Laker sign two versatile setters

SAULT STE. MARIE - Setters Katie Fitzpatrick of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Kristin Kopicki of Sterling Heights, Mich., have signed National Letters of Intent to play volleyball at Lake Superior State. 

Fitzpatrick, a 5-6 outside hitter/setter, totaled a school-record 1,382 career kills along with 756 digs, 104 blocks and 747 assists while playing a versatile role for Sault Area High School. Fitzpatrick is a three-time All-Straits Area Conference and all-region selection, and the 2009 SAC Player of the Year after totaling 723 kills, 382 digs and 356 assists this season. She is a three-year starter in basketball and softball, and is expected to leave SAHS with 10 varsity letters.

"She brings a lot of variety in her game," LSSU coach Mark Engle said. "She's not tall, but there's not a position on the court she can't play if need be. She's a high percentage server, passer and setter. She got her fundamentals under control...She's a good person, a good player and a good student. That's everything we are looking for."

Fitzpatrick, who maintains a 4.0 grade point average, is only the third Sault High volleyball player during the NCAA era of women's athletics sign with LSSU. The other two were Kathy Bennin (1986-91) and Susan Brown (1986-90). She also begins her family's second generation of LSSU volleyball players. Her mother (Maureen Shaheen-Fitzpatrick '89), and aunts Teresa ('82), Colleen ('83) and Barb ('92) were part of former Laker coach Deb McPherson's Flint-Kearsley connection and the Laker volleyball program's winningest era.

Teresa (Shaheen) Jensen and her 1978 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion volleyball team are LSSU Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Teresa and Colleen were members of the 1981 team that totaled a school-record 42 wins. Barb is ranked third and Maureen fifth in career assists at LSSU.

Kopicki, a 6-0 setter, set school records at Sterling Heights-Stevenson for single-match assists (53), single-season assists (1,041) and career assists (2,063). She also set school records for aces (8 match, 111 season, 187 career) and service points (21 match, 408 season, 807 career). She made the MHSAA record book with her top three single-match assist totals and 111 single-season aces.

"She was the MVP of that conference (Macomb Area Conference Blue Division), and that's a pretty big accomplishment in itself," Engle said. "She's more than just a big, tall setter. She's pretty smooth. She has extensive club background and has seen a high level of play."

Kopicki played club volleyball for the Michigan Elite and coach Katie Price, a senior on Penn State's 2007 national championship team. Kopicki also helped lead Stevenson to back-to-back MAC titles.

"She has played against and with some high-level players," Engle said. "College is still a proving ground,...but she has the right arsenal of things she's good at. She's used to working with fast-paced attackers. She has some adjustments to make, but she's not starting from scratch. She is a tall jump setter, which puts her closer to the attacker. The ball doesn't have to travel as far to get to the attacker."