CONGRATULATIONS to Rachel Fairbanks - 1st Team All-American!
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Rachel has the capability next year to finish off a really spectacular Pitt career. Three trips to the Final Four in her three years. Short of winning a title, she may end up as one of the most decorated Panthers in any sport.
If they win a national championship this year or next... she has to be a top 5 all time Pitt athlete right?
An incredible athlete. To piggyback off of what Pitt VB super fan Big Ben said, the perfect QB for our volleyball team. All of the awards and accolades Rachel is receiving are well-deserved. A future Pitt Hall of Famer.
I'm so happy to see her get recognized this year. She's been so good, but hasn't been getting the credit that she deserves. Her name should be on the Varsity Walk when she's done at Pitt. She's been a catalyst for the program to get to the next level. H2P!
Note, I originally read this as the most decorated...and missed "one of. " Apologies. I prematurely jumped at the chance to bring up the most decorated and most forgotten Pitt athlete of all time.
That would be Trecia-Kaye Smith.
7X NCAA national champion (two outdoor and three indoor long jump titles and one outdoor and one indoor triple jump title), 15-time All-American, a 14-time Big East champion, a 15-time ECAC champion, and was named to the NCAA D1 Silver Anniversary Indoor Team and the "NCAA Division 1 Most Outstanding Student-Athlete". The women's indoor track & field team finished 13th (1996), 8th (1997), 3rd (1998), and 6th (1999) at NCAAs during her time at Pitt. The women's outdoor T&F team finished 20th (1996), 18th (1997), 12th (1998), and 10th (1999).
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Rachel Fairbanks is the engine that makes this team go. I am pleased that she is first team, but firmly believe she deserves it. It has been said many times, but she would be elite, in any sport.
I love the bozos who suggest she isn't great strictly looking at her assist numbers. She's a big time defender, tough server, and can attack effectively as well. That's just the tangibles - we'd collapse without her leadership.
The only setter on her level is Hannah Pukis.
The only setter on her level is Hannah Pukis.
Trecia-Kaye is god tier.
And Fairbanks at age 20:
3 Final 4's
2 Conference Championships
Starter for 2 top four national poll finishes with a third incoming (a third literally has never been done at the University of Pittsburgh. Not Hyatt, Not Goldberg, Not Dorsett, Not Green. No. One.)
2 U21 Pan-Am Gold medals (2022, 2023) - I'm aware Trecia-Kaye has 5 gold's. Fairbanks is 20.
1st Team All-American (much more difficult in Volleyball than T&F)
ACC 1st Team (again, more meaningful in Volleyball than T&F with T&F giving it top 8)
ACC Setter of the Year
90 career wins and counting
4 Top 5 wins and counting (3 in 2022, 1 in 2023 so far)
8 Top 10 wins and counting (1 in 2021, 4, in 2022, 3 in 2023)
22 Top 25 wins and counting (6 in 2021, 8 in 2022, 8 in 2023)
Wins over Wisconsin, Penn State, Minnesota, Ohio State, USC, Florida, Baylor, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisville, Kansas, Purdue. (With Nebraska up tomorrow and Stanford in the ACC next season)
Booted a Hawai'i Gatorade POY & top 70 recruit to the bench as a true freshman
Varsity Walk and Pitt HOF honestly already secured. It's time we all actually sat with what her resume realistically could like by December 2024. If she has another year like this and nabs a national title, there's two people who have ever walked on campus with that blend of individual & team success.
All to just potentially get eclipsed by Babcock's resume in 4 years...
The best part is, if Babcock ends up with an even better resume, I’m sure Fairbanks will be thrilled for her. That’s the team culture they have
