Team Player: Kelli Fiegen, SDSU Volleyball

by Kolbe Nelson
September 26, 2011 7:08 PM


Last season, SDSU's Kelli Fiegen, our Taco John's Athlete of the Week, was named Summit League Player of the Year. While she was very honored to receive the award, she wasn't about to become content with it.

"I kind of took it as that happened last year and I'm really greatful for it," Fiegen says, "But this is a new year, a new team."

And Fiegen's not laying off the throttle. Currently she's ranked third in the league in blocks and hitting percentage and fifth in the league in kills.

"It's going pretty well," Fiegen says, "I couldn't do any of it without my team though, my teammates push me everyday, my coaches help me out and we're off to a great start."

Statistics aside, the Parkston native brings something intangible to her volleyball team.

"She makes everybody around her better," Jacks Head Coach Phil McDaniel says, "She challenges everybody everyday, and it's been a great opprotunity for me to coach her and just watch her grow as a player."

McDaniel says the redshirt junior's attitude towards her Player of the Year honor sums up everything about her as a player.

"She wants the team to succeed just as much as she succeeds." McDaniel says.

Fiegen's teammates can see that by the high intensity she brings when she plays. And they know they're lucky to have her.

"I think eveybody wants a player like that," SDSU Outside Hitter Ellyce Youngren says, "To bring what she does to the court. She's very dynamic, she's quick, she can jump, she brings a lot of energy to the court."

And she has a pretty good idea of what the Jackrabbits will need to do to win a conference championship.

"Right now, I think we have a glass ceiling," Fiegen says, "I think our biggest focus right now has to be Jackrabbit Volleyball, our speed, our pace, our tempo, and just staying more disciplined."

Spoken like a true MVP.

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