USC Men's Volleyball Fall Newsletter
November 12, 2004 | Men's Volleyball
Nov. 12, 2004
Dear Trojan Friends and Family,
Welcome back! The 2005 year should be one of the more exciting seasons not only for the Trojan Men's Volleyball Team, but for the university as a whole. The commitment and dedication displayed by our veterans, combined with the highest-touted recruiting class in recent memory, all combine for an electricity and enthusiasm one can feel throughout every training session in which we engage.
USC On The Rise
Since being named Time Magazine's "University of the Year," USC has gone nowhere but up.
-Four Defending National Championship Teams (Football, Men's Water Polo, Women's Water Polo, Women's Volleyball)
-USC cumulative SAT scores surpass UCLA and California
-Groundbreaking Ceremony for Galen Center Recently Held The time has finally arrived. This facility, with its 10,000-seat arena, upstairs practice facility, fully equipped weight room and training services, provides us with the finest collegiate volleyball facility in the nation.
2005 Trojan Men's Volleyball Outlook
The Trojans are coming off a much-improved performance in 2004. After a disappointing 2003 season, men's volleyball once again claimed a position in AVCA top-15 rankings for a number of weeks, as well as contending for a playoff berth in the formidable Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
With this year's incoming freshmen, USC Men's Volleyball boasts the strongest recruiting class in the country, and once again looks poised to assert itself as one of the nation's dominant programs. A look at some of this year's new faces:
Jimmy Killian: 6-4, Setter, Loyola High School: Considered by many to be the top prospect in the nation, Jimmy brings an unprecedented wealth of personal and team achievements to the Men of Troy. A Volleyball Magazine "Fab-50" selection, Jimmy has won a gold medal, as well as All-American honors, in the 16-and-under, 17-and-under, and 18-and-under divisions at the USA Junior Olympics. He is a two-time CIF Division I Champion at Loyola, as well as earning CIF Division I "Player of the Year" honors in 2004.
Juan Figueroa: 6-2, Outside Hitter, Barymon Military Academy: A two-time Junior Olympic All-American, Juan spent the last two summers as the top outside hitter for the Puerto Rican Junior National Team, where he finished third in total points, and was named "Best Defensive Player" in the 2004 Norceca Games in Canada. An explosive leaper, Juan exceeded 42 inches during testing this fall.
Andrew Vernon: 6-8, Middle Blocker, Joliet Township High School: A Volleyball Magazine "Fab-50" selection, as well as a First Team All-State pick for Illinois. Andrew brings an abundance of talent to the middle blocker position.
Chris Jones: 6-6, Middle Blocker, Washington Park High School: A Volleyball Magazine "Fab-50" selection, Chris also brings added depth and talent to a competitive middle blocker group. Chris earned a silver medal in the 2004 USA Junior Olympics as a starting middle blocker for North Shore Volleyball Club, and competed this summer as a member of the USA Junior National Team. He was a First Team All-State Selection for Wisconsin.
Sean O'Connor: 6-5, OH, La Costa Canyon High School: A highly athletic outside hitter, Sean earned a bronze medal in the 2004 USA Junior Olympics as a starting middle blocker. He has done well this fall in his transition to the outside.
Fall Tournaments
This fall has given us many reasons to be optimistic. With three freshmen giving significant contributions, as well some standout veteran performances, the Trojans look to be much improved for the 2005 season. Victories over UC Irvine and Cal Baptist in the Las Vegas and Long Beach Tournaments showed a competitiveness that will only grow as this young team develops.
A few of our standout performances:
Joao Grangeiro (Libero, Jr.): The best libero in the nation. Joao continues to impress from one performance to the next. He leads all Trojans in digs (26), conversions (9), and passing average (2.8).
Matt Mosko (Opposite, So.): Switching to the opposite position this year, Matt has become a potent offensive threat, leading all hitters with 41 kills over the two tournaments.
Blake Tippett (Outside Hitter, Jr.): Our top outside hitter, Blake carried a huge load of the Trojan offense last year, and this season poses no difference. Blake posted 30 kills with an impressive .370 hitting clip.
Welcome our Newest Addition
Jamie Morrison has been hired as the Second Assistant for USC Men's Volleyball. Jamie comes from UCSB, where he served as an assistant for both the men and women's programs. Jamie's technical expertise in both video and statistics will offer a technical dimension to the coaching staff beyond any other collegiate men's volleyball program. We are extremely excited for the innovations Jamie's services will bring to the instructional, training, and competitive value of our program.
Fundraising
With the beginning of the year comes our renewed drive to raise funds. Every year poses unique challenges towards meeting the rising goals and costs of maintaining our program, and we are eternally grateful for the support and generosity so many of you have shown. We ask you to once again extend your hand in helping guide the success of this team by contributing generously to the Trojan Spiker Fund. Thank you for your support.
See you in the gym,
Fight on!
Turhan, Tom, Jamie, Brandon, Mark, and the 2005 Trojan Men's Volleyball Team
