University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Volleyball
Photo by: John McGillen
Making A Push
April 16, 2019 | Men's Volleyball, Features
By Ryan Witter, USC Sports Information Student Assistant
Though he occupies a restricted position on the court, senior libero Matt Douglas has been forced to adapt throughout his athletic career. For one, the veteran says he "grew up playing every sport but volleyball," until trying it out in middle school and ultimately realizing it was the sport for him in high school. While always positioned at libero for USC, Douglas has still been forced to adjust to different roles on the team. The senior spent time primarily as a reserve in his freshman season, before becoming a nightly starter as a sophomore, then seeing a significant loss in playing time as a junior, and now has reclaimed his starting position and is taking on an essential leadership role as a senior.
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Despite having his fair share of ups and downs at Troy, Douglas maintains a positive, laidback attitude. The 22-year-old says he stays focused on, "doing everything I can to put the team in the best position" and "making others around me better" – whether that means giving his all in competition or leading by example in practice and on the sideline. Douglas, the two-time MPSF Defensive Player of the Week, has succeeded on and off the court this season, recording an impressive 163 digs and just 34 reception errors throughout this season's 26 matches, while also helping push his teammates to one of the program's biggest single-season turnarounds.
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Like fellow senior teammate Ryan Moss, Douglas wants to help the Trojans rack up as many wins as they can, but emphasizes "taking it one day at a time" and bringing a consistent approach to every practice and match. That formula worked well for the Trojans down the stretch, as Douglas and his teammates stepped up in the second half of the season.
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After the Trojans had dropped a third straight match – getting shutout by crosstown rival UCLA – to fall to 7-7 on the season, Douglas remained calm and optimistic. Exuding an understated confidence, he matter-of-factly stated, "we're ready to make a push." Since then, the Men of Troy have caught fire, winning 10 of their past 12 matches to improve to 17-9 – doubling last season's win total –  and rising to No. 5 in the national rankings. To top it off, they exacted revenge on UCLA in their final regular season match, defeating the Bruins 3-2. The seasoned leader has risen to the occasion along with his teammates, recording 101 digs in that span, 64% of his season total.
Now, with the regular season in the rearview window, Douglas and the USC men's volleyball team are poised to continue their run in the MPSF Tournament and clinch an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2012. Even if the Trojans come up short in the conference tournament, they have positioned themselves for a potential at-large NCAA bid due to their late season tear.
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When he graduates this May, Douglas plans to make yet another shift, this time away from the volleyball court. Reflecting on his playing career, Douglas says, "I love playing volleyball, but I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life." For the business administration major, that next chapter is working in real estate. He has already secured a full-time job at a company in Brentwood, and is looking forward to entering the professional world. All of that is still a few months away though, and at the moment the only thing on Douglas' mind is helping guide the Trojans to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. If the red-hot Trojans can continue to match their senior libero's unflappability, adaptability, and dependability, there is little reason to bet against them in crunch time.
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Though he occupies a restricted position on the court, senior libero Matt Douglas has been forced to adapt throughout his athletic career. For one, the veteran says he "grew up playing every sport but volleyball," until trying it out in middle school and ultimately realizing it was the sport for him in high school. While always positioned at libero for USC, Douglas has still been forced to adjust to different roles on the team. The senior spent time primarily as a reserve in his freshman season, before becoming a nightly starter as a sophomore, then seeing a significant loss in playing time as a junior, and now has reclaimed his starting position and is taking on an essential leadership role as a senior.
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Despite having his fair share of ups and downs at Troy, Douglas maintains a positive, laidback attitude. The 22-year-old says he stays focused on, "doing everything I can to put the team in the best position" and "making others around me better" – whether that means giving his all in competition or leading by example in practice and on the sideline. Douglas, the two-time MPSF Defensive Player of the Week, has succeeded on and off the court this season, recording an impressive 163 digs and just 34 reception errors throughout this season's 26 matches, while also helping push his teammates to one of the program's biggest single-season turnarounds.
Â
Like fellow senior teammate Ryan Moss, Douglas wants to help the Trojans rack up as many wins as they can, but emphasizes "taking it one day at a time" and bringing a consistent approach to every practice and match. That formula worked well for the Trojans down the stretch, as Douglas and his teammates stepped up in the second half of the season.
Â
After the Trojans had dropped a third straight match – getting shutout by crosstown rival UCLA – to fall to 7-7 on the season, Douglas remained calm and optimistic. Exuding an understated confidence, he matter-of-factly stated, "we're ready to make a push." Since then, the Men of Troy have caught fire, winning 10 of their past 12 matches to improve to 17-9 – doubling last season's win total –  and rising to No. 5 in the national rankings. To top it off, they exacted revenge on UCLA in their final regular season match, defeating the Bruins 3-2. The seasoned leader has risen to the occasion along with his teammates, recording 101 digs in that span, 64% of his season total.
Now, with the regular season in the rearview window, Douglas and the USC men's volleyball team are poised to continue their run in the MPSF Tournament and clinch an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2012. Even if the Trojans come up short in the conference tournament, they have positioned themselves for a potential at-large NCAA bid due to their late season tear.
Â
When he graduates this May, Douglas plans to make yet another shift, this time away from the volleyball court. Reflecting on his playing career, Douglas says, "I love playing volleyball, but I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life." For the business administration major, that next chapter is working in real estate. He has already secured a full-time job at a company in Brentwood, and is looking forward to entering the professional world. All of that is still a few months away though, and at the moment the only thing on Douglas' mind is helping guide the Trojans to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. If the red-hot Trojans can continue to match their senior libero's unflappability, adaptability, and dependability, there is little reason to bet against them in crunch time.
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USC Men's Volleyball vs. Pepperdine Highlights | Trojans win 3-2
Thursday, April 23
USC Men's Volleyball vs. Vanguard Highlights | Trojans win 3-0
Wednesday, April 22
USC Men's Volleyball Highlights at Pepperdine | Trojans lose 3-0
Saturday, April 18
USC Men's Volleyball vs. Pepperdine Highlights | Trojans lose 3-0
Thursday, April 16
