JBU the perfect fit for Bentonville volleyball player
Posted on Friday, May 16, 2008
BENTONVILLE - Tara Fredeen was interested in attending John Brown University from the beginning of the year. By the end of her senior year, the Bentonville middle hitter was sure JBU was the perfect fit. "At the end of the year, it was just God."
Fredeen said. "He was slamming all the doors to the other colleges and telling me to go to this one. "Fredeen, a senior co-captain and All-Conference selection for the state champion Lady Tigers, signed a letter of intent Thursday to play volleyball for the Golden Eagles. She had a great visit about two weeks ago and got to play a scrimmage game with the Golden Eagles, who quickly accepted their future teammate. "The JBU coach (Robyn Gor- don ) said she just fit in," Bentonville coach Michelle Coens said. "It was like she had been playing with these girls for a while.
"I think I'm just as excited as she is because I'll get to go watch some games. It's close to home and she's going to a great program. I hate to see my little ones leave but I like to see them go to a good program like that."
The Golden Eagles went 14-20 last year, snapping a streak of nine 20-win seasons. JBU went 6-6 in the Sooner Athletic Conference and lost in the first round of the NAIA Region VI Tournament.
Gordon, who is also JBU's athletics director, will enter her 19 th season this fall. She led the Golden Eagles to a perfect record in the SAC in 2006 and was named the conference Coach of the Year. She has a 402-278 career record coaching at her alma mater.
Fredeen said she will move to the right outside hitter at JBU.
"I feel like it's a stronger position for me," she said. "I am pumped. It's going to be awesome."
Fredeen was named to the All-Tournament team as the Lady Tigers (27-7-1 ) won their first-ever state title.
She had 9 kills in the fivegame championship match against conference rival Fayetteville.
"She was a leader on and off the court," Coens said. "She was my No. 1 middle hitter. She was our go-to player in crucial times. She carried the team on her back a lot of times in the intense games that we had and she's going to be a tough player to replace."
Fredeen led the Lady Tigers in total blocks (37 ) and hitting percentage (42. 3 percent ) and was third in total kills, average 2. 2 per game.
"She wasn't the biggest middle (in the conference ) but what helped her - and helped us win a lot of games - is her arm speed. She had such a quick snap and arm speed that it was hard for the block to line up and time it."
Fredeen, who will major in psychology plans to get a Master's in criminal justice, matured into a leader during her senior year.
"I grew more as a leader on the volleyball team and off of the court," she said. "I became stronger as a person and really know who I was."
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