University Southern California Trojans
Men's Volleyball Prepares For Stanford And Pacific
March 28, 2000 | Men's Volleyball
March 28, 2000
THE FACTS
The No. 3-ranked USC men's volleyball team (20-5 overall, 16-4
NCAA, 11-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Pacific Division)--looking to
clinch a berth in the MPSF playoffs--travels to No. 13 Stanford (8-9, 7-7)
this Friday (March 31) and No. 15 Pacific (10-12, 6-8) this Saturday (April
1). Both matches start at 7 p.m.
RANKINGS
USC is ranked third in the USA Today/AVCA coaches poll and fourth
in the Volleyball magazine poll. Stanford is No. 13 in the USA Today/AVCA
coaches poll and Pacific is 15th in the USA Today/AVCA coaches poll.
OPPONENTS
Stanford lost twice at Hawaii (both 3-0) last week to snap its
5-match winning streak. The Cardinal feature Curt Toppel and Marcus
Skacel. The Trojans hold a 43-17 series edge against Stanford, including a
3-0 win in January. Pacific, which hosts Long Beach State on Friday (March
31), has won its past 2 matches (versus Ball State and La Verne). The
Tigers are led by Vladimir Andric and Darrell Dilmore. USC is 16-4
all-time versus Pacific, including a 3-0 home sweep this past January.
LAST MATCHES
Brook Billings had a match-high 32 kills while hitting .414
to lead USC to a 11-15, 15-11, 7-15, 15-6, 17-15 non-conference home
victory over No. 5 Ohio State on Tuesday (March 21), ending the Buckeyes'
7-match winning streak. The Trojans fell behind 7-2 in the decisive
point-per-serve fifth game and trailed 11-8 before scoring 4 straight
points to regain control. Billings' 32nd kill ended the match. Eli
Fairfield added 16 kills and 5 digs for USC, while teammate Mark Dusharme
had 13 kills, Donald Suxho had 10 kills (hitting .818) and 5 aces, and
Trevor Julian served 6 aces and had 8 digs. The Buckeyes outhit (.385 to
.327) and outblocked (13.0 to 9.5) the Trojans, but USC had a school
single-match record 15 aces. On Saturday (March 25), David McKienzie had
33 kills while hitting .463 and added 16 digs to lead No. 1 Long Beach
State to a 15-9, 17-16, 15-4 MPSF win over USC at the Pyramid. Billings
had 22 kills and four digs for USC, while Dusharme and Fairfield each had
12 kills.
RETURN TO GLORY?
In the 15-year span from 1977 to 1991, USC was an annual
contender for the NCAA title as the Trojans won 4 NCAA crowns, finished
second 6 times and were third once. After an 8-year drought, USC is on the
brink of returning to national prominence in 2000. Don't be surprised if
this is the season that Troy makes its first visit to the NCAA Final Four
since 1991.
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 title as a player--to become the USC men's volleyball
head coach and help bring the Trojans back to national prominence. Now in
his fourth year, his career mark is 79-48. In 1997, his first season,
Powers put USC back on track, with its first winning season since 1994 at
18-14. In 1998, his Trojans went 17-17 and missed the MPSF Tournament by
just one win. Last year, the 24-12 Trojans advanced to the finals of the
MPSF tourney and earned a No. 7 national ranking.
The 6-foot-5 Powers is 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 America's first-ever "Triple Crown": the 1984 Olympics, the 1985 World Cup and the 1986 World Championships.
DONALD SUXHO
The team's only senior is 6-5 captain Donald Suxho of
Albania, who is starting at setter for the fourth year. One of the premier
setters in college, he is also a blocking force at the net and possesses a
lethal jump serve. His 149 career aces is a USC record. In 2000, he tops
USC in assists (1,506), and is second in aces (42), digs (114) and blocks
(71). He made the All-Tournament team at the 2000 UC Santa Barbara
Collegiate Invitational (for the second consecutive year). He hit .600
with 10 kills against Penn State. He had 6 aces at San Diego State and 10
digs at UC San Diego. He hit .545 and had 9 digs at UCLA. He led USC with
4 blocks against UC Santa Barbara. He had 10 digs and 4 blocks at BYU. He
had 4 aces and 7 digs at Cal Baptist. He had another 7 digs with 3 blocks
versus UC Santa Cruz. He had 7 blocks at Pepperdine. Against Hawaii, he
had 8 blocks the first match and 7 the next. He had 6 digs and 6 blocks
versus Cal State Northridge. He had 10 kills while hitting .818 and 5 aces
against Ohio State. He had 5 blocks at Long Beach State. He was named to
the 1999 AVCA All-American first team when he led USC in aces (a USC season
record 63), digs (199) and assists (1,871). He was second nationally in
ace average in 1999 (.658, tops in the MPSF). He was an All-MPSF third
teamer in 1998 when set a since-broken NCAA record for most assists in a
match (129 versus Ohio State in 1997).
