Current Fresno State assistant volleyball coach Mallori Gibson and former Bulldog middle blocker Brianna Clarke were selected to play professionally for the Premier Volleyball League's Dream Team.
Mallori Gibson joined the Bulldog coaching staff as an assistant in August 2011.
Gibson, a native of Bakersfield, Calif., recently played professionally in Greece and won a Greek Cup Gold Medal for the Olympiacos Sport Club. She started her collegiate playing career at the University of Colorado before transferring to the University of the Pacific, where she was a two-time first-team All-Big West Conference outside hitter.
During her experience at the two top Western volleyball programs, Gibson helped her team secure a series of big wins over nationally ranked opponents. Most notably, the CU Buffaloes toppled No. 1 Nebraska, the eventual 2006 NCAA national champion. Gibson recorded 16 kills and three blocks in the five-set thriller that handed the Huskers its only loss of their 33-1 campaign.
As a senior at Pacific, Gibson sparked the Tigers past No. 20 Long Beach State with a .400 hitting percentage and an impressive double-double of 21 kills and 15 digs. In her junior year, Gibson led Pacific to a sweep of then-No. 22 LBSU, when she posted 13 kills and a .409 hitting percentage.
While playing for Colorado in 2006, Gibson's match-high 11 kills launched the Buffs to a sweep of No. 11 California and a first round NCAA Tournament victory over No. 19 New Mexico State. She had 13 kills, eight digs, four aces and three blocks in the win against the Aggies.
Overall, Gibson finished with 694 kills in her two seasons at Pacific and 1,372 total kills in her collegiate career.
Gibson also earned many academic awards while at Pacific. A two-time Academic All-Big West Team honors, she was selected as Senior of the Year for Sports Management, and graduated with honors, Magna Cum Laude.
Following her senior year at Pacific, Gibson was invited to play in the United States Volleyball Open National Championships in Phoenix, Ariz., where she and her team took home the silver medal.
Gibson then served as a volunteer assistant coach at Pacific while she earned her Masters of Arts in Sports Sciences.
She graduated as a prep standout at Bakersfield's Foothill High School. As one of PrepVolleyball.com's Top 250 in the nation, Gibson also earned Kern County Player of the Year honors after leading the country in kills, digs and aces all four years in high school and setting the school's all-time kill record.
A four-time all-South East Yosemite League selection in volleyball and basketball, she won six league titles in track and field - three times in the shot put, twice in the long jump and once in the pole vault. Gibson also served as Foothill High's Associated Student Body President with a 4.5 GPA.
She is a past recipient of the U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award and the U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar-Athlete Award while additionally garnering CIF Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.
