Women Of Troy Prepare For Pac-10 Season
September 11, 2000 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 11, 2000
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The Facts
Top-ranked USC women's volleyball (5-0) opens the Pac-10 schedule at home against Washington State and Washington this week. Matches will be played at North Gym at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, and Friday, Sept. 15. The No. 1/6 Trojans, who currently sit atop the Pac-10 standings, look to extend their win streak after defeating Rhode Island, Texas-San Antonio and Temple last week each in straight sets.
Climbing The Ranks
USC earned the No. 1 national ranking in this week's Volleyball magazine Division I poll, jumping one spot. The Women of Troy also moved up two spots this week in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches Poll -- at No. 6, the Trojans are the highest ranked team in the Pac-10 and received one first place vote. Volleyball also ranked the Women of Troy's incoming class as the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, and among Pac-10 coaches, USC is picked to finish 3rd this season.
The Last Outing
As hosts of the 2000 USC Met-Rx Invitational, the Trojans came away unscathed with three, 3-0 wins over Rhode Island, UTSA and Temple. Freshman April Ross was named tournament MVP after adding nine kills (.333) and 10 digs against Temple. Ross averaged 8.7 kills and a .365 attack percentage in the three tournament matches. Senior Janae Henry was also named to the all-tournament team. Henry hit .538 and posted nine digs against Temple. She averaged 3.3 digs and a .405 attack percentage in the tournament.
Did You Know?
* The Trojans have swept each of their opponents this season, recording 15 consecutive wins for the first time since 1977... Under Head Coach Chuck Erbe, the '77 Trojans won their first 27 consecutive games in route to the AIAW National Championship. The 2000 Women of Troy could surpass this mark as early as Sept. 23 when they face Cal in Berkeley.
* Sophomore OPP Lauren Killian is averaging a .511 attack percentage and has not hit below .364 this season... She did not commit a single error in each match last week.
* USC has held each of its five opponents this season to a less than .100 attack percentage.
Freshmen Bring Reminders of the Past
In just the first two weeks of the season, the nation's No. 1 (according to Volleyball magazine) freshman class has made a definite impact on USC women's volleyball. Not only are three of the six (April Ross, Katie Olsovsky and Toni Anderson) currently starting for the Women of Troy, but their contributions have been significant. Ross leads the team in kills per game (3.13), Anderson is splitting time and assists at setter, and Olsovsky is averaging 1.0 blocks per game. As a group (which also includes Kelli Lantz, Nicole Davis and Jamie Carroll), the freshmen have been compared to the class of newcomers that joined USC in 1976 under head coach Chuck Erbe. With Terry Place, Paula Dittmer-Goodwin, Debbie Green and Debbie Landreth, the '76 Trojans went on to win the AIAW National Championship.
Respected Reserves
USC also has depth on its side this season. With an array of talent, Head Coach Jerritt Elliott takes advantage of his ability to consistently rotate players... making his reserves as important and as effective as the starters. Among them, opposite hitter Lauren Killian currently leads the team with a .511 attack percentage (26 kills).
Opponent Notes
Washington State -- The Cougars enter the Pac-10 season with a perfect 8-0 record after defeating Fresno State (3-0), Northern Iowa (3-0), Cal State Fullerton (3-0) and UC Riverside (3-0) at the Fresno State Invitational lst week. The team is led by sophomore OH LaToya Harris who is averaging 3.56 kills and 3.30 digs per game. Head Coach Cindy Frederick is in her 12th season with the Cougars and owns a 303-202 overall record. In 1999 Washington State posted a 13-15 overall record and 7-11 mark in the Pac-10.
Washington -- The Huskies (4-2) are coming off an important 3-2 victory over Texas last week at the Longhorn Classic, after dropping two matches to Texas-San Antonio and Texas A&M at the start of the tournament. Under 10th year Head Coach Bill Neville, Washington returns five of its starters from a team that finished 8-18 (4-14 Pac-10) last season. So far this season junior hitter Lisa Underhill has already accumulated 80 kills and is averaging 3.64 per game, leading the team with a .426 average.
Series Records
USC owns a 19-10 all-time record against the Cougars, including victories in its last three meetings. Last season the Trojans earned a narrow 3-2 (9-15, 12-15, 17-15, 15-6, 15-11) win in Pullman on Sept. 30, then defeated the Cougars 3-0 in Los Angeles on Oct. 30. Against the Huskies, the Trojans own a 22-9 all-time record and have won the last four matches. Last season USC defeated Washington twice, each by 3-0 scores.