BROOK BILLINGS
USC sports perhaps the top young player in the game in
dominating 6-5 sophomore opposite hitter Brook Billings, who is in the
starting lineup for his second season and could be in line for All-American
honors. In 2000, he leads USC in kills (404). In the finals of the 2000
UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational against Pepperdine, he led USC
with 23 kills and 9 digs. He followed that up by equalling a career-high
with 39 kills (hitting .540) against Penn State. He had 20 kills and hit
.500 versus Manitoba. He had 35 kills (hitting .434) at San Diego State
and 23 at UC San Diego. He then had match highs in kills against Pacific
(25, while hitting .588 with 5 digs) and Stanford (15). He was named MPSF
Player of the Week for his performance at UCLA, getting match highs in
kills (33) and digs (a career-high 17). He had a match-best 18 kills while
hitting .462 against San Diego State. He was USC's co-leader in kills (20)
versus La Verne and added a match-best 11 digs. He then missed USC's next
4 matches (UC Santa Barbara, BYU, Cal Baptist and UC Santa Cruz) while
recovering from a stress fracture in his lower left leg. He returned at
Pepperdine and had 23 kills and 17 digs, both match highs. He played only
the fifth game of the first Hawaii match, then had a team-best 19 kills
with 7 blocks in the second Hawaii match. Against Cal State Northridge, he
sat out the first game, then came off the bench to get 26 kills and 4
blocks in the last 4 games. He had 17 kills at UC Irvine. He had a
match-best 32 kills (hitting .414) against Ohio State. He had a team-best
22 kills at Long Beach State. In 1999, he was the Asics/Volleyball
National Co-Freshman of the Year and the MPSF Freshman of the Year as he
led USC in kills with 640, the fourth most ever in a season by a Trojan
(more than any USC freshman), while hitting .317. He was sixth nationally
in kill average (6.17) and added 169 digs (second on USC) and 92 blocks
(fourth on USC). He showed just how precocious he was during USC's final 4
matches of 1999 (all against Top 7 squads) when he had an amazing 30-plus
kills in each outing (and he had 20-plus kills in the last 9 matches of 1999).
ELI FAIRFIELD
Back for his third year starting at an outside hitter spot
is junior Eli Fairfield. In 2000, he is second on USC in kills (366) and
third in digs (109) and blocks (61). In the finals of the 2000 UC Santa
Barbara Collegiate Invitational against Pepperdine, he had 17 kills and
hit. 344. He had 10 kills, 5 aces and 6 digs in the first match against
Penn State, then came back the next night to post 19 kills and 5 digs. He
had 17 kills and hit .464 versus Manitoba. He had 25 kills at San Diego
State. He then had 13 kills and 5 blocks against both Pacific (hitting
.391) and Stanford(hitting .478). At UCLA, he had 19 kills and a
career-high 15 digs. He had 26 kills and 15 digs, both match highs,
against UC Santa Barbara. At BYU, he had a career-best and match-high 42
kills, plus 10 digs. For his performances against UC Santa Barbara and
BYU, he was named the AVCA National Player of the Week. He missed USC's
matches against Cal Baptist and UC Santa Cruz while resting a stress
fracture in his leg. He returned at Pepperdine and had 19 kills and 5
blocks. Against Hawaii, he had a match-best 40 kills (hitting .373) with 6
digs in the first match and 16 kills (hitting .393) in the second match.
He had a team-best 28 kills while hitting .468 with 5 blocks against Cal
State Northridge. He had a match-high 20 kills while hitting .600 at UC
Irvine. He had 16 kills and 5 blocks against Ohio State. He had 12 kills
and 5 blocks at Long Beach State. Last season, the 6-7 Fairfield was
second on USC in kills (501) while hitting .283 and in aces (30) and fourth
in digs (139) and blocks (83). He was a Freshman All-American in 1998.
TREVOR JULIAN
Also returning for his third year starting at outside hitter
is junior Trevor Julian. This year, he is leads USC in aces (44) and third
in kills (276) and hitting percentage (.349). He had 13 kills (hitting
.530) and 3 aces against Penn State. He had 17 kills (hitting .414) with 5
aces and 6 blocks at San Diego State, then added 10 kills at UC San Diego.
