ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference announced Carson-Newman senior outside hitter Sara Fairley (Charlotte, N.C.) has been named the league's Scholar Athlete of the Year Monday morning.
Fairley becomes the second Carson-Newman volleyball player since the SAC began awarding the Scholar Athlete honor in 1991 joining Shylon Whitley in 1996.
"It feels great," Fairley said. "I've worked so hard in the classroom and on the court so just to get this recognition feels like it's all paying off."
The Charlotte, N.C. became the first Carson-Newman volleyball player in the program's history to earn College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District for Division II's District 3 being placed on the first team on Nov. 5th.
Fairley sports an impressive 3.97 GPA while pursuing an accounting degree and has been on the Dean's List in every semester on campus. She is a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and participated in the 2015 Student Leadership Institute of North Carolina, hosted by the North Carolina Association of CPAs.
She earned the Chair of Business Scholarship and Presidential Scholarship along with becoming a member of the Institute of Management Accountants and a student member of the North Carolina CPA's.
The outside hitter has been on three service trips over the last three years with stops in Nicaragua, New York City and Charleston. Fairley has given to Operation Christmas Child purchasing gifts and other supplies for children in need in other countries as well as teaching elementary kids how to succeed in a global economy through her work at Junior Achievement.
On the court, Fairley has led the Carson-Newman to its most successful season of all-time after a Southeast Region title against Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday. The two-time SAC Player of the Week has saved her best for her final year at Mossy Creek. After piling up 233 kills in her first three seasons, the Charlotte, N.C. native has 406 total kills. Her 10 double-doubles this season are third on the roster while she has tallied 19 matches with at least 10 kills and 14 outings with at least 10 digs. Fairley is in the top-50 nationally in service aces with 43.
"It feels incredible to be the first team in Carson-Newman volleyball history to make it this far," Fairley said. "We're not done yet so we're going to keep going."
The award is given annually to an outstanding student-athlete in each of the 14 varsity sports sponsored by the league. Among eligibility requirements, a person must maintain a GPA of at least 3.3 while showing exceptional skill in a sport, in the classroom and in the community.
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