Erin Fairs AAC Player of The Year, Andrea Rodriguez-Gomez First Team All-AAC

Our totally being in the tank for USF Volleyball is so cool sometimes, and today is one of those days we love. Sophomore Erin Fairs was named AAC Player of The Year today, the first conference MVP for the Bulls since Michelle Collier in 2002.

Fairs came on our radio show earlier this season and talked about wanting to win this award, and her incredible improvement from freshman to sophomore year was rewarded with the nod. What separated her from the competition is the ability to be so effective in all six rotations, averaging a ridiculous-for-an-outside-hitter 4.41 digs per set as well as 3.73 kills.

Did we mention she's just a sophomore?? Are you kidding?? Her ceiling is to be one of the best players in USF history, and it'll be fun to watch her climb the lists.

Also a big congrats to Andrea Rodriguez-Gomez, who caps off her career with a First Team All-AAC nod. 'Dre was one of our favorite kids ever, and her smile is so bright the university put it on a billboard. The story of her family's journey to America after being political refugees from Chavez's Venezuela is amazing, and they should be incredibly proud of her both on and off the floor. She leaves USF after averaging 1.53 blocks per set and hitting .294 her senior year.

Dre's engaged and moving back to Miami, and we'll miss her general goofy-ditziness in The Corral. She was the rare kid that could light up a room and a scoreboard, and it's been so much fun to watch her grow. She was also the only senior on this USF team, one that inked five kids on early signing day. The future looks bright for a team should be picked at or near the top of the league in 2014.