) league home contest.
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