Francis Marion University Athletics

FMU:  3-year returning starter....Part of the University's Honors Program....CSC Academic All-District Team 2022, 2023....3-time All-Conference selection....Conference Carolinas All-Conference Team (first team) 2023....Team MVP 2023 (fourth year in a row)....Conference Carolinas Fall Academic All-Conference Team 2022, 2023....Conference Carolinas Specialist of the Week four times in 2023 (Sept. 4-10, Sept. 25-Oct. 1, Oct. 16-22, and Oct. 23-29, 2023)....Entering 2023, is fourth in career assists (2,361)....33 career double-doubles....Led 2022 team in assists and service aces....Ranked third in Conference Carolinas for assists (9.75 per set) and sixth for service aces (0.47 per set)....Recorded a season-high 50 assists vs West Georgia (8-26-22)....Ranked 52nd nationally in NCAA II with 1,034 assists and 56th in service aces (50)....Received the school's Frankie Award for the Mark Haselden Sportsmanship Award for 2022-23....Team MVP for 2022....Conference Carolinas All-Conference Team (third team) 2022....12 double-doubles (assists & digs)....Conference Carolinas Specialist of the Week twice in 2022 (Aug. 22-28, 2022 and Oct.31-Nov. 6, 2022)....All-Conference first-team selection 2021....2021 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team....Team MVP 2021....2021-22 Frankie Award for Female Breakout Performance....Led team in assists and ranked third in the conference and 73rd nationally for assists per set....16 double-doubles....Third on the team in digs....Team's primary setter during 2021 NCAA Tournament season....Registered conference season-high 49 assists vs North Greenville (11-20-21).... Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Month for November 2021....Conference Carolinas Specialist of the Week 3 times in 2021 (Sept. 2-5 and Oct. 11-17 and Nov. 8-14)....Team MVP 2020....Had very production first year....Played in 12 matches during the covid-shortened 2020 season and made nine starts....Ranked 4th in the Peach Belt Conference for assists per set (8.76)....Led the team in service aces (13)....5 double-doubles....Second on the team in digs (107)....PBC Specialist of the Week (April 5-11, 2021).... Career-high 56 assists at Georgia College (3-20-21)....FMU team captain (2021, 2022, 2023)....In-state product....Has an extensive skill set that will translate well to our team....Has an extreme amount of passion for the game...Loves to win....First spotted this spring during a club volleyball tournament, it took the staff exactly two points to know that she was the final piece to our puzzle and we needed her....A 3-sport varsity athlete (volleyball, basketball and softball), she is a gym rat.....Lives to compete.....Her ability to hustle and make plays from nothing, make her the perfect fit for our program.....During her visit, our players loved her immediately.....It felt like she was already with us.....Will continue to make us better this fall.....We were her only collegiate visit and I am ecstatic that she trusts Francis Marion, her teammates and myself to guide her during her collegiate career....Her dad (Mike) was the long-time baseball coach at Southern Wesleyan University....Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society....Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 2021-22, 2022-2023 (vice president)....Member of Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society....Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award 2022, 2023, 2024....Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll 2021....FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll 2020 (fall), 2021 (spring, fall), 2022 (spring, fall), 2023 (spring, fall), 2024 (spring)....Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll 2022 (spring, fall), 2023 (spring, fall), 2024 (spring)....SAAC Mentor-Mentee Program Participant (2021-24).

PERSONAL:

• Born in Pickens, SC
• Graduate of Pickens High School, where she played for coaches Jennifer Gravely, Rikki Owens, and Pamela Clarkson
• As a senior, she registered 477 assists, 234 digs, 123 kills, 45 service aces, and 27 blocks
• 2019 All-State pick
• Served as team captain in 2019
• Garnered All-Tournament Team recognition at two 2019 in-season events
• Presented the U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award
• 3-time All-Region selection
• Ended career with more than 2,000 assists, while helping Pickens to a 100-22 combined record, a perfect 36-0 mark in region play, and three appearances in the AAAA state title match
• Nickname is KG

PERSONAL FAVORITES:

• As a child what you wanted to be when you grew up: Mail Woman or Veterinarian
• How you got your nickname: It’s a childhood nickname that stuck.
• Favorite Fictional Character: Dwight Schrute
• Favorite Athlete: Michael Jordan
• Favorite Sports Team: LA Dodgers
• Favorite Movie or TV Show: New Girl
• Favorite Food: Pizza
• Favorite Vacation Spot: Crescent Beach, Fl
• Favorite Musical Artist: Selena Gomez
• Favorite Thing About FMU: The people I’ve met over the years
• Favorite Off-Court Activity: Hanging out with my friends and pups
• Goals for Upcoming Season: Leave the program better than it was before and bring home a championship
• Why you first chose your sport: My mom was a great athlete in high school and college, and I wanted to be just like her
• Biggest mental challenge in your sport: Having no fear in stressful situations
• Interesting Notes:  3-sport athlete in high school; 4th in career assists at FMU; dad is the former baseball coach at Southern Wesleyan University
• Brush With Greatness: I sat behind Bill Nye the Science Guy at a Dodgers game in Los Angeles