Past, Present and Future Coaches
Jerritt Elliott enters his second season as USC's interim head coach after serving as the Trojans' assistant for four seasons under former head coach Lisa Love. Following the 2000 Olympics, U.S.A. Women's National Team head coach Mick Haley will join the USC program.
Interim Head Coach Jerritt Elliott
USC interim head coach Jerritt Elliott was tabbed the 1999 Pac-10 Coach of the Year in his rookie season. Elliott, serving as the Trojans' head coach while Mick Haley leads the national team in the 2000 Olympic Games, became just the second coach in Pac-10 history to post 13 league wins in their first season. Troy's 13-5 (.722) conference mark was the best win percentage ever recorded by a rookie coach in the conference. In 1999 Elliott led the Women of Troy to a third-place Pac-10 finish, a 20-8 overall record, and a No. 17 final ranking in the USA Today/AVCA Top-25 poll. Thanks to his efforts, USC's incoming class of 2000 was named the nation's No. 1 recruiting class according to Volleyball magazine.
Head Coach Mick Haley
U.S.A. Women's National Volleyball Team head coach Mick Haley, who won two national championships in the 1980s while guiding the Texas women's team, will join the USC women's volleyball program following the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Due to the fact that he will not join the team until the middle of the collegiate season, Haley does not expect to take an active coaching role until 2001. Haley accepted the USC coaching position in June of 1999. In his fourth season as head coach of the U.S.A. National Volleyball Team, his squad earned a berth to the 2000 Olympics by defeating Canada to win the Nike Americas' Volleyball Challenge. Before taking over the national team, he spent 17 successful seasons (1980-96) at Texas, where he earned a 522-137-1 overall record, won two national championships and 13 Southwest Conference titles, and captured 15 NCAA tournament berths.
Player Profiles
#1 Tracy Lindquist
Setter * Sophomore
A returning starter... named to the 1999 Pac-10 All-Freshman first team... averaged 7.86 assists and 1.95 digs per game while sharing the setter's role... finished the season tenth in the Pac-10 in assists... an extremely versatile player and a great competitor for the Women of Troy.
Did You Know?... A true beach buff, Lindquist played in the 2000 Pro Seal Beach Open and represented the United States in 2-man beach volleyball in Isreal this summer with her partner, sister Katie Lindquist.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 2 matches... Averaged 6.67 assists and 2.5 digs against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2) while splitting time at setter and DS... Averaged 6.6 assists per game at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8) and recorded a career-high five service aces against Temple.
#2 Julie Mariani
Defensive Specialist * Sophomore
A returning letterwinner who made several starts in the backrow... collected 243 digs (2.27 dpg) and led the team with 50 service aces in 1999... led the Pac-10 averaging 0.47 aces per game... an aggressive player on the court.
Did You Know?... Mariani currently holds the USC career and single season record for ace average after posting 0.47 aces per game as a freshman.
This Season... Has played in 5 games.
#3 Antoinette Polk
Outside Hitter * Senior
A returning starter... named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 honorable mention team... led the team in kills (407) and kills per game (3.82), finishing sixth in the conference... Ranked second on the team and fifth in the Pac-10 with 338 digs and 3.19 dpg... a premier ball control player whose offensive power makes her an All-American candidate.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 5 matches... Averaged 2.33 kills against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Added five blocks against Rhode Island (Sept. 6).
#4 Nicole Davis
Defensive Specialist * Freshman
Considered one of the nation's best defensive specialist of the incoming class... played on the Junior National Team as the libero this summer... a two-time all-league selection at Lincoln High in Stockton, Calif.
Did You Know?... Davis owns a black belt in karate.
This Season... Has played in 6 games... Made her collegiate debut against Texas (Sept. 1) and added one dig.
#6 Jaime Carroll
Defensive Specialist * Freshman
A three-time all-league honoree at Medfield (Mass.) High... played outside hitter and setter as a prep.
Did You Know?... Carroll is the daughter of former NFL head coach Pete Carroll.
#8 Sara Peterson
Outside Hitter * Senior
A three-year letterwinner... made several appearances in 1999, including a .556 hitting performance at Washington State to lead the Trojans in a 3-0 sweep of the Cougars.
