Brazilian native providing offensive spark for UAFS Lady Lions

Editor’s note: Story by Jonathan Gipson, sports information director for the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
 
These days, it’s not too hard to notice a difference in Fabiane Nass. All you have to do is watch the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith junior right side hitter play a match or two.

It took about a year for Nass to settle into UAFS volleyball coach Jane Sargent’s system and to feel fully secure in her own ability, but that year of learning and soul-searching proved to be pivotal in her maturity as a player.

Nass, who transferred to UAFS last year after playing as a freshman at NAIA Columbia (Mo.) College, has arguably been the Lady Lions’ best offensive player the past few weeks. She has averaged more than 10 kills per match during the past six matches, is tied for the team lead with 262 kills and leads the team with 2.65 kills per set. She is second on the team with a 0.326 attack percentage going into Saturday’s tri-match at Searcy, Ark., against Harding University and Missouri S&T University.

“Fabi has been on fire for us all year. We laugh and say that Fabi is our secret weapon, but that’s not the case anymore. She is well-known to all of our opponents and is in the forefront of players they have to control in order to be able to beat us,” Sargent said. “Fabi has definitely been our go-to girl, and her hitting from the right side has given us opportunities to score more easily, especially when opponents are used to keying on the outside hitters.”

And all it took was a little confidence.

“I have more experience having been here a year, and I know the girls a little better. I am more confident about playing here with the team,” Nass said. “My first year here, I was just trying to get to know everyone, and I wasn’t really confident in what I could do. I am a lot more confident this year.”

It shows.

Nass put on an offensive exhibition last week during the Lady Lions’ four-set road win against the Texas Woman’s University Pioneers. The Santa Catarina, Brazil, native collected a career-high 20 kills with only four errors and logged a 0.432 attack percentage.

“Fabi had a good year last year but nothing like she is having this year. Confidence was an issue last season, but she also had some mechanical issues with her hitting arm that we were able to address in the offseason,” Sargent said. “One thing that has clearly paid off for Fabi is the three inches she added to her vertical jump during our offseason program. With the increase in her approach jump and the added ability to attack the ball at a higher apex, Fabi has clearly emerged as a force on the outside.”

The Lady Lions are nearing the end of their first season of competition as a NCAA Division II program. After years of success at the junior college level – UAFS was NJCAA national runner-up a year ago – the Lady Lions haven’t experienced the slightest bit of a letdown against what most consider better competition.

After Tuesday’s sweep of Oklahoma City University, the Lady Lions are 25-3 overall and own the best overall record in the Heartland Conference. UAFS is only playing a limited conference schedule and is not eligible to compete for the league title this season because of its provisional D-II status. Still, the Lady Lions have swept both conference opponents they have played so far – Newman University and the University of Texas – Permian Basin.

“It is different, but it is much better than junior college,” Nass said. “Most of the teams we play aren’t easy teams. All the teams are really good, so we have to really play hard. It is good for us and really good experience.”

UAFS has won 13 consecutive matches and hasn’t lost since falling to Southeastern Oklahoma State University in four sets on Sept. 21 in Durant, Okla. The Lady Lions’ three losses have been to Southeastern Oklahoma, Drury University and Truman State University.

“We play hard, but at the same time, we play together as a team and are having fun,” Nass said. “That’s the good part about playing here.”

The Lady Lions’ success is evident on the court as well as in the classroom. Nass and teammates Heidi Luks and Lucia Najselova all have been named Heartland Conference Academic Student-Athletes of the Week this season. Nass, who earned the honor this week, has compiled a 3.75 grade-point average while majoring in business administration.

That academic success hasn’t come easily for Nass, especially since she has had to overcome the language barrier. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, and Nass has put a lot of effort into learning English.

“When I got here, I couldn’t speak English very well, so I worked really hard on my English my first year here,” Nass said. “Now, I am really working on my major. I spend a lot of time studying and dedicating myself to my studies.”

That’s not as easy as it looks when you consider that the Lady Lions’ weekly playing schedule takes them far from home. UAFS has had its share of lengthy road trips so far and still has Texas treks to Austin, Laredo, San Antonio and Dallas.

“We try to study in the vans when we travel, and every break time we have we bring our books and read. It is really tough, but we are tough,” Nass said. “We can do it.”

Nass hasn’t been alone, though.

She has leaned on her brother, Fabio, a lot for emotional support throughout her two seasons at UAFS. Fabio Nass, who lives with his family in Lavaca, Ark., played on the UAFS 2006 NJCAA national championship men’s basketball team before finishing his college basketball playing days at the University of Miami.

“It is really good to have him and his family here,” Nass said. “They help me a lot and support me a lot.”