Fresno State Athletics
Foundation For The Future
10/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The foundation for the Fresno State volleyball program is solid. Rock solid. Sophomore Heather Farr and freshmen Annie Eropkin and Kristen Fenton are providing the Bulldogs with a bright future and plenty of excitement in the present. All bring a unique style of their own, diverse skills and come from a variety of locations.
Farr, a 5-foot-7 defensive specialist hails from Cameron Park, Calif., near the Lake Tahoe area. However, Farr was extremely close to playing softball at Hawai'i. As a solid defender in the outfield, Farr was seriously considering heading to the island. She was a four-year letterwinner in softball at Ponderosa High, while only playing on the volleyball varsity squad for two years, but she decided the former was the right route to take.
"I love the game of volleyball," Farr said. "I just felt I would have more fun and receive more opportunities playing here at Fresno State."
Farr has earned some significant playing time, especially at home where the Bulldogs last beat Nevada in a thrilling five-game match. She said the leadership and skill of senior Leilua Satele has helped her become a more polished player at her position.
"It's been a good experience," Farr said. "I've learned a lot from Leilua. We communicate all the time and I've gained quite a bit of knowledge through her in practice and just watching in games. But I feel my best contribution can come through my effort. If I can go out there and give us some energy, I feel like I'm doing my job."
Eropkin is right here from Fresno, where she attended Clovis West High School. Similar to Farr, Eropkin was a two-sport athlete. Besides playing volleyball, Eropkin spent much of her childhood diving. She was a three-year varsity diver for the Golden Eagles and placed 10th in the Valley in 1998.
"Since I was very young, diving has been a big part of my life," Eropkin said. "But I've found volleyball to be much more enjoyable, and I'm having a lot of fun playing right now. I was debating whether I should play, but since the opportunity was here, I thought it would be a good experience for me to play here in Fresno."
Eropkin is a capable of playing two positions. She played outside hitter in high school, but is also a solid defensive player. With the Bulldogs she is working mostly at the defensive specialist position, a spot where she feels comfortable and confident. Working with Satele and Farr is allowing here time to progress, an experience she is taking advantage of.
"Both Leilua and Heather are really hard workers," Eropkin said. "They have great talent and I'm just trying to learn from them. I know if I continue to work hard, opportunities will open up."
Fenton is a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from Marysville, Mich. At Marysville High School, Fenton played volleyball and basketball, succeeding mightily in both. In fact, Fenton guided her volleyball squad to four consecutive state championships and a 232-1 record during that time. In basketball, Fenton led the squad to a district title while posting a 43-4 record in two years. Now Fenton brings her winning tradition to Fresno State, where she hopes that same success will continue.
"The adjustment has been a little tough," Fenton said. "The game is fast paced and there is a lot more teams that are equally talented. Right now I'm just trying to be a motivator. I feel I can make contributions by being vocal and encouraging for this team."
Fenton knows what it takes to win and she sees that in this year's version of the Bulldogs' volleyball team.
"We have a chance to be one of the top teams in the WAC by the end of the season," Fenton said. "Our character and chemistry is what is going to make us better."
Both Eropkin and Farr echo Fenton's words. All have tasted the fruits of success. With the abundance of talent these three harbor, there is no telling how much of an impact they will make in the program. The Bulldogs have the makings of a solid team at the moment, but perhaps an even stronger one in the future.
