Men's Volleyball Looks To End Eight-Match Losing Streak

Feb. 18, 2002

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THE FACTS
The USC men's volleyball team (4-11 overall, 1-8 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation)--riding an 8-match losing streak in which it has lost 16 straight games--returns home after a 4-match road trip to host MPSF foe UC San Diego (1-11, 0-10) on Tuesday (Feb. 19) at 7 p.m. in the USC North Gym. The Trojans then hit the road again for MPSF matches at No. 15 Pacific (3-11, 1-9) on Saturday (Feb. 23) at 7 p.m. and at No. 8 Stanford (8-6, 7-4) on Sunday (Feb. 24) at 1 p.m.

ON THE AIR
All of USC's home MPSF matches will be broadcast live over the internet on www.usctrojans.com.

RANKINGS
USC is not ranked in the latest USA Today/AVCA coaches poll or the Volleyball poll. UC San Diego is not ranked in either poll. Pacific is 15th in the USA Today/AVCA coaches poll, but not ranked by Volleyball. Stanford is eighth by USA Today/AVCA and seventh by Volleyball.

OPPONENTS
The Trojans are 22-1 all-time against UC San Diego and have won the past 8 meetings, including their 2002 MPSF opener (3-1). The Tritons' only win in 2002 was over Princeton, they are coming off losses last weekend at Cal State Northridge and UC Santa Barbara. Jim Waller (123 K, .267, 10 SA) is the kill leader for UCSD, which features 5 returning starters in S Jordan Hove 392 A, 34 DG, 15 BK) , MB Eric Perrine (76 K, .280, 11 SA, 21 BK), OH Griffin Cogorno (65 K, 30 DG, 14 BK), MB Brian Foott (14 BK) and OH Chris Mortimer (36 DG). USC holds an 18-4 series edge over Pacific and has won the last 3. The Tigers, who lost to Stanford and UCLA last week and who host Pepperdine on Thursday (Feb. 21), feature OH Aaron Wachtfogel (165 K, 8 SA, 67 DG), MB Dan Hoefer (138 K, .329, 7 SA, 30 BK) and MB Sean Rodgers (112 K, .359, 7 SA, 50 BK). Troy is 45-17 versus Stanford and is riding a 5-match winning streak. The Cardinal, which beat top-ranked UCLA last week and hosts Pepperdine on Friday (Feb. 22), are led by OH Curt Toppel, OH Marcus Skacel, OH Billy Strickland and MB Paul Bocage.

LAST MATCHES
No. 2 Pepperdine swept USC, 30-26, 34-32, 30-23, in an MPSF match in Malibu on Feb. 12. Brook Billings led USC with a match-high 15 kills while hitting .345, Beau Rawi had 9 kills and 4 blocks, Josh Day had 8 kills, Mark Dusharme had 7 kills and a match-best 7 digs and Phil Small had 4 blocks. Troy led 24-17 in the second game, but couldn't hold on. Pepperdine hit .310 to USC's .206. On Feb. 16, USC was swept at No. 13 Long Beach State, 3-0, in an MPSF match. Troy managed to hit a season-low .011, but had 13 blocks. Billings led USC with 10 kills, while Rawi and Day each had a match-high 7 blocks (Rawi also had 4 digs) and Dusharme had 8 kills.

SLOW START
At 4-11 overall, USC is off to its slowest start in program history. And Troy's 1-8 MPSF start is its slowest since the 1998 team also began 1-8. USC's 8-match losing streak (all MPSF matches) is its longest overall since a 9-match skid over the 1971 and 1972 seasons (the league streak is a school record). During USC's current 8-match losing streak, the Trojans have lost 16 consecutive games and won only 1 game.

THE MPSF
In all but one of the 32 years of the NCAA tourney, the national champ has come from the MPSF or its predecessor conferences.

TOUGH AT HOME
USC is 212-64 (.768) in home matches in its 26-year history. From 1999 to 2001, the Trojans had a school-record 19-match home winning streak in the quaint North Gym.

VOLLEYBALL SCHOOL
Besides the 4 NCAA crowns (1977-80-88-90) that USC's men have won, the Women of Troy have captured 4 national volleyball titles. USC's women won the AIAW trophy in 1976, 1977 and 1980, and the NCAA crown in 1981, all under coach Chuck Erbe. The 2001 Women of Troy advanced to the NCAA Final Four, but lost in the semifinals.

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 sixth year, his career mark is 104-71. 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. In 1999, the 24-12 Trojans advanced to the finals of the MPSF tourney and earned a No. 7 national ranking. In 2000, USC shared the MPSF Pacific Division title and went 26-6 with a No. 4 national ranking. In 2001, USC went 15-11 overall (No. 10 final ranking) and qualified for the MPSF tourney. 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, 1985 World Cup and 1986 World Championships.

