FSU'S KARLA FAIRBANKS NAMED HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA

Junior Outside Hitter Recognized By AVCA

Junior outside hitter Karla Fairbanks was named to the AVCA Division II Honorable Mention All-America Team

Junior outside hitter Karla Fairbanks (Rogers City) of the 2003 Ferris State University women’s volleyball team has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Honorable Mention All-America Team according to an announcement made by the AVCA.

Fairbanks, who previously became the 11th player in the eight-year tenure of FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm to earn AVCA All-Great Lakes Region First-Team recognition, was among 63 individuals garnering honorable mention accolades. Twelve individuals were named to each of the three All-America squads.

The 2003 All-America selections were made by the AVCA Division II All-America Committee: Kim Sudbeck, Augustana College (S.D.), chairperson; Jim Callender, Western New Mexico University; Ginger Crissman-Ashley, Catawba College; Sandy Hoffman, Bentley College; Laurie Lokash, Slippery Rock University; Peggy Martin, Central Missouri State University; Deanne Scanlon, Grand Valley State University; and Kim Vinson, Cameron University.

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 and presently ranks 12th among the school's all-time leaders with 1,111 career kills. The 5-11 Fairbanks recorded 26 double-figure kill outings and totaled 17 double-double (kills & digs) performances this campaign while earning first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) accolades.

Fairbanks claimed GLIAC North Division Player of the Week kudos twice (9/8 & 10/5) this campaign and finished the season ranked third in kills (4.57 kpg) and fourth in service aces (0.51 apg) among the league’s leaders. The 2002 GLIAC All-Academic Team pick also garnered a personal career-high 35 kills versus North Alabama (9/5) en route to receiving all-tournament team recognition at the Grand Valley State Days Inn Classic (Sept. 5-6) in Allendale, Mich.

Ferris State concluded the 2003 campaign with a 15-14 overall mark, which represented the program's sixth-consecutive winning campaign and included a third-place 12-6 GLIAC North Division mark. FSU also registered its sixth-straight league tournament appearance in 2003.