University Southern California Trojans
Men's Volleyball Hosts UCLA and LMU
June 21, 1999 | Men's Volleyball
February 8, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The hot No. 8-ranked USC mens volleyball team (13-2 overall, 6-1 NCAA, 5-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation)--off to its best start since 1994--hopes to extend its 6-match winning streak when it hosts a pair of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation foes this week: first crosstown rival and No. 3 UCLA, the defending NCAA champion, on Wednesday (Feb. 10), and then No. 12 Loyola Marymount on Saturday (Feb. 13). Both matches are at 7 p.m. in the North Gym.
RANKINGS - USC is ranked eighth in the current Volleyball magazine poll and ninth in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll. That is Troy's highest ranking since USC was eighth in both polls on March 5, 1996. UCLA is third by Volleyball and fourth in the USA Today/AVCA poll. Loyola Marymount is 12th by USA Today/AVCA.
HOT START - USC's 6-1 NCAA mark is its best since a 10-0 start in 1994 and its 5-0 MPSF mark is its best league start since going 9-0 in 1994.
OPPONENTS - UCLA (6-2 overall, 4-1 MPSF), the 1998 NCAA champ, has won its last 3 matches (Loyola Marymount, Cal State Northridge and UC Irvine). Both of the Bruins' losses were in 5 games (to Lewis and Pepperdine). USC trails its series with UCLA, 68-28 (the Trojans' 28 victories is the most wins by any opponent over UCLA). USC has lost 10 straight to the Bruins, last beating them 2-0 in the 1994 UC Santa Barbara tourney (Troy's last best-of-5 win over UCLA was in 1991). Loyola Marymount (1-5, 0-4) has dropped 5 straight after opening its season with a win over La Verne.
LAST MATCHES - Eli Fairfield led the Trojans in their wins last week over UC Irvine (15-6, 15-13, 10-15, 15-17, 15-11), No. 14 Pacific (15-6, 15-8, 15-6) and No. 7 Stanford (15-11, 12-15, 15-13, 15-11). He had a match-high 33 digs with 6 blocks and 6 digs against UC Irvine, another match-best 16 kills while hitting .652 versus Pacific and a team-high 21 kills against Stanford. Against UC Irvine, Brook Billings added 28 kills, Omar Rawi had 15 kills and a match-best 9 blocks,and Donald Suxho had a match-high 18 digs. Billings added 14 kills against Pacific and 19 versus Stanford (with 6 blocks).
COACH PAT POWERS - Legendary Olympic gold medalist, collegiate All-American and pro beach star Pat Powers returned in 1997 to his alma mater - which he led to the 1980 NCAA championship as a player - to become the USC mens volleyball head coach and help bring the Trojans back to national prominence. In 1997, his first season, Powers put USC back on track, with its first winning season since 1994 at 18-14. Last year, his Trojans went 17-17 and missed the MPSF Tournament by just one win. The 6-foot-5 Powers is regarded as one of the greatest players in international volleyball history. He was a member of the U.S. National Team for nine years (1978-86) and started at outside hitter on a squad that won Americas first-ever Triple Crown: the 1984 Olympics, the 1985 World Cup and the 1986 World Championships.
DONALD SUXHO - Setter Donald Suxho, who is starting for his third season, is the team's veteran. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the 1999 UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational. USC's ace (18) and dig (49) leader in 1999, he had 4 aces against San Diego State, UC Irvine and Pacific and 18 digs versus Stanford. Now an All-American candidate, the 6-5 junior from Albania was an All-MPSF third teamer in 1998 while averaging 15.3 assists a game. He also led USC in digs (214), tied for the team lead in aces (27) and was third in blocks (103). He set a since-broken NCAA record for most assists in a match (129 versus Ohio State in 1997).