RETURNING STARTERS
USC returned 3 starters from 2001: outside hitter Brook Billings, middle blocker Josh Day and setter Miles McGann. Gone from last year are 4-year starting outside hitters Trevor Julian and Eli Fairfield, plus middle blocker Donny Killian (now a Trojan assistant coach).

"POINTS SCORED" PLAYER VALUES
With rally scoring being used in the men's collegiate game, a clear "points scored" value can be placed on each player. Add a player's kills, aces, solo blocks and half his block assists, then subtract hitting errors, blocking errors, serving errors, receive errors and ballhandling errors. Finally, divide that figure by his matches and games played. That will equal his "points scored" per match and game (plus or minus).

BROOK BILLINGS
Hard-hitting Brook Billings, a 6-5 senior All-American, starts for his fourth season, this year at outside hitter to get more involved in the passing after being an opposite hitter the previous three seasons. He currently leads USC in kills (240), digs (73) and aces (17). He has been USC's kill leader in 14 of its 15 matches in 2002 (he was the match leader in 11 of those contests). He is currently seventh nationally in kill average (4.89). He topped USC in kills each of the past three years (he has 1,871 in his career), including 390 last season while ranking eighth nationally in kill average (4.88). He also led USC in blocks (68) and was second in digs (118) in 2001. A team co-captain, he spent the past summer training with the USA National Team.

He had a match-high 16 kills and 3 aces while hitting .478 vs. La Verne (1-8).
He had a match-best 18 kills while hitting .355 vs. Pepperdine (1-12) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had a match-high 20 kills, plus 8 digs, vs. UCLA (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had a team-leading 22 kills, with 7 digs and 3 blocks, vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had a match-high 15 kills and 4 blocks while hitting .421 and adding 6 digs vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
He had a match-best 23 kills and 4 aces at UC San Diego (1-18) and added 7 digs.
He had a match-high 16 kills while hitting .423 vs. Cal Baptist (1-22).
He had a match-high 18 kills and 9 digs at BYU (1-25).
He had 9 kills and 4 digs at BYU (1-26).
He had a match-best 17 kills and added 5 digs vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30).
He had a match-high 16 kills while hitting .355 vs. Cal State Northridge (2-2).
He had a team-high 9 kills with 3 digs at UC Irvine (2-6).
He had a match-high 16 kills with 3 digs and 3 blocks at UCLA (2-9).
He had a match-high 15 kills (hitting .345) with 4 digs at Pepperdine (2-12).
He had a team-best 10 kills at Long Beach State (2-16).

JOSH DAY
Second-year starter Josh Day, an effective 6-5 junior middle blocker, currently leads USC's regulars in hitting percentage (.374) and is second in kills (110) and blocks (39). He led USC's regulars in hitting percentage (.406) last spring and was second on the team in blocks (60) and fourth in kills (127).

He had 7 kills while hitting .500 vs. La Verne (1-8).
He had a match-high 6 blocks while hitting .385 vs. UCLA (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 12 kills (hitting .400), 5 blocks and 4 digs vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 9 kills while hitting .533 vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
He hit a match-high .750 with a career-best 19 kills and 3 blocks at UC San Diego (1-18).
He had 9 kills while hitting .571 and had a match-best 5 blocks vs. Cal Baptist (1-22).
He had 12 kills while hitting .556 at BYU (1-25).
He had 8 kills vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30).
He had 8 kills and 3 blocks at UC Irvine (2-6).
He had 8 kills and 3 blocks at Pepperdine (2-12).
He had a match-high 7 blocks at Long Beach State (2-16).

MILES McGANN
Steady second-year starter Miles McGann, a 6-5 junior setter, currently leads USC in assists (546) and is second in aces (15). He had a team-high 990 assists in 2001 and was 12th nationally in assist average (12.69). He also had 31 kills (hitting .258), 22 aces, 62 digs and 23 blocks last season.

He had 40 assists vs. La Verne (1-8).
He had 34 assists and 3 aces vs. Pepperdine (1-12) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 43 assists and 3 blocks vs. UCLA (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 61 assists vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 40 assists vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
He had 59 assists, 7 digs and 3 aces at UC San Diego (1-18).
He had 36 assists and 2 kills vs. Cal Baptist (1-22).
He had 45 assists at BYU (1-25).
He had 31 assists and 2 aces at BYU (1-26).
He had 52 assists and a team-best (and career-high) 8 digs vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30).
He didn't start vs. Cal State Northridge (2-2), but came in during the second game and had 16 assists.
He came off the bench at UC Irvine (2-6) in the second game and had 20 assists.
He had 35 assists at UCLA (2-9).
He had 32 assists at Pepperdine (2-12).
He played briefly at Long Beach State (2-16) before spraining his ankle.

