Dec. 3, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After an impressive rookie campaign that saw her lead the Irish in several major categories, University of Notre Dame freshman volleyball student-athlete Sam Fry has earned a spot on the 2014 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman Team, the ACC office announced Wednesday afternoon.
Coming to the Irish from volleyball power Ursuline Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, Fry made an immediate impact for Notre Dame, as she was the only player on the team to start every single match of the 2014 campaign.
Playing in the middle, Fry led the squad in solo blocks (15), assisted blocks (92), total blocks (107) and blocks per set (1.00), was second in points (324.0), points per set (3.03), service aces (21) and attack percentage (.242) and third in kills (242) and kills per set (2.26).
During the season, Fry led or tied for the team lead in kills seven times, attack percentage eight times, service aces 11 times and blocks a whopping 17 times. She tallied eight or more kills in 18 matches, including 10 or more in nine contests.
Fry opened her career by tying her season-high with nine blocks against then-No. 12 Minnesota in the first match of the year, and showed no signs of slowing down at the net throughout the season, as she recorded three or more blocks in 20 matches.
Some of her best performances of the year included a 13-kill, six-block effort in a win over Morehead State, a near triple-double (12K, 9B, 7D) in a victory over Boston College, 11 kills (.455A%), four blocks and two service aces in a five-set loss to Georgia Tech and a remarkable 18-kill (.593A%), eight-block, two-service ace showing in a five-set setback at Wake Forest.
For her efforts at the Purdue Active Ankle Challenge (29K, 15B), she earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
The first Irish volleyball player to earn all-ACC Freshman Team honors in program history, Fry is the second volleyball student-athlete to earn any sort of ACC recognition in the program’s two years in the league (Jeni Houser, 3rd team All-ACC, 2013).
“The growth that she showed throughout the season was pretty amazing,” head coach Debbie Brown said. “She came in during some big matches and had huge numbers. Like any freshman, up and down a little bit, but the things she did at times were really amazing and beyond what a freshman usually does. I’m really happy for her and the program. It’s a great honor.”
For more information on the Notre Dame volleyball program, remember to follow the Irish on Facebook (/NDVolleyball), Twitter (@NDVolleyball) and Instagram (NDVBall).
2014 ACC Volleyball Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Savanah Leaf, Sr., OH, Miami
Defensive Player of the Year: Ece Taner, Sr., L, North Carolina
Setter of the Year: Kelsey Williams, Sr., S, Duke
Freshman of the Year: Haley Templeton, Fr., S, Miami
Coach of the Year: Joe Sagula, North Carolina
2014 All-ACC Volleyball First Team
Jeme Obeime! / Sr. / OH / Duke
Emily Sklar! / Sr. / OH / Duke
Kelsey Williams / Sr. / S / Duke
Sarah Burrington / So. / MB / Florida State
Katie Mosher! / Sr. / L / Florida State
Nicole Walch! / Jr. / OH / Florida State
Katie George / Jr. / S / Louisville
Janelle Jenkins / So. / OH / Louisville
Savanah Leaf! / Sr. / OH / Miami
Emani Sims# / Sr. / MB / Miami
Chaniel Nelson# / Sr. / OPP / North Carolina
Paige Neuenfeldt! / Jr. / MB / North Carolina
Ece Taner / Sr. / L / North Carolina
Amanda Orchard / Jr. / MH / Pitt
Kathryn Caine! / Sr. / MB / Virginia Tech
Lindsey Owens / So. / OH / Virginia Tech
2014 All-ACC Volleyball Second Team
Karis Watson / Sr. / MB / Clemson
Sasha Karelov / So. / L / Duke
Jordan Tucker / So. / MB / Duke
Katie Horton / So. / OH / Florida State
Kiara Wright / Jr. / MH / Florida State
Tess Clark / Fr. / MB / Louisville
Haley Templeton / Fr. / S / Miami
Delaney Clesen / Sr. / L / Pitt
Kate Yeazel / Sr. / RS / Pitt
Victoria McPherson! / Jr. / MB / North Carolina
Silvi Uattara / So. / OH / Syracuse
Jasmine Burton! / So. / OPP / Virginia
Lauren Fuller / Jr. / S / Virginia
Jazmen Russell / Sr. / OH / Wake Forest
2014 All-ACC Freshman Team
Kate Federico / S / Clemson
Milica Kubura / RS / Florida State
Tess Clark / MB / Louisville
Maggie Dejong / MB / Louisville
Haley Templeton / S / Miami
Kaitlyn Kearney / MB / NC State
Sam Fry / MB / Notre Dame
Kylie Long / OH / Wake Forest
Carolina Wolf / L / Wake Forest
–Russell Dorn, Assistant Media Relations Director
–ND–