At UCLA, he had 15 kills and 3 aces. He hit .727 with 9 kills against San
Diego State. He was USC's co-leader in kills (20) versus La Verne while
hitting .467. He had 15 kills (hitting .417) with 5 aces against UC Santa
Barbara. At BYU, he had a career-best 23 kills, plus 11 digs and 4 blocks.
He led USC in kills at Cal Baptist with another 23 while hitting .410. He
had 14 kills (hitting .375) with 3 blocks versus UC Santa Cruz. Had had
another 14 kills at Pepperdine. Against Hawaii, he had 15 kills in the
first match and 14 in the second. Against Cal State Northridge, he not
only had 13 kills (hitting .346) and 6 aces (1 shy of the USC single match
record), but with the Matadors leading 14-13 and serving for the match, he
stretched out along the back line to make a miraculous backhanded flipper
dig of a CSUN spike to keep the Trojans' hopes alive (Troy won 21-19). He
had 12 kills (hitting .556) at UC Irvine. He had 8 digs and 6 aces against
Ohio State. Last season, the 6-5 Julian was third on USC in kills (269),
aces (24) and digs (154) in 1999, and also had 80 blocks.
BEAU RAWI
Beau Rawi, a 6-5 sophomore middle blocker, is USC's fifth
returning starter. In 2000, he leads USC in blocks (98) and is second in
hitting percentage (.408). He made the All-Tournament team at the 2000 UC
Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational (he hit .313 in the final against
Pepperdine). He had 6 blocks in the first match against Penn State, then
had 11 kills (hitting .450) with 5 blocks the next match. Against
Manitoba, he had 10 kills and hit .600. He hit .611 with 13 kills and had
6 blocks at San Diego State, then added 8 blocks at UC San Diego. Against
Pacific, he hit .615 with 9 kills, then hit .714 with 12 kills and 5 blocks
versus Stanford. At UCLA, he hit .448 with 16 kills and had a match-best 6
blocks. He hit .462 with 9 kills against San Diego State. He hit .524
with 16 kills against La Verne. At BYU, he had a career-best 25 kills
(hitting .588) with 7 blocks. He had 17 kills at Cal Baptist. He hit .412
with 10 kills and added 5 blocks against UC Santa Cruz. He had 6 blocks at
Pepperdine. Against Hawaii, he had 15 kills (hitting .323) with 8 blocks
in the first match and 12 kills (hitting .364) with 8 blocks in the second.
He had a match-best 7 blocks at Long Beach State. He was second on USC in
blocks with 114 in 1999, and also had 235 kills while hitting .358, 18 aces
(fourth on USC) and 104 digs.
MARK DUSHARME
The only new starter in USC's lineup is 6-7 freshman Mark
Dusharme, a 1999 Volleyball Fab 50 pick and 2-time All-CIF San Diego
Section first teamer at Bonita Vista High in Chula Vista, Calif. In the
finals of the 2000 UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational against
Pepperdine, he hit .615. He had 11 kills while hitting .430 against Penn
State. He hit .615 with 8 kills versus Stanford. He hit .714 with 11
kills and 3 aces against San Diego State. He had 10 kills while hitting
.455 against UC Santa Barbara. He had a career-best 21 kills at Cal
Baptist while playing opposite hitter in place of an injured Brook
Billings. Against UC Santa Cruz, he again had 21 kills and hit .679, both
match highs. He had 10 kills and 8 blocks at Pepperdine. He had 14 kills
while hitting .500 and a match-best 7 blocks against Cal State Northridge.
He had 13 kills against Ohio State. He had 12 kills while hitting a
match-best .550 at Long Beach State. He was a member of the 1999 USA Boys
Youth National Training team and the 1998 USA Youth National team, where he
was named the "Best Blocker" at the NORCECA Youth National Tournament.
He's nearly back to full speed now after being slowed in fall workouts by
injuries (back stress fracture, appendectomy), although he has missed some
time in early-season 2000 matches.
RESERVES
Providing depth at outside hitter are Ryan Thurlow, an
experienced 6-2 junior, and 6-8 walk-on freshman Marcus Gilmour, USC's
biggest player who has loads of potential. When Brook Billings was
sidelined this year with a stress fracture in his leg, Thurlow started 5
consecutive matches. First, against La Verne, he had 16 kills. He posted
15 kills with 3 blocks against UC Santa Barbara. At BYU, he had 16 kills,
10 digs and 4 blocks. He had 13 kills at Cal Baptist. He had 6 digs
versus UC Santa Cruz. He was a part-time starter in 1998 and appeared in 9
matches as a reserve in 1999. Gilmour was named to the 1999 Volleyball Fab
50 team and the All-CIF Division III first team at Santa Ynez (Calif.)
