Shippensburg University Athletics

2008 (Junior): Making appearances in 18 of the team’s 38 matches, Fries was once again a valuable bench contributor after recording a career-high with 30 digs in 34 sets. Fries recorded three kills and two assists along with five service aces. Her presence was noted with at least one dig in 13 matches on the season, including a four-game stretch during conference play in which Fries averaged nearly three digs per match. In eight matches, Fries had multiple digs while in four matches she contributed an ace.

2007 (Sophomore): Fries maintained a role as a defensive specialist and a valuable bench contributor for serves in her second season with the Lady Raiders, appearing in 22 matches and 38 games throughout the season for Shippensburg. She totaled 14 service aces in limited action, a career-best, and added two assists and made four attempts. Fries recorded 21 digs on the season and recorded three digs against Philadelphia on Aug. 31 and at Elizabethtown on Sept. 04. She totaled multiple digs six times during the campaign and tallied at least one ace in 10 different matches while producing a season-high three service aces against Elizabeth City State on Oct. 12. Fries made appearances in five consecutive matches from Sept. 21-25.

2006 (Freshman): She saw action in 25 of the team’s 37 matches and played in 45 games for the Lady Raiders. Fries often entered contests to serve and recorded 12 service aces on the season while also adding two kills and two assists. She contributed 25 digs and posted a career-high three aces in her first career match on Aug. 25. On the same day, she recorded a career-high six digs. She also recorded three service aces versus Cheyney on Oct. 24.

Greencastle-Antrim High School: Fries won two varsity letters as a defensive specialist at Greencastle-Antrim and was named Honorable Mention Mid-Penn Conference as a senior. She helped her team to the Mid-Penn Conference Championships in 2004 and 2005 and graduated as an honor roll student who earned a 3.1 GPA.

Personal: Melanie Eileen Fries was born on Aug. 27, 1988 and is the daughter of Sue and Ralph Fries. Her major is elementary education and her minor is reading. She is one of four children.