BEAU RAWI
Beau Rawi, a 6-5 senior who started 51 matches at middle blocker the past three years, the starting opposite hitter job this season. He currently is first on USC in blocks (40) and third in digs (58) and kills (94). A .383 career hitter with 609 kills, 271 blocks, 143 digs and 56 aces entering 2002, he appeared in only 13 matches in 2001 when had 59 kills, 14 aces, 11 digs and 20 blocks. His 8 aces versus UC Irvine last spring was a USC match record.

He had 4 blocks vs. La Verne (1-8).
He had 8 kills while hitting .417 vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 9 kills while hitting .583 vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
He had 8 kills, 3 blocks and 4 digs at UC San Diego (1-18).
He had 8 kills while hitting a match-high .600 and getting a match-best 6 digs vs. Cal Baptist (1-22).
He had 9 kills while hitting .818 at BYU (1-25).
He had 14 kills while hitting .550 with 6 digs and a team-best 5 blocks vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30).
He had a match-best 6 digs vs. Cal State Northridge (2-2).
He had 12 kills, 3 digs and 3 blocks at UCLA (2-9).
He had 9 kills and 4 blocks at Pepperdine (2-12).
He had a match-high 7 blocks, plus 4 digs, at Long Beach State (2-16).

MARK DUSHARME
Mark Dusharme, a 6-8 junior with 31 starts at middle blocker the past two seasons, is battling for a starting outside hitter spot in 2002, although he also has been used in the middle lately. He currently is third on USC in aces (12). He entered 2002 as a .345 career hitter with 294 kills and 115 blocks. In 15 matches last year, he had 41 kills, 17 blocks and 16 aces.

He had 7 kills and 3 blocks vs. UCLA (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had 8 kills while hitting .889 vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He hit .429 with 7 kills, 3 aces and 4 digs at UC San Diego (1-18).
He had a match-best 3 blocks at BYU (1-25) after moving to middle blocker.
He had 7 kills and 2 aces vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30).
He had 8 kills while hitting .462 and added 2 aces vs. Cal State Northridge (2-2).
He led the team in kills (9) and hitting percentage (.400) at UC Irvine (2-6).
He had 7 kills and a match-high 7 digs at Pepperdine (2-12).
He had 8 kills at Long Beach State (2-16).

IAN GALLAGHER
Ian Gallagher, a 6-6 sophomore, has switched from setter to outside hitter and is competing for the starting job there.

He had 3 kills vs. LaVerne (1-8) in his first action as a Trojan.
He had 8 kills, 6 digs and 4 blocks vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He had a career-high 13 kills while hitting .476 vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
He had a match-high 4 blocks at UC San Diego (1-18).
He had 8 digs and a match-leading 3 aces vs. Cal Baptist (1-22).
He had 7 kills and 6 digs at BYU (1-25).
He had a match-high 13 kills at BYU (1-26).
He had 8 kills, 6 digs and 2 aces vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30).
He had 9 kills vs. Cal State Northridge (2-2).
He had 8 kills while hitting .357 at UC Irvine (2-6).

MARCUS GILMOUR
Prior to the start of teh 2002 season, Marcus Gilmour, a 6-9 redshirt sophomore opposite hitter, had yet to step onto the court for Troy while recovering from knee surgery. But he could be the X factor for USC in 2002 as he makes the move from outside hitter.

In his first-ever action as a Trojan, he had 4 kills vs. Pepperdine (1-12) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
He chipped a bone in his left knee vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge and has not seen action since.

FRESHMEN
Look for four new freshmen-each was named to the 2001 Volleyball Fab 50 team-to possibly contribute in 2002. At 6-11, middle blocker Phil Small is the tallest Trojan volleyballer ever. A starter, he currently is third on USC in blocks (38). Last year, he was an All-State performer at North Penn High in Lansdale, Penn., and was a member of the 2001 USA Boys' Youth National Training Team. The 6-7 Jeff Bailey, who can play both middle blocker and outside hitter (and even libero), was a three-time All-CIF Division III honoree at Francis Parker High in San Diego, Calif. Chris McKniff, a 6-10 middle blocker, was a three-time All-Stater at Sabino High in Tucson, Ariz., whose mother was an Olympic high jumper and father played college basketball. J.T. Gilmour, a 6-7 setter and the brother of teammate Marcus Gilmour, was a three-time All-CIF first team pick at Santa Ynez (Calif.) Valley Union High. Another first year freshman, 6-9 middle blocker/outside hitter Dan Newman from Windward School in Los Angeles, Calif., will redshirt in 2002 while recuperating from knee surgery last fall. He participated in the 2000 and 2001 USA Youth Development Camps.

