University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Taylor Hires Kassandra Fairly as Assistant Coach
9/20/2023 2:32:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
HATTIESBURG, Miss.—Southern Miss beach volleyball head coach Shawn Taylor announces the hiring of Kassandra Fairly as assistant coach. Fairly, a five-year standout at Spring Hill College and two-time AVCA All-American, brings a wealth of beach volleyball experience to the Hub City.
"I was fortunate enough to coach Kassandra early in her collegiate career on the Hill," said Taylor. "We've competed against her the last couple of seasons, giving her great familiarity with our program. I'm excited about the opportunity to mentor her as she embarks on her coaching career. "
Fairly, looks to make her assistant coaching debut after five years in Mobile, Ala., earning national praise for her talents on both the sand and hardwood courts. In total, she earned nine letters overall for Spring Hill: five for Sandy Badger beach volleyball and four for the Badger's indoor team.
A native of Honolulu, Hawai'i, Fairly finished both her five-year careers with multiple All-America selections and conference honors, as well a handful of regular season and tournament titles.
"I've spent a lot of time as a player and am now blessed to see the other side of collegiate athletics as a coach," said Fairly. "I'm very thankful to Coach Shawn for giving me this opportunity to coach at a higher level at an amazing university and to the Athletics staff that has helped me transition into this position and has made me feel at home from the moment I stepped on campus. I'm looking forward to seeing these girls continue to grow as athletes as well as human beings. I'm also excited to help continue to grow this program into a championship contending team."
With accolades for her accomplishments on and off the courts, Fairly was twice named an All-American by the AVCA and earned a CSC Academic All-District Team nod for her efforts in the sand. On the hardwood, she received two All-America nods, two CSC Academic All-District recognitions, four spots on the First Team All-SIAC team, three spots on the SIAC All-Tournament team and four nods on the SIAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team.
Coaches in the SIAC selected her as the conference player of the year in 2018 and 2021 as well as two selections as the SIAC tournament MVP. Her debut campaign as a Badger earned her SIAC Freshman of the Year honors as well as the Spring Hill Female Athlete and Freshman Athlete of the Year awards.
In total, Fairly took the floor for 147 matches as a Badger and played in 461 sets. She finished her career as the all-time program leader in kills (1,500), attack percentage (.387), solo blocks (62), block assists (210), total blocks (272), sets played and matches played. She led the team in points in three of her five seasons with Spring Hill, finishing her career as one of Division II's most prolific talents in volleyball.
The Badgers compiled a total record of 125-23, stringing together 72-consecutive conference wins, four-consecutive conference titles, four-consecutive conference tournament championships and four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
On the sand, she collected a career record of 61-57 as half of the Sandy Badgers' top pairing, earning her two AVCA All-America Team nods at the top flight. Spring Hill qualified for the AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball National Tournament in all four of the seasons not interrupted by COVID-19.
Fairly helped Spring Hill to a runner-up finish in both 2021 and 2022 as well as a third place finish in 2019.
"I was fortunate enough to coach Kassandra early in her collegiate career on the Hill," said Taylor. "We've competed against her the last couple of seasons, giving her great familiarity with our program. I'm excited about the opportunity to mentor her as she embarks on her coaching career. "
Fairly, looks to make her assistant coaching debut after five years in Mobile, Ala., earning national praise for her talents on both the sand and hardwood courts. In total, she earned nine letters overall for Spring Hill: five for Sandy Badger beach volleyball and four for the Badger's indoor team.
A native of Honolulu, Hawai'i, Fairly finished both her five-year careers with multiple All-America selections and conference honors, as well a handful of regular season and tournament titles.
"I've spent a lot of time as a player and am now blessed to see the other side of collegiate athletics as a coach," said Fairly. "I'm very thankful to Coach Shawn for giving me this opportunity to coach at a higher level at an amazing university and to the Athletics staff that has helped me transition into this position and has made me feel at home from the moment I stepped on campus. I'm looking forward to seeing these girls continue to grow as athletes as well as human beings. I'm also excited to help continue to grow this program into a championship contending team."
With accolades for her accomplishments on and off the courts, Fairly was twice named an All-American by the AVCA and earned a CSC Academic All-District Team nod for her efforts in the sand. On the hardwood, she received two All-America nods, two CSC Academic All-District recognitions, four spots on the First Team All-SIAC team, three spots on the SIAC All-Tournament team and four nods on the SIAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team.
Coaches in the SIAC selected her as the conference player of the year in 2018 and 2021 as well as two selections as the SIAC tournament MVP. Her debut campaign as a Badger earned her SIAC Freshman of the Year honors as well as the Spring Hill Female Athlete and Freshman Athlete of the Year awards.
In total, Fairly took the floor for 147 matches as a Badger and played in 461 sets. She finished her career as the all-time program leader in kills (1,500), attack percentage (.387), solo blocks (62), block assists (210), total blocks (272), sets played and matches played. She led the team in points in three of her five seasons with Spring Hill, finishing her career as one of Division II's most prolific talents in volleyball.
The Badgers compiled a total record of 125-23, stringing together 72-consecutive conference wins, four-consecutive conference titles, four-consecutive conference tournament championships and four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
On the sand, she collected a career record of 61-57 as half of the Sandy Badgers' top pairing, earning her two AVCA All-America Team nods at the top flight. Spring Hill qualified for the AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball National Tournament in all four of the seasons not interrupted by COVID-19.
Fairly helped Spring Hill to a runner-up finish in both 2021 and 2022 as well as a third place finish in 2019.
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