Francis Marion University Athletics

FMU:  Returning starter....Conference Carolinas All-Conference Team (third team) 2024....Conference Carolinas Fall Academic All-Conference Team 2024....Conference Carolinas Player of the Week (Oct. 14-20, 2024)....CSC Academic All-District Team 2023, 2024....Two-year totals at FMU: 603 kills and 668 digs....Appeared in all 29 matches, making 28 starts, in 2024....Led team in total kills (271)....Second on the team with 357 digs and 33 service aces....Conference Carolinas rankings: 14th in digs per set (3.25), 16th in points per set (2.93), and 24th in kills per set (2.46)....13 matches with double-figure kills (season-high 18 vs Newberry on 9-21-24)....17 matches with double-figure digs, including six of 20+ digs....10 double-doubles (kills/digs)....Averaged 0.33 blocks per set....Conference Carolinas All-Conference Team (third team) 2023....Started 31 of 32 matches and played in 118 of 119 sets....Ranked 11th in the conference with 2.81 kills per set and 14th in points per set (3.23)....Led team in kills (332) and attack attempts (1110)....Ranked 51st in NCAA II in attack attempts....Second on the team in service aces (36) and points (381.5) and third in digs (311)....Led team in total receptions (661) and posted a .941 reception percentage....11 double-doubles (kills & digs)....20 matches of double-figure kills (high of 18)....Conference Carolinas Player of the Week (Oct. 23-29, 2023)....All-Tournament Team at the 2023 Lion's Den Invitational....Transfer from Cape Fear Community College, where she played two seasons....From the very beginning, we knew Kara would fit extremely well into our program.....Physical, competitive, passionate about her teammates....Obsessed with the game of volleyball......Had a very successful junior college campaign....Will bring in experience, a high IQ, and a fire to the court that will hopefully lead us to another successful season....Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 2024-25....Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society....Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award 2024....FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll 2023 (fall), 2024 (spring, fall), 2025 (spring).....Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll 2023 (fall), 2024 (spring, fall), 2025 (spring).

CFCC:  As a sophomore (2022), averaged 2.16 kills and 2.83 digs per set, while also recording 51 service aces and 39 total blocks....Helped the Sea Devils to an 18-9 record and an appearance in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.....Garnered first-team All-Region accolades....As a freshman, hit .264 with 2.65 kills and 2.59 digs per set....Also served 42 aces and registered 32 total blocks en route to earning East Region Player of the Year and first-team All-Region recognition....Member of the National Honor Society....Global Studies....Dean’s List....President’s List.

PERSONAL:

• Born in Fayetteville, NC
• Graduate of Terry Sanford High School, where he played for coach Kristan Willis
• Nickname is Big Red

PERSONAL FAVORITES:

• As a child what you wanted to be when you grew up:  Veterinarian
• How you got your nickname: I did gymnastics for a really long time and one of my teammate’s dads came up with it, and its stuck for 13 years
• Favorite Fictional Character: Belle from Beauty and the Beast
• Favorite Athlete: Kobe Bryant
• Favorite Sports Team: UNC-Chapel Hill (gdtbath)
• Favorite Movie or TV Show: Gilmore Girls
• Favorite Food: French Fries
• Favorite Vacation Spot: Beach
• Favorite Musical Artist: Brent Faiyaz
• Favorite Thing About FMU: The gorgeous campus!
• Favorite Off-Court Activity: Reading or Shopping
• Goals for Upcoming Season: To grow as a student-athlete and build strong, long-lasting relationships with my teammates and coaches
• Why you first chose your sport: I watched a lot of my friends in the grades above me play and it made me want to try it myself
• Biggest mental challenge in your sport: Not being so hard on myself, I am my biggest critic
• Interesting Notes: Apparently the birthmark on my cheek looks like South America
• Brush With Greatness: My dad and my older brother met Michael Jordan, I was there in spirit