Fatima Balza Class: Junior Hometown: Merida, Venezuela High School: Liceo Caracas Last College: Western Nebraska Community College Height: 6-3 Position: MH

Pronounced: Fa-tee-ma • Ball-za

Collegiate Career
2008 (Sophomore at Western Nebraska CC): Named Most Valuable Player Region IX ... helped guide WNCC to third place in the national tournament and a 59-4 overall record ... garnered First Team All-America honors ... named Female Athlete of the Year at WNCC ... selected as Midlands Female College Athlete of the Year for Nebraska by the Omaha World Herald ... led the team with 632 kills and .466 hitting percentage ... had 227 total blocks, good enough for fifth on the single single ledger ... set the school record in blocks with 437 career blocks ... finished her career with a,1045 kills to be one of only eight players in school history to amass more than 1,000 kills.

2007 (Freshman at Western Nebraska CC): Named Freshman of the Year Region IX ... helped WNCC win the NJCAA National Championship and a 59-2 overall record ... Earned All-America Honorable Mention distinction ... recorded 413 kills, and 210 blocks.

Venezuela
Began playing volleyball at the age of 12 with the Kuchitas Volleyball Team in her hometown of Merida, Venezuela ... began training with the Venezuelan National Team in 2003 in Caracas, Venezuela ... was a member of the national from from January 2003-June 2007 ... captained the U16 National Team in 2004 ... captained the Junior National Team in 2006.

Personal
Born Fatima Noheli Balza Alvarado on April 1, 1988 in Merida, Venezuela ... parents are Argimiro Balza and Zonia Alvarado de Balza ... has one sister, Astrid (22) and one brother, Artura (16) ... plans on majoring in Communication Arts and Sciences ... names listening to music, watching TV and surfing the internet as hobbies, "The Me Nobody Knew" by Shannon McLinden as favorite book, The Pussycat Dolls as favorite entertainer, "Friends" as favorite television show, "The Green Mile" as favorite movie, Giba (Gilberto Amaury de Godoy Filho) as favorite athlete, Johnny Depp and Jim Carrey as favorite actors, steak, chicken and arepa as favorite foods and Cameron Diaz and Angelina Jolie as favorite actresses.

Why I Chose Penn State
"I chose Penn State because it is a great school with a successful volleyball program. It is a great place to build my future and begin achieving my dreams."

Quoting Russ Rose
"Fatima has good experience and a head for the game that is different from some American players. Fatima plays the game hard and she's smart. I think once we get into playing, she'll have better awareness of Division I volleyball. She had good success as a junior college player, but the game is significantly different. The players are bigger, quicker and stronger, but Fatima has immersed herself well in the community here and the players and her get along well."

Balza's Expectations
"To improve my game and to win a national title."