Sensational super senior Aliyah Carter saw the curtains close on her captivating college career last semester, but the outside hitter’s volleyball journey is far from over.
France’s Terville-Florange Olympic Club announced the signing of the Kansas State star on Jan. 7. TFOC competes for the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball Challenge Cup, a professional European league.
Terville is a community in the Grand Est, Grand East in English, which is an administrative region in northeastern France, bordering Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany.
Before she signed to play in Europe, Carter sat down with K-State Athletics’ D. Scott Fritchen and detailed her time at K-State and the future of her career.
“I’d love to stay in the States. If that’s not what I’m called to do, I’m going overseas,” she said. “I’m playing more volleyball. I have enough left in me. I’m not done yet. I know I can get better at volleyball. Wherever I go, hopefully, I’ll be playing some more, and hopefully my body keeps up with me. I’m excited for it.”
In her debut with TFOC, Carter led the team to a reverse sweep with her 15 kills, 41% attack percentage and one block. To little surprise to followers of Carter’s career, the team is 3-1 since her addition.
Carter first made a splash during her rookie season in Manhattan, earning 2020 Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. From then on out, the trophy case overflowed as she became one of the most decorated players in the nation over the last five years — and arguably the greatest volleyball player in K-State history.
She finished her career as a four-time Division I All-Region First Team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, becoming the first student-athlete in K-State history to earn all-region recognition four times in a career.
Carter set a program-record 12 conference weekly awards and was first in the rally-scoring era with an average of 3.92 kills per set. Overall, Carter finished second all-time in total kills (1,839), total points (2,040.5) and in career matches with 20 or more kills (26).
This season, against Iowa State, Carter became the seventh player in school history to tally 30 or more kills in a match, following her 32-kill performance. She finished the match with a career-high 36 points — the fourth-most all-time in K-State history. Her 87 attacks against the Cyclones set a five-set match program record in the rally-scoring era. She was one of only four Big 12 student-athletes this season to achieve a 30-kill match.
Carter knows her No. 2 jersey will go down in Little Apple history.
“I’ve been telling [head coach Jason Mansfield], ‘If somebody wants to come in here and wear the No. 2, make sure they earn it first,’” she said. “I don’t want my jersey to be sitting on the bench. When somebody wears the No. 2 or they think of what I did on the court, I just want people to think, ‘She’s a killer. She kills the ball, she gets up high, she puts it down. She had a great energy.’ I’ve been telling Jason, ‘Make sure no freshman comes in and tries to wear No. 2.’ I want this jersey to be passed onto someone great.”
Likewise, she’ll always hold a special place in her heart for Manhattan and the K-State community.
“I just really want to emphasize the community here has made me feel so welcome and loved. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I never would say I ever wanted to transfer or stop playing volleyball. Everyone in Manhattan has always been so welcoming and loving toward me. I mean, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love Manhattan … I’m going to keep playing, and I’m going to keep doing it for K-State.”
K-State finished her super senior season 10-17 with an 8-10 mark in Big 12 play. While the ending didn’t go according to plan for the Wildcats, she still left it all out there.
“I’m going to miss the competitor she was and every point wanting to win,” Mansfield said. “The effort is always there, and she’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever been around. She’s really tried this whole season to take her game to the next level … When you’re in your fifth year and in the middle of the season when it gets tough, she’s been focused and competitive. That’s all you can ask for.”