Did You Know?... Peterson's uncle, Tom Peterson, is the current women's volleyball head coach at Utah State and was named the 1994 National Coach of the Year after leading the Penn State men's volleyball program to a national championship.
#12 Kelli Lantz
Middle Blocker * Freshman
A Volleyball Fab 50 selection and member of USC's No.1-ranked recruiting class... helped lead Centennial High (Bakersfield, Calif.) to the Division I state and national championship as a prep.
This Season... Has played in 4 games... Made her collegiate debut against Arkansas (Sept. 2) and added one kill and one block... Added three kills off of five attacks (.400) against UTSA (Sept. 7).
#14 April Ross
Outside Hitter * Freshman
The 1999 Gatorade National Player of the Year and a Paul Mitchell prep All-American... enters as one of the nation's top freshmen and a member of USC's No. 1-ranked recruiting class... she guided Newport Harbor High (Newport Beach, Calif.) to the state and league championship in 1999.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 5 matches... Made her collegiate debut in the starting lineup against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Averaged a .409 hitting percentage at the Texas Invitational, while collecting five blocks and 10 digs, including 13 kills (.417) against the Razorbacks... Honored as MVP of the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8) after adding nine kills (.333) and 10 digs against Temple, and averaging 8.7 kills and a .365 attack percentage in the three tournament matches.
#15 Lauren Killian
Opposite Hitter * Sophomore
A returning starter... named to the 1999 Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention team... played in the middle and on the outside last season... averaged 0.94 blocks per game to finish second on the team... also added 1.67 kills per game... will pose problems for opponents playing her more natural right side position.
Did You Know?... Killian's Trojan roots span nearly four generations amounting to 10-plus USC alumni, including her father, Don, who played for USC's 1977 NCAA champion men's volleyball team.
This Season... Has played in 15 games... Led the team with a .450 attack percentage (11-2-20) against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2) and added seven blocks... Was flawless at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8), adding 15 kills off of 27 attacks with no errors for a .556 attack percentage.
#22 Janae Henry
Outside Hitter * Senior
A returning starter... named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 honorable mention team... led the team and ranked second in the Pac-10 with an average of 3.5 digs per game last season... with a 2.88 career dig mark, she is currently fifth on USC's all-time list... one of the strongest and most consistent players this season who should be considered an All-American candidate.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 5 matches... Led USC in win over Texas (Sept. 1) with 10 kills (.400) and 14 digs... At the Texas Invitational she averaged a team-leading 4.33 digs per game and finished with 19 total kills... Named to the Met-Rx Invitational all-tournament team after hitting .538 and posting nine digs against Temple (Sept. 8)... She averaged 3.3 digs and a .405 attack percentage in the tournament.
#26 Jennifer Pahl
Middle Blocker * Junior
A returning starter... named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 first team... led the team with a .293 attack percentage and 0.93 blocks per game... also averaged 3.38 kills and 2.27 digs per game... one of the premier middle blockers in the country due to her speed and quickness... an All-American candidate.
Did You Know?... Pahl spent the summer traveling throughout India with Athletes In Action.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 5 matches... Averaged 1.5 blocks to lead the Trojans against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Also posted 2.5 digs and 2.5 kills per game... Averaged 1.7 blocks and a .396 attack percentage at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8), including a season-high seven stops against Rhode Island.
#30 /9 Toni Anderson
Setter * Freshman
A Volleyball Fab 50 selection, Paul Mitchell prep All-American and member of USC's No.1-ranked recruiting class... played with the Junior National Team after graduating from Esperanza High in Anaheim, Calif.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 3 matches... Made her collegiate debut against Texas (Sept. 1) and her first start against Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Split time at setter at the Texas Invitational and averaged 7.17 assists per game... Made her first start against Rhode Island (Sept. 6) and averaged 5.4 assists and 2.0 digs at the Met-Rx Invitational.
#33 Katie Olsovsky
Outside Hitter * Freshman
A Volleyball Fab 50 selection and four-time Paul Mitchell prep All-American... a member of USC's No.1-ranked recruiting class who was also named the CIF Division I Player of the Year in 1999... led Bishop Montgomery High (Torrance, Calif.) to the league and CIF championships.
This Season... Has played in 15 games and started 5 matches... Made her collegiate debut as a starter against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2), averaging 2.17 kills, 0.67 blocks and a .423 attack percentage... Averaged 1.2 blocks and a .333 attack percentage at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8).
