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A spirit that is not afraid

Sophomore sharpshooter hopes to raise the bar in 2015

Katy Frerking drives to the basket against Georgia (Photo contributed by Anthony Hall)
Katy Frerking drives to the basket against Georgia (Photo contributed by Anthony Hall)

When it comes to impact freshmen, Auburn enjoyed its fair share of talented recruits last season, but often overlooked were the accomplishments of Katie Frerking, the 6-foot-1, sharpshooting sophomore for the women's basketball team.
The Johns Creek, Georgia native is the daughter of Bill and Susan Frerking, and attended Wesleyan High School where she stood out as a three-sport athlete, competing in basketball, softball and track. Although Frerking had many athletic talents, she excelled most on the hardwood.
Frerking attributes her growth as an athlete to her father, Bill.
"My dad was my first ever basketball coach," Frerking said. "He taught me how to shoot and all the fundamentals, and he was a three-sport athlete just like I was."
Throughout her career at Wesleyan, Frerking found many ways to contribute to the success of her team, averaging 20.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game as a senior. Her production led to four-straight state titles.
Frerking was named the 2012 NCSAA National Player of the Year and earned consideration to compete in the 2012 McDonald's All-American Game, leaving her fingerprints all over Wesleyan's record books in the process.
Frerking's outstanding high school career, however, did not come without its setbacks. A torn ACL can be a problem for some athletes, but Frerking's high school coach, Jan Azar, felt like it was a blessing is disguise.
"Katie tore her ACL in her first varsity basketball game," Azar said. "Although she could not play, her leadership still stood out as a freshman and it was a big part of what we accomplished that year. She was at every practice, she was at every game, and I feel like that trial really helped her discover the true passion she had for the game of basketball."
When the time came for her to make a college decision, Frerking had scholarship offers from Richmond, SMU, N.C. State, Pittsburgh, James Madison, Lehigh and Samford, among others, but chose Auburn because of the good vibes she received from the campus and coaches.
"When I came on my visit, honestly, I just had a good feeling about it," Frerking said. "The coaches really made me feel like I was a part of the family whether I was committed or not. "
Most coaches agree having a motor is an important skill, and coach Terri Williams-Flournoy was looking for that type of player when recruiting Frerking.
"I thought Katie was always a player that just played hard," Williams-Flournoy said. "She was passionate about the game and for the way we play, and our style of play; being able to play hard and love the game, she fit right in to our program."
Not only did Frerking fit in, she immediately climbed the depth chart, becoming the fifth true freshman to start in a season opener for the women's basketball program in the last 10 years.
In her first full season on the Plains, Frerking led the team in three-point shooting percentage, was second on the team in free throw shooting percentage and was also the Tigers' sixth leading scorer. Although Frerking did most of her damage as a marksman, she feels like there are still aspects to her game we have not seen yet.
"I never felt like my game was just three-point shooting," Frerking said. "That's one thing I can do, but when I got to Auburn my coaches told me that was one of the main things this team needed, and it was a way I could contribute."
Heading into her sophomore campaign, both Frerking and Williams-Flournoy have higher expectations regarding how she can elevate the performance of the team.
"Katie's sophomore year will be about becoming more confident offensively," Williams-Flournoy said. "She has to come in with a stronger mindset that as soon as the game starts that she can score."


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