Fabris takes pride in USF's success
Fabris says volleyball program has "evolved completely"
By Greg Auman
Published November 14, 2007
TAMPA - Senior volleyball player Kristina Fabris celebrated Senior Night by herself Sunday night, perhaps most proud by how far the Bulls have come in the past two years.
"It's absolutely amazing what we've accomplished as a volleyball team, and USF as a whole," Fabris said. "It's great to go through airports now and people come up to you saying 'Great game.' They're talking about our football team and not asking us where we're from, whether it's Miami or San Francisco."
Fabris, a four-year starter who ranks sixth on USF's career kills list, said the volleyball program has "evolved completely" from her freshman year, when the team had eight players and often couldn't sub even when coach Claire Lessinger wanted to.
Her sophomore year, USF went 4-22, including a 1-13 debut in the Big East. This year, they're 17-9, with an 8-6 conference record that has them as the No.6 seed in this weekend's Big East tournament in Milwaukee.
"As a senior, I want to hold onto this as long as I can," Fabris said. "I know the girls, we're not happy with just making the tournament and losing in the first round."
Lessinger said she was thrilled to hear six first-year players talk during a team dinner about how Fabris' work ethic has rubbed off on them in just one season.
"Everything she's carried on her shoulders and the way she's carried it is so admirable," she said. "She's left such a significant impact on this program and is so well-respected by her teammates. It all comes from her work ethic, her drive and her passion."
Fabris, who will graduate in May with a degree in exercise science, hopes to play professionally overseas. First, she wants to help the Bulls succeed in this weekend's tournament.
"They truly believe they can do this," Lessinger said. "We have some dominant teams in this conference, but we've played with everybody. It's who comes out on that night, plays the best and wants it the most, and we're capable of doing that. The belief is there."
AUGUST OPENER?: Kansas officials confirmed that ESPN has contacted the Jayhawks and USF about the possibility of moving their 2008 game in Tampa from Sept.13 to Aug.29, the Friday of the opening weekend, for a national prime-time game.
USF already has Tennessee-Martin booked for that weekend, but UTM would be more than happy to get out of its contract. The small school recently added a trip to Auburn to its 2008 schedule and would rather not play both road beatings in the same year.
"We'd be glad to let them out of their commitment to us," said UTM athletic director Phil Dane, who said USF has held firm in asking for a contracted buyout if the game is canceled. "That would be our preference. Our request was that they not make us pay the buyout."
USF will still have to find a Division I-AA team for a home game to replace the Kansas date, no easy task less than a year out.
RECRUIT CHANGES MIND: Former USF coach Seth Greenberg, now at Virginia Tech, has lured away one of Bulls coach Stan Heath's two oral commitments.
Gene Swindle, a 6-foot-11 center from Miami Gulliver Prep, had committed to USF but re-opened his recruiting three weeks ago. He chose the Hokies on Monday night after a campus visit. USF is still expected to sign Eladio Espinosa, a 6-8 forward from Norlina, N.C., currently playing at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia.
THIS AND THAT: Sophomore Chris Robinson, projected as a starting strongside linebacker before the season but limited by an ankle injury, is working full time at defensive end, line coach Dan McCarney said. ... Linebacker Ben Moffitt surprisingly wasn't among eight semifinalists for the Lott Trophy, which honors the nation's top defensive player for his performance on and off the field. ... ESPN The Magazine's national college preview issue has analyst Fran Fraschilla picking USF senior center Kentrell Gransberry as his "best player you've never heard of."
Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf.