Sept. 18, 2017
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Sam Fry as the Volleyball Player of the Week after the senior led the team to a 3-0 record over the weekend to claim the Shamrock Invitational title. Fry helped push the Irish to wins over No. 23 Michigan State (3-0), Southern Illinois (3-0) and Central Michigan (3-0). Monday’s honor is the first weekly award from the ACC in her career.
Fry was ultra-efficient in the Irish attack, recording a team-best hitting percentage of .510 for the weekend. The senior finished with 29 kills over three matches, including a team-high 13 in the win over Southern Illinois. Fry posted a hitting percentage of .583 in the straight-set victory over Central Michigan. The middle blocker also was a presence defensively, leading the Irish with 14 blocks. Fry recorded at least four blocks in each match.
The senior standout leads the Irish in total blocks with 42 on the season, averaging 1.24 blocks per set. Fry also paces Notre Dame in hitting percentage, posting an average of .312 (81-21-192).
Fry has 383 career blocks, setting the Notre Dame record for career blocks and passing Jeni Houser ’15 (345) in the record books. The record dates back to 2008 when the NCAA changed the scoring to 25-point sets.
Fry and the Irish are off to their best start in over a decade, as Notre Dame is 10-1 after the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Irish open Atlantic Coast Conference play at Louisville at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 22 and then travel to NC State to take on the Wolfpack at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 24.
— ND —
Robby Hamman joined Fighting Irish Media as athletics communications assistant director in September 2016, coordinating efforts for the volleyball and men’s lacrosse program. Hamman is a 2010 graduate of Bethel College, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sport management and business administration, and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Defiance College in 2013.