University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Rachel Fairbanks Named MVP As Team USA Captures NORCECA Final Six
9/30/2026 10:48:00 AM | Volleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Pitt graduate Rachel Fairbanks earned MVP honors as The U.S. completed an undefeated run through the 2026 Women's Final Six by sweeping Mexico Sunday, 25-20, 25-15, 25-22.
The U.S. won all seven of its matches in the tournament, dropping only four sets along the way. Fairbanks ran an offense that hit .427 in the finals.
Over the course of seven days, Team USA won seven matches. The run began with sweeps of Canada and Cuba before four set victories over the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico. In the semifinals, Team USA beat Cuba 25-17, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21 before the sweep of Mexico in the finals.
Fairbanks played at Pitt from 2021-24, earning four trips to the NCAA semifinals. She is one of only two players in program history to be a two-time first-team All-American (along with current Panther Olivia Babcock) and added a third team All-American honor in 2022. She played in 127 matches over the course of her career with 3,093 assists, 115 aces, 781 digs and 150 blocks. Fairbanks ranks among the top 10 players in program history in career assists. In the 25-point scoring era (since 2008), she has three of the top 10 assist seasons in school history.
