Harris named SAC Freshman of the Year; five Eagles lauded by league

Posted: Nov 19, 2015

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Freshman middle blocker Natalie Harris (Monroe, N.C.) became the first Carson-Newman player to be named the South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year, the league announced Thursday morning. Harris was also placed on the All-Freshman team as one of five Eagles honored by the league.

"We are really excited for her," Carson-Newman assistant coach Kirby Toribio said. "We are extremely proud of her. It means a lot for our team because we are a deep team and we have a lot of great freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. All across the board we have a lot of great players. It's just a testament to our team."

The Eagles were the only team in the league with three first-team selections as senior outside hitter Molly Locke (College Grove, Tenn.), senior outside hitter Sara Fairley (Charlotte, N.C.) and junior middle blocker Maddie Borch (Walnut Creek, Calif.) were placed on the top squad. Sophomore setter Anna Patton (Franklin, Tenn.) picked up a second-team honor.

It is the third time in program history that the Eagles have had five players honored by the league in the postseason teams as the 2009 and 2014 squads each had five players.

Harris is putting together one of the best freshman seasons in Carson-Newman history. The rookie has 266 kills in her first season at Mossy Creek. It is the most by a freshman since Kelsey Fleck had 284 in 2005. The most kills in a single season by a freshman came in 2003 when Melissa Miller piled up 367. She has 14 matches with at least 10 kills on the year including five of her last six outings and has led the team in blocks 13 times. Harris is fifth in the league with 17 solo blocks and ninth in total blocks with 77.

The Monroe, N.C. native piled up 10 kills in Carson-Newman's first game of the year against Quincy on Sept. 4th. It marked the first time since August 29, 2001 that a true freshman had double-digit kills in a season opener when Jenna Rust had 12 against Union (Ky.). Rust is second in program history with 1,572 kills.

"It's definitely a huge honor," Harris said. "I know there's been so many great volleyball players that have come through this program. There's such great coaching and all-around it's a great program. It's such a huge honor for me to be able to get the first SAC [Freshman of the Year]. I'm just so grateful to be a part of this program and be a part of this team because it wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the team."

Fairley is a two-time SAC Player of the Week and has saved her best for her final year at Mossy Creek. The Charlotte, N.C. native became the first volleyball player in program history to be named CoSIDA All-District on Nov. 5th. After piling up 233 kills in her first three seasons, the Charlotte, N.C. native has 350 total kills, fourth-most in the league. Her eight double-doubles this season are third on the roster while she has tallied 17 matches with at least 10 kills and 10 outings with at least 10 digs. Fairley is in the top-50 nationally in service aces and fifth in the SAC with 42. The outside hitter is on pace to conclude her career with 600 kills and 500 digs.

"It has been great not only seeing my progress but my team's progress throughout the years," Fairley said. "I've grown so much as a player and as a person. I have my coaches and my teammates to thank for that."

Locke is the lone three-time SAC Player of the Week this season ranking third in the league in total points and total kills with 418 and 363 respectively. The Mercer transfer has made the most of her lone season at Carson-Newman with a team-leading 14 double-doubles, 23 matches with at least 10 kills and 15 contests with at least 10 digs. Locke has failed to crest double-digits in kills just one time in her last 19 matches tallying nine in that lone contest.

In her Carson-Newman debut, Molly Locke racked up 27 kills and 20 digs against Quincy. The College Grove, Tenn. native became the first Carson-Newman player to record a match with 20 kills and 20 digs since assistant coach Rachel Harper had 22 kills and 25 digs in a five-set match against Newberry on Oct. 19th, 2012. She also became the first player with 25 or more kills since Carly Mozgai had 29 at Catawba on Nov. 12th, 2010.

Borch became the first player in Carson-Newman history to have the highest attack percentage in the conference finishing the regular season with a .339 percentage. She finished .015 percentage points clear of Wingate's Abby Saehler. The percentage is currently the second-highest mark in single season by Carson-Newman player behind 2014 All-American and assistant coach Jenna Wilson's .387 mark. It ranks 49^th in the country. The SAC Player of the Week on Oct. 27th has led the team in blocks 13 times and has had a team-high in kills on seven occasions. In the regular season finale against Mars Hill, Borch tallied a career-high 22 kills on a .410 attack percentage.

Patton is a two-time SAC Specialist of the Week, one of two players in the conference to earn that award twice this season. The Franklin, Tenn. native is just the third Carson-Newman setter to lead the conference in assists per set with 10.39 per frame on the year. Holly Barnham's 10.60 mark in 1994 and Sherry Trimble's 12.32 in 2002 are the only times that an Eagle led the league. Her 1,164 total assists this year is the eighth-most in a single season in program history and ranks 26^th among Division II setters. Patton has the second-most double-doubles on the roster this year with 12 while notching 12 matches with at least 40 assists.

The sophomore piled up 51 assists in a sweep at Lander on Oct. 10th marking the most assists in a three-set match by a C-N player since Sherry Trimble's 52 helpers versus King (Tenn.) on Sept. 26th, 2002 in Jefferson City. It is the second-most assists in a three-set match by a Division II player this year.

"We are proud of all of them," Toribio said. "We are proud of the ones that aren't on the first- and second-team because they are a huge part of it as well. I think it's a testimony to the girls before them that have left. They have seen their success and that has given them something to work for and almost live up to. It's exciting for the future of our program because the freshman and all of the girls coming in can have that as a vision to work towards."

Carson-Newman begins its quest for a third SAC Tournament championship Friday at 5 p.m. against the host institution, Anderson (S.C.), the team that bounced the Eagles in semifinals in 2014.

1st Team

Shelly Stumpff, Wingate

Abby Saehler, Wingate

Brooke Redmond, Lenoir-Rhyne

Molly Locke, Carson-Newman

Sara Farley, Carson-Newman

Maddie Borch, Carson-Newman

Meredith Jones, Queens

Melissa Mazur, Tusculum

2nd Team

Kiera Holland, Lincoln Memorial

Fatima Gharachorloo, Brevard