Side Out with Chelaine McCarty

2007 (So.): Second-team VaSID All-State honoree … also a second-team All-Big South selection in her first season with the Lady Flames, after transferring from Auburn … started all 36 matches at middle blocker, where she became a consistent offensive weapon … led the Lady Flames and ranked third in the Big South with a .328 attack percentage, the highest by a Liberty player since 2003 … second on the squad and 10th in the conference with 106 blocks … recorded the second-most service aces (34) and the third-most kills (391) among the Lady Flames … finished with a career-best 10 blocks against Villanova (9/14), the most by a Lady Flame since Erin McKeown had 11 in 2003 … tabbed Big South Player of the Week on Sept. 24, after making a successful debut in conference play (career-high 19 kills and .515 attack percentage at Radford on 9/23) … performance came in the midst of a stretch which saw her hit .300 or higher in 18 of 19 matches … tied a program rally-scoring record by hitting .684 in a win at UNC Asheville (11/3), recording 14 kills in 19 swings, with only one attack error … made the Big South Presidential Honor Roll.

2006 (Fr.): Made two appearances, including a start, for Auburn as a freshman … posted two blocks, an ace and a kill against Southeastern Louisiana (9/9) in her collegiate debut … started against Ole Miss (10/6) and contributed a dig and a block … won Academic Top Tiger distinction.

Prep: Closed out career at Addison High School by being one of two Alabama players selected as a PrepVolleyball.com High School All-American … led Lady Bulldogs to three straight 1A state titles (2003, 2004, 2005) and a 201-5 record during those three campaigns … as a senior, she helped her team to a 67-0 season and won her second state tournament MVP honor in succession … a three-time all-state, all-region, all-area and all-county pick … totaled 2,031 career kills and 592 blocks at Addison … captured three gold medals at the Alabama Sports Festival (2003, 2004, 2005) … won a pair of Alabama state high jump titles … graduated fifth in her senior class … attended the Congressional Student Leadership Conference.

Personal: Parents are Duane McCarty and Heather and Jerry Gurganus … environmental sciences major … placed seventh in the high jump at the 2008 Big South Indoor Track & Field Championships … birthday is on Christmas.