Small had 9 kills and a match-best 6 blocks vs. La Verne (1-8) in his USC debut.
Vs. Pepperdine (1-12) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge, McKniff and Gilmour saw their first action as Trojans, with McKniff getting 2 blocks and an ace and Gilmour getting 6 assists.
Small had 9 kills and 3 blocks vs. UCLA (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
Small had a match-high 7 blocks while hitting .462 vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
Small had 7 kills vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
Small had 3 blocks at UC San Diego (1-18).
Small had 3 blocks vs. Cal Baptist (1-22).
Small had a match-best 5 blocks and hit .400 with 5 kills vs. Cal State Northridge (2-2), while Gilmour got his first career start and had 17 assists with 3 kills in a game-and-a-half of action and McKniff had a kill and block.
Gilmour started his second consecutive match at UC Irvine (2-6) and had 14 assists in a game-and-a-half of action.
Small had 4 kills and 2 blocks at UCLA (2-9).
Small had 4 blocks at Pepperdine (2-12).
Gilmour started at Long Beach State (2-16) and had 24 assists and 4 blocks, while Small had 5 kills and 3 blocks.

LIBEROS
There is even depth at the libero position in 2002. Team co-captain Greg Burden capably handled that role the past two seasons. The 6-0 senior had 102 digs in 2001 after getting 183 in 2000. But he is being pushed by 6-3 sophomore Peter Jordan, who saw brief action in seven matches in 2001 at outside hitter, 6-2 junior Dustin Avol, who has appeared in 35 matches during the past two years as a backup setter and serving specialist, and 6-4 first-year freshman Blake Tippett, a 2001 Volleyball Fab 50 and All-CIF Division III first team selection at Newport Harbor High in Newport Beach, Calif. (he can also play outside hitter). Tippett has been used mainly as a serving specialist in 2002. Jordan currently is second on USC in digs (59).

Jordan had a match-best 6 digs vs. La Verne (1-8).
Jordan had a match-best 13 digs vs. Pepperdine (1-12) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
Burden had 5 digs vs. UCLA (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
Jordan had a match-high 11 digs vs. host UC Irvine (1-13) at the Wyndham Garden/West Coast Challenge.
Burden had a match-high 8 digs vs. UC Santa Cruz (1-16).
Burden had a match-best 11 digs at UC San Diego (1-18).
Burden had 5 digs vs. Cal Baptist (1-22), while Tippett added 3 digs.
Burden had 4 digs at BYU (1-25).
Jordan had 4 digs at BYU (1-26).
Jordan had 8 digs and an ace vs. UC Santa Barbara (1-30), while Burden added 5 digs and Tippett had an aces.
Tippett started at opposite hitter at UC Irvine (2-6) and had 2 kills and 2 digs, while Burden had a match-best 7 digs and Jordan had a kill while playing outside hitter.
Jordan had a match-high 9 digs at UCLA (2-9).
Jordan had 5 digs at Pepperdine (2-12), while Avol had a kill.
Burden had a match-high 7 digs at Long Beach State (2-16).

OTHER OUTSIDE VETS
Also on the roster from last year are a pair of outside hitters who didn't see any action: 6-7 sophomore Phil Peterson and 6-4 sophomore Charley Witt. Peterson sat out the 2001 campaign after transferring from San Diego State (the school dropped the sport), where he hit .467 while starting part of the 2000 season. Witt, whose brothers played at Stanford, will be slowed this year following foot surgery in early January.

NOTES
Several USC players have Trojan relatives: Beau Rawi's brother, Omar, started for USC's men's volleyball team in 1998 and 1999. Miles McGann's brother, Grant, played water polo at USC in 1997. Several dozen of Marcus and J.T. Gilmour's relatives attended USC, including his mother and father. Charley Witt is a fourth generation Trojan: his father, Bob, played water polo at USC and his great grandfather (John Elmore, who lettered at fullback in 1914 for the Trojan football team) and grandfather are Trojan alums. Peter Jordan's grandparents attended USC...USC assistant coach Donny Killian comes from a family of Trojans: his father, Don, was a member of the 1977 USC NCAA championship men's volleyball team (he lettered in 1976 and 1977), his sister, Lauren, is a sophomore opposite hitter for the Women of Troy (they played in the 2000 NCAA Final Four and made it to the NCAA Pacific regional final in 2001) , his uncle, Doug, lettered at Troy in 1982 and 1983 (the 1982 team finished third in the NCAAs), and his mother, Chris, is a USC graduate, along with a grandmother, two grandfathers (both played basketball at USC), a great grandfather, 2 other uncles, an aunt and numerous cousins...Charley Witt's brothers, Andy and Larry, played volleyball at Stanford...Chris McKniff's parents were athletes: his father, John, played basketball at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, while his mother, Sharon (Callahan), placed ninth in the high jump for the U.S. at the 1968 Olympics as just a 16-year-old.

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