Figgers Makes History at SFA
11/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 15, 2006
NACOGDOCHES - When one thinks of volleyball, the visions of tall players reaching high above the net and smacking the ball towards the ground is what comes to mind. But several years ago, what was on the mind of Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack head coach Debbie Humphreys was putting someone on the other side of the net that would not allow the ball to hit the ground.
That's exactly what she found in Stephanie Figgers. Four years later, the Ladyjacks are graduating one of the most successful defensive players in NCAA history.
While out recruiting, Humphreys saw Figgers' club team on many occasions and saw the talent that was on the squad overall. However, it wasn't until one weekend when Figgers was not playing that Humphreys realized what kind of role the defensive specialist played.
"One weekend, the [Texas Tornados] were playing without her and we saw how much better she made her teammates," said Humphreys. "And at that point we knew that was the route we wanted to take."
In making one of the most important choices of her life, Figgers chose SFA because of its close proximity to her hometown of Katy, Texas, and because Humphreys was willing to work with her in accomplishing her goal of being a two-sport athlete in volleyball and softball.
In her first season on the court, she made an immediate impact, posting one of the best single match records with 39 digs against Southeastern Louisiana. She ended the season with 504 digs, which was third best in school history at the time. Her 4.10 digs per game ranked second all-time at SFA.
However, shortly after her softball season was done, Figgers realized the demands of being a college student and handling two Division I sports was overwhelming and decided to give up softball.
"It was just too much," said Figgers. "Running from softball practice, to individuals at volleyball, to class and having to do homework, it was just way too much. It was a big adjustment."
Entering her sophomore season, Humphreys told Figgers what exactly she needed from her. "As a freshman, she wasn't as consistent," said Humphreys, "but after I told her what I needed, she's improved light years since then."
In only her second season, Figgers entered the top 10 single match records for digs in a game three times, including a 41-dig performance, her career high, in a win at Sam Houston State.
She closed out the year, butchering the seven-year old record for digs in a season by over 100, totaling 620. She also improved her dig average by more than a dig per game _5.39) to break the school record.
In addition to her dig records, Figgers also added her name to the service ace and service ace average season lists. Her 64 service aces in 2002 ranks fifth all-time and her 0.56 ace average is fourth.
Figgers also collected her first Southland Conference title ring, but Texas State kept the Ladyjacks from reaching the next level as the Bobcats won the tournament.
The next year, Figgers was again a constant on Humphreys' back row and was as consistent as ever. To prove her consistency, she finished her junior season with just one more dig than the season before, with 621. She had a 5.59 digs per game average, breaking her own record once again. She also had a career digs total of 1,745 that not only landed her on the Top 10 list at SFA, it sent her straight to the top.
At the end of the season, however, the Ladyjacks were once again handed an early exit in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
And long before her senior season has come to a close, Figgers once again has made history at SFA. She has recorded 30-plus digs in a match on nine different occasions this season, tying her career high of 41 and having five of those numbers ranked in the Top 10. She now owns or is tied for every top 10 mark in school history.
As for her season total of 723, she crushed her own record by over 100 and now owns four of the top six season records at SFA. The number also ranks in the NCAA's Top 5, and sent her career total to 2,468, surpassing Houston's Jaci Gonzalez' record of 2,451, which ranked second in the NCAA. Heading into the postseason, her 6.89 digs per game average ranks third in the nation.
Although the Ladyjacks took their third consecutive Southland Conference regular season title, there's still something missing: an NCAA tournament appearance.
"There's nothing I want more for Stephanie than for her to end her career in the NCAA tournament," said Humphreys. "I want for other teams to see her play and to see her compete because she's so good at what she does.
"We kind of lose track of how good she is until we practice against her. She's very frustrating in practice, but that makes our hitters better. If we can get a kill on her, we can get a kill on anybody," she said.
"She helps us click," Humphreys added. "She gets us into our offense because of what she's doing defensively."
As the postseason votes are being tallied, Figgers could be honored for what she does defensively by being named the SLC's Libero of the Year award. She has already earned the respect of league opponents, who have awarded her the honor twice in her career already.
"It just shows me that everybody respects what I do," Figgers said. "I'm not saying that nobody else works hard, but that they see what I'm capable of."
And after raking in all the awards, including being a three-time all-conference honoree, regional honorable mention, and multiple SLC Defensive Player of the Week awards, Figgers is looking forward to the weekend and another chance at advancing to the NCAA tournament.
"We're ready," she said about her team. "Everybody realizes what it's going to take. We know what's happened and how it's happened. We know what we need to change from the previous years and what we need to take care of, which is ourselves."
The Ladyjacks will begin postseason play Friday at 4:30 p.m. against the No. 8 Northwestern State Lady Demons at the Convocation Center on the Texas-San Antonio campus. Live stats can be accessed from the Roadrunners' website, www.goutsa.com, by clicking the Southland Conference championship tournament logo.
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