Oct. 3, 2005

Chemnitz, Germany - After graduating in May from Saint Mary's College, Stacey O'Connor had gone long enough without playing volleyball. O'Connor, who was the starting middle blocker for Saint Mary's for four years, including two NCAA Tournament teams, decided to take her game over seas and landed a spot on the Chemnitz Fighting Kangaroos in Chemnitz, Germany.

O'Connor signed a professional contract in August and left for Germany later in the month. Now, O'Connor is playing in a sports crazy town, where over 500 fans pack small, loud gyms cheering for their Fighting Kangaroos.

"I'm so happy to be playing volleyball again," O'Connor said. "I love the sport too much to stop playing."

O'Connor is on a Chemnitz team that finished third in their league last season and has two former College players from Iona College and Cal State Fullerton on the team. O'Connor also said her coach and teammates all speak English, making the transition a lot smoother.

The Fighting Kangaroos are three weeks into the season and remain in third place. O'Connor and the Fighting Kangaroos just returned from a 19-team tournament in Munich, where they took ninth place.

"It's a different type of volleyball than in the United States," O'Connor said. "It is taking some time to get adjusted to the style of play."

The Fighting Kangaroos are part of the 2nd German National League, and have been in the league for four years. They are coached by Mirko Pansa and the average crowds of over 500 fans is well known for being the place to be in Chemnitz. The Fighting Kangaroos are part of the Chemnitzer Polizeisportverein sports club, with over 1600 members and 23 sports sections.

While at Saint Mary's, O'Connor became the school's all-time leader in block assists (459) and total blocks (490). She also holds the record for most block assists (151) in a season and total blocks (158). She also holds the record for most block assists in a match with 15.