ELI FAIRFIELD - Another All-American candidate is 6-7 sophomore outside hitter Eli Fairfield, who was a Freshman All-American in 1998. This season, he is tied for the team lead in kills (117) and is second in aces (11). He led USC is kills (15) and blocks (5) at Cal Baptist. In a 3-match streak in early February, he had a match-high 33 digs with 6 blocks and 6 digs against UC Irvine, another match-best 16 kills while hitting .652 versus Pacific and a team-high 21 kills against Stanford. Last year, he was second on the Trojans in kills (389) while starting all season, and also joined Suxho in topping Troy in aces (27), plus he was third in digs (149) and fourth in blocks (65). He played for the USA Volleyball Junior National team in the summer of 1998.
BROOK BILLINGS - Highly-regarded 6-5 freshman Brook Billings, who was the MVP of Volleyball magazines 1998 Fab 50 prep list, has earned a starting spot at outside hitter. In his first match as a Trojan, he posted a match-high 23 kills and added 6 digs against Alberta. A slight ankle sprain sidelined him for the Cal Baptist match and some of the UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational. He then led USC in kills against UC San Diego (16) and San Diego State (17). In a 3-match stretch in early February, he had 28 kills against UC Irvine, 14 kills against Pacific and 19 versus Stanford (with 6 blocks). He played for the USA Volleyball Junior National team in the summer of 1998 after making the 1998 All-CIF Division II first team as a senior at San Marcos High in Santa Barbara, Calif.
TREVOR JULIAN - Trevor Julian, a 6-5 sophomore, returns as a starting outside hitter. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the 1999 UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational, hitting .375 against Long Beach State in the finals. He had double figures in kills in his last 3 matches: 14 versus UC Irvine while hitting .400, 10 versus Pacific and 12 against Stanford while hitting .556. Last year, he was third on the Trojans in kills (275), second in digs (172) and fifth in blocks (62).
MIDDLE BLOCKERS - USC sports a brother act at middle blocker with 6-5 siblings Omar and Beau Rawi. Another of USC's veterans, junior Omar is starting at middle blocker for his second season. This year, he had 9 blocks against UC San Diego, then 8 blocks versus San Diego State and 9 blocks against UC Irvine (with 15 kills and 9 digs). Last year, he was second on the squad in blocks (104) and fourth in kills (223) while hitting .299. Freshman Beau started his first match against San Diego State and hit .538 with 9 kills (after hitting .667 with 9 kills versus UC San Diego). He hit .435 with 14 kills and 8 digs versus UC Irvine. Before Beau entered the lineup, the starter was 6-7 sophomore Tony Knopp, who saw limited action in 16 matches last spring. He hit .412 with 10 kills against Long Beach State in the finals of the UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational. He added 8 kills and 8 blocks against UC Santa Cruz. Last year, he had 49 kills while hitting .324 along with 32 blocks. Beau or Tony are filling the spot vacated by 4-year starter Szilard Kovacs, who All-American honorable mention and All-MPSF third team notice in 1998 while hitting .368 and leading Troy in kills (396) and blocks (150).
NOTES - With the emergence of Brook Billings, 2 co-starters from 1998--6-3 sophomores Ryan Thurlow and Craig Dennis--now provide USC with experienced depth coming off the bench. Last year, Thurlow posted 181 kills and Dennis added 180. Dennis had a match-high 10 kills against UC Santa Cruz in 1999...Here's a rarity in the world of men's athletics. One of USC's assistant coaches is a woman, Laura Ames, who was the women's head coach at both Aurora (1993-95) and Benedictine (1996-97)...Junior outside hitter David Grimm has performed the national anthem on his electric guitar before USC home matches...Freshman middle blocker Cam Land is majoring in biochemical engineering...Ryan Thurlow's father, Toby, lettered for USC's 1962 national championship football team and his grandfather, Leavitt, lettered in football from 1934 to 1936...Trojan greats Dusty Dvorak and Steve Timmons (along with ex-USC women's star Paula Weishoff) were inducted into the U.S. Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1998...USC's 3-year drought from post-season action (1996-98) is the longest in its history.
