Volleyball standout Jessica Fraley’s persistence during her career helped make her one of the top players in school history.
After battling through injuries as a sophomore and a junior, Fraley became just the second Penguin to earn First-Team All-Horizon League honors in 2007 by posting an impressive campaign.
As a senior, she had 427 kills in 2007, which were the third most in a campaign in school history at that time. Fraley averaged 3.50 kills and 2.59 digs per game playing all 30 matches. She also had 1,176 total attempts, the third most in a single season in school history. She had 316 digs, 79 blocks, 31 assists and 22 service aces in 2007.
Fraley had double figures in kills 25 times and double figures in digs on 20 occasions. She finished with 18 doubles-doubles on the year as well.
The Guins won 12 matches for the first time since 2000 in her senior season and won five league matches, one more than they had won in the previous six seasons combined.
Against Wright State on Oct. 12, 2007, she became just the eighth player in school history to record more than 20 kills and 20 digs in the same match. In the five-game victory over the Raiders she and 23 kills and 22 digs.
For her on-court efforts, she was named to the league’s first-team-all-conference squad. Off the court, she was a First-Team Academic All-Horizon League selection and a third-team CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. Fraley was also named the team’s most valuable player for her efforts that season.
As a junior in 2006, she played in 20 matches for the Guins. For the year she tallied 125 kills, 33 digs and 25 blocks. She averaged 2.19 kills and 64 digs. She was averaging 4.46 kills and 3.23 digs per game before being sidelined with an injury. She was named to the Horizon League’s All-Academic squad for the first time in 2006.
Her sophomore season was limited to just eight matches. She had 89 kills, averaging 2.97 per set and added 64 digs, 2.13 a set.
During the early portion of the season, she set a school record with 31 kills in a five-game match against Canisius. Her 31 kills against the Golden Griffins still is the YSU record for most kills in a single match (rally scoring or all matches). Fraley was named to the Akron Invitational All-Tournament team.
Her freshman campaign proved that health and talent could take her a long way. Fraley was named to the Horizon League’s All-Newcomer Team after totaling 360 kills in 903 attempts, 42 assists, 26 service aces, 270 digs and 60 blocks playing in all 31 matches. She averaged 3.13 kills per game along with 2.35 digs per game.
Her 360 kills as a freshman set the school record for a rookie. She had double digits in kills 20 times and double figures in digs on 13 occasions.
For her career, she had 1,001 kills in 2,717 attempts, 683 digs, 174 blocks and 57 service aces. She averaged 3.08 kills per game and 2.10 digs per game.
She was the fifth volleyball player in school history, and the only one since 1999-2000, to be recognized as YSU’s Female Athlete of the Year (2007-08).
A native of LaGrange, Ohio, she is a graduate of Keystone High School.
At Keystone where was a two-time second-team All-Ohio selection and two-time District Player of the Year. A four-year letterwinner, she set the Keystone single-season records in kills (325), hitting percentage (.540), digs (169) and blocks (204).
She graduated from YSU with a degree in telecommunications.
Jessica Novosel is the owner and creative director of JFray Productions, which specializes in cinematic wedding films and photography in North Ridgeville, Ohio.
She resides in Avon Lake, Ohio with her three children, Connor, Noel and Neeson.
