Women of Troy Earn Top Preseason Rankings
August 16, 2000 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 16, 2000
Los Angeles, Calif. -- The USC women's volleyball team will enter the 2000 season ranked fourth according to Volleyball magazine and seventh according to the AVCA's Division I preseason rankings. With five returning starters and the nation's top-ranked recruiting class of 2000, this year's squad may prove to be one of USC's best since the Women of Troy garnered four national championships in the 70s and 80s.
Second year interim head coach and 1999 Pac-10 Coach of the Year Jerritt Elliott will guide the Trojans while awaiting the arrival of current U.S.A. National Team coach and USC head coach Mick Haley. With the 2000 Olympic Games taking place this fall, Haley will not join the team until the middle of the collegiate season and is not expected to take an active coaching role until 2001.
Among the returners, junior Jennifer Pahl (6-1, MB), a 1999 All-Pac-10 first team selection, will lead the Women of Troy in the middle, while seniors Janae Henry (6-0, OH) and Antoinette Polk (5-10, OH) - both 1999 All-Pac-10 honorable mention selections - return on the outside. Sophomore Tracy Lindquist (5-7, S), a 1999 Pac-10 All-Freshman team pick, and Lauren Killian (6-1, OPP), who was also named 1999 All-Freshman honorable mention, round out the core of returning starters.
The USC offense expects to get an immediate boost from Volleyball's No. 1 recruiting class of 2000. The incoming freshman include 1999 Gatorade National Player of the Year April Ross (6-1, OH), and Volleyball Fab-50 selections - Katie Olsovsky (6-3, MB), Kelli Lantz (6-3, MB) and Toni Anderson (5-10, S).
The Women of Troy will open the season on Saturday, Aug. 26, against the USC alumni at 11 a.m. in the North Gym. Regular season play begins Friday, Sept. 1, when the Trojans travel to Austin, Texas, for the Texas Invitational. USC will host the Met-Rx Invitational Sept. 6-8 on the University Park campus.
