There is no denying that Nicole Fawcett has a powerful swing. When she hits the ball with all her might, the player on the receiving end can only hope she either gets out of the way or finds a way to control the dig.
In a little more than three months of action for the Penn State women's volleyball team, it would be difficult to count how many times opposing players have lost their balance trying to make contact with one of Fawcett's bullets. Even her teammates know the feeling.
"I don't think there's anyone on defense who hasn't been hit by her," senior outside hitter Kate Price said. "It's a hard ball because she gets on top of it, and it's a hard floater kind of thing coming at your head."
The junior outside hitter has been a statistical leader for the Lions all season, and they will need her hard-hitting offense even more for the final stretch. They're only four games away from the national title.
The 6-foot-4 Fawcett always had tremendous power behind her swings. It was one of the qualities that first caught Penn State coach Russ Rose's attention. Then again, it wasn't hard to pick up on what set her apart from the rest.
"The thing that you first notice with her is just her physical presence," Rose said. "She's a big, strong girl and hits the ball very hard. Even as a club player, it made a different sound when she hit the ball compared to some of the other players."
She brought her skills to Penn State and has built up an attractive résumé in only three years of service. Fawcett has recorded double-digit kills in all of her collegiate matches, except for 11. She ranks second among the Lions in points and kills, right behind fellow left-side hitter, Megan Hodge. Fawcett's 0.36 service aces per game shoot her to the top of the list both on the team and in the Big Ten.
Her career accolades so far have earned her two All-America honors, along with several other awards. Although she is always grateful for the recognition, Fawcett said she has gained a different perspective from her time in the collegiate spotlight.
"Freshman year, it was more fun to get the awards more so than it is now, because [now] you see that it's such a team sport, and it's not about individual awards," Fawcett said. "In reality, every individual award is a reflection of your teammates. It's nice to get, but after losing in the tournament, you just would give anything just to have that final game be a win."
To help her team achieve the national title, Fawcett plans to do what she has done all season. Her work ethic and drive have helped her contribute to the Lions' dynamics.
On more than one occasion, Fawcett admitted to forgetting what happened in a specific play or game during post-match press conferences. She's not forgetful; it's just what helps her concentrate.
"I just get so focused," Fawcett said. "I know I'm not focused if I can hear people saying things, and I try to make sure I just don't. When I'm the most focused, I am just tuned in to that moment, each moment. I don't dwell on things."
It's this kind of dedication to her team and sport that Rose admires about Fawcett. For her, it's nothing out of the ordinary to put that much effort in her play. She said on multiple occasions that she and her team only can take care of what they could do on their side of the net.
When asked about her role on the team, Fawcett deflected any attention off her and said she plays to the best of her abilities and hopes it has a positive impact on her squad. She said her father always taught her to lead by example, and that's been her mindset at Penn State.
"Nicole is a great player," Price said. "She's never the one to say that wasn't her ball type of thing. She's like, I could've got that ball. She's always wanting to go after it."
Her attitude reflects her humble upbringing in a volleyball family from Zanesfield, Ohio. After the Lions defeated Ohio State the night before Thanksgiving in Columbus, the team traveled to Fawcett's quaint hometown for the holiday.
After getting a first-person perspective on Fawcett's background, Rose's impressions of one of his star players were reaffirmed.
"She's a hard worker, and she's a strong girl. I bet she's had to do a lot of work outside, cutting wood and stacking wood," Rose said playfully.
"She's a very pleasant person. Everybody wants to win, and everybody wants to be surrounded by positive things. I just enjoy the type of person she is. She's always got a smile . . . but the best thing about her is she's just a country girl."
Her modest personality is one of the reasons Rose said he would want to coach her for an extended period of time. Her demeanor, combined with her hard-hitting nature, also allows her teammates to feel comfortable joking with her about her strength.
After inadvertently giving one former teammate a concussion and injuring redshirt freshman Blair Brown's already-fragile thumb last year, the players made fun of her because she "was just hurting everyone at that point," Fawcett said.
Even though some of her teammates have gotten in the way of her hits every once in a while -- Brown still tapes up her thumb every day -- they would much rather have Fawcett's arm on the their side of the net.
"When she gets a hold of [the ball], she really rocks you," Price said. "She hits the ball so hard, she's going to hurt someone from time to time. It's just one of those things."
Her coaches don't consider her hard hits something to think about, however, and they used to yell at her for laughing when her opponents couldn't handle one of her hits, Fawcett said. Of course, she said she never wants to hurt or offend anybody. Her response to the coaches' viewpoints on the matter just offered another example of her carefree personality the entire staff and team has grown to appreciate.
"I felt bad, but it was just an automatic nervous response to it," Fawcett said with a smile. "It's comical, I guess. Not to be mean to anyone that I hit, but if I get hit I'm going to laugh. It might hurt a little bit, but it happens."