High, which won the CIF Division III championship last season. Gilmour
played on the 1999 USA Junior Nationals Boys 18-and-Under champion. He is
just coming around after knee surgery this past fall and has yet to play in
2000. Josh Day, a 6-6 walk-on freshman, is a reserve middle blocker. He
leads USC in hitting percentage (.416) in 2000. This year, he hit .444
with 6 blocks at San Diego State, then hit .538 with another 6 blocks while
starting at UC San Diego. He also started versus Pacific. He hit .500
with 6 kills while starting against La Verne. He came off the bench to hit
.800 against UC Santa Barbara. He started at Cal Baptist and had 3 aces.
He hit .467 with 9 kills and 4 blocks off the bench against Cal State
Northridge. He started at UC Irvine and had a career-best 13 kills
(hitting .706) and a match-high 5 blocks. He started again versus Ohio
State. He was on the 1999 Volleyball Fab 50 team and was an All-State
first teamer at Kamehameha High in Honolulu, Hi. Suxho's backup at setter
in 2000 is 6-2 redshirt freshman walk-on Dustin Avol, who did not compete
at USC last year after attending prep powerhouse Mira Costa High in
Manhattan Beach, Calif. He subs in occasionally as a serving specialist.
He started at setter against La Verne this season. But waiting in the
wings is highly-touted 6-5 freshman setter Miles McGann, a 3-time All-CIF
first teamer (he was MVP of the 1999 All-CIF Division III team) and a
Volleyball Fab 50 choice at Laguna Beach (Calif.) High. He has appeared in
5 matches in 2000. His first appearance came mid-season when he started at
outside hitter for the first 4 games of the first match against Hawaii
while Brook Billings rested a sore leg and posting 13 kills. He also
started against Cal State Northridge (he played just the first game before
Billings came in). He was a 4-time All-American first team selection at
the USA Junior Nationals (his team finished first twice) and was on the
1998 USA Youth National team.
LIBEROS
USC has a pair of players capable of ably filling the new libero
position, a combination defensive and passing specialist: 6-0 sophomore
Greg Burden and 5-10 redshirt freshman walk-on John Hinds. This season,
Burden leads USC in digs (149). He had 9 digs against Pepperdine in the
finals of the 2000 UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational, 7 against Penn
State, 8 at San Diego State, 10 at UCLA, 9 against UC Santa Barbara, a
match-best 21 at BYU, a match-best 9 at Cal Baptist, 13 at Pepperdine, 9 in
the first Hawaii match, 7 against Cal State Northridge and 9 at Long Beach
State. Hinds had 7 digs at UC San Diego, 10 versus Stanford and 10 at UC
Irvine. Burden is the more skilled passer, while Hinds is better on
defense. Burden saw limited action in 3 matches last year at Troy, while
Hinds sat out 1999 at USC after prepping at Santa Margarita High in Rancho
Santa Margarita, Calif. Hinds played on the 1998 USA Junior Nationals Boys
18-and-Under champion. Hinds suffered a knee sprain in early January and
will be sidelined several weeks.
NOTES
USC's season average of 1.85 aces per game is well ahead of the
school record (1.54, set in 1989)...USC's 15 aces against Ohio State was a
school single-match record...USC has played 5-game matches 6 times in 2000,
including 4 in the past 7 matches (Troy is 4-2 in 5-game matches this
season, including wins in the past 3 such matches)...USC's 21-19 score in
the fifth game against Cal State Northridge was the highest-scoring fifth
game in Trojan history...When USC upset top-ranked UCLA in 5 games on Feb.
4, the Trojans not only broke a 13-match losing streak to their crosstown
rival, but it was USC's first regulation-match win over the Bruins since
1991, its first victory in Pauley Pavilion since 1990 and its first win in
the Kilgour Cup after 7 losses...Before losing at BYU, USC was off to its
best overall start, NCAA start and MPSF start since 1994...Also, before the
BYU loss, USC was ranked first by Volleyball Magazine and second by the
AVCA/USA Today. The last time USC was ranked No. 1 in any poll was the
season-ending AVCA poll in 1991. The last time USC was ranked second in
the USA Today/AVCA poll was March 1, 1994...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)...Beau Rawi's brother, Omar, started for USC's men's volleyball
team in 1998 and 1999...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...Miles McGann's brother, Grant,
played water polo at USC in 1997 and his cousin, Jeremy Laster, is a member
of the USA national water polo team...Several dozen of Marcus Gilmour's
relatives attended USC, including his mother and father.
