Pitt volleyball has continued their dominance in 2023 and it showed with five players making it onto the AVCA All-American Teams on Wednesday.
Panthers first-year right side hitter Olivia Babcock and junior setter Rachel Fairbanks both made the First Team, while Babcock also won the National Freshman of the Year award, the first player in program history to do so. First-year outside hitter Torrey Stafford made the Third Team and both graduate student middle blocker and junior libero/defensive specialist Emmy Klika made the Honorable Mention List.
Babcock leads the Panthers with 408 kills, 3.61 per set , 519.5 points, 4.60 per set and 50 service aces, 0.44 per set. She is also second with 117.0 total blocks, 1.04 per set, and fifth with 155 digs, 1.37 per set. She also earned AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year, ACC Freshman of the Year, All-ACC First Team and AVCA East Coast Region honors this season.
She received ACC Freshman of the Week honors five times, second most in program history, and AVCA National Player of the Week honors for her performance in a sweep against then ranked No 8 Georgia Tech on the road on Nov. 11. She led Pitt with 15 kills and had an incredible .652 hitting percentage, while also finishing second with four total blocks, three digs and tied sophomore libero/defensive specialist Dillyn Griffin for two services aces, best on Pitt.
Pitt volleyball head coach Dan Fisher complimented Babcock on her fantastic season so far and how important she has been for the team in 2023.
“I think it was deserved,” Fisher said Wednesday at Final Four media day. “And I also think it’s just really impressive because there’s so many good freshmen this year in college. This isn’t just a normal — at least it doesn’t feel that way to me.”
“It feels like there’s so many freshmen playing big roles on some of the top teams. And it’s good exposure for our program, and it’s good work by her. But she’s been incredibly consistent all year and carried a big load for us.”
Fairbanks makes her second All-American Team, as she earned Third-Team honors last season. She also earned ACC Setter of the Year, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year and First Team All-ACC honors, along with four ACC Setter of the Week honors. She has made a career-high 904 assists and is setting the Panthers to .308 hitting this season, third best in the country.
Stafford is second on the team with 415.5 points, 3.74 per set, and 362 kills, 3.26 per set, as well as third with 196 digs, 1.77 per set. She made the All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Freshman Team, along with receiving three ACC Freshman of the Week awards and an ACC Offensive Player of the Week for her double-double in the reverse sweep of Louisville on Nov. 18.
Monks arrived from Michigan State this summer and has had a great 2023, filling in as a starter with both middle blockers in Florida transfer and junior Bre Kelley, as well as sophomore middle blocker Rachel Jepsen, out for most of the season with injury.
She leads Pitt with 165.0 total blocks, 145 block assists and 20 solo blocks. Her 165.0 total blocks and 145 block assists both rank third best in a season in program history. Her 1.57 blocks per set ranks fourth in the country, while her .403 hitting is 16th best. Monks is also fourth on Pitt with 191 kills, 1.82 per set.
Klika is first on the Panthers with 338 digs, 3.05 per set, both career-highs for her. She is second amongst Panthers starters with a .946 reception percentage in serve-receive and her defense has played a large role in the Panthers holding opponents to .138 hitting percentage.
Pitt volleyball will face No. 1 Nebraska in the Final Four Thursday night, 7:00 p.m. at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. for a chance at their first National Title game.
