University Southern California Trojans
Women’s Volleyball Adds Four to 2019 Roster
June 28, 2019 | Women's Volleyball, Features
The Trojans add a pair of freshmen and two transfers ahead of the upcoming fall season
LOS ANGELES – The USC women's volleyball team has added four new student-athletes to its 2019 roster head coach Brent Crouch announced on Friday, June 28. Joining the Women of Troy for the upcoming season are freshman libero Keila Barra (Pasadena, Calif./San Marino HS), graduate libero Abril Bustamante (Redondo Beach, Calif./USC), junior opposite Candice Denny (Saratoga, Calif./Arizona), and freshman outside hitter Emilia Weske (Potsdam, Germany/Leibniz Gymnasium).
"We add another exceptional group of student-athletes to our already loaded 2019 class and are now two- to three-deep at every position on the court," said Crouch. "I expect the level of competition in practice to soar; and to be able to absorb the inevitable injuries that are a part of the game. Each of the players in this group exhibits the skill, athleticism, intelligence, and character standards that we hold for the Trojan Family."
Barra was a four-year outside hitter at San Marino HS and led the Titans to the Rio Hondo League title as a senior. She was named the league's MVP and earned All-CIF Division IV honors following an appearance in the Southern Section quarterfinals. Barra is a four-time All-Rio Hondo League choice (three-time first-teamer) and served as team captain in her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. Barra played four years for San Gabriel Elite and two years with Seal Beach Volleyball Club as a six-rotation outside hitter and helped lead her club to bronze medals at the 2019 Girls' Junior National Championship.
Bustamante is a two-time beach volleyball NCAA champion (2016-17), a three-time Pac-12 champion (2016-17, 2019), and a two-time AVCA Beach Volleyball All-American (2018-19). She ranks sixth for career victories in USC program history (121) and finished with an .834 winning percentage. She and partner Tina Graudina collected 64 wins, which ranks fourth in school history and had a .941 winning percentage with only four losses (second in school history). They were named National Pair of the Year by Volleyball Magazine twice and were the 2019 Pac-12 Pair of the Year. Bustamante is a two-time All-Pac-12 choice and was team captain as a senior.
Denny was a two-year letterwinner at Arizona where she had 27-career starts and played in 52 matches (169 sets) at the middle blocker position. Denny collected 287 kills (1.69 kps), 99 blocks (0.59 bps), and had a .241 hitting percentage. Her .302 hitting percentage in 2017 ranked third in the Arizona freshman record book. Denny was named to the 2018 U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team and was also a member of the Wildcats' beach volleyball team. Denny prepped at Archbishop Mitty HS where she was a four-time California state champion and an Under Armour All-American.
Weske is a member of the German national team and will compete at the 2019 World University Games in Italy this July. She helped Germany's Junior National Team to a pair of sixth-place finishes at the 2017 and 2018 CEV Volleyball European Championships and has been a member of the SC Potsdam Volleyball Club since 2016 where she won a bronze medal in 2019 (Bundesliga) and silver in the 2018 U18 German Championship. Weske will be the first USC women's volleyball player to hail from the country of Germany.
Barra, Bustamante, Denny, and Weske join three previously-announced USC additions. The Trojans signed a pair of freshmen in December. Middle blocker Madison Horin (Munster, Ind./Munster HS) is already enrolled at USC and played with the Women of Troy during the spring season. Outside hitter Kalen Owes (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS) joins the Trojans this summer. USC also added freshman transfer middle blocker Chandlar Duff (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South HS) from Oregon.
USC opens the 2019 season with a pair of matches in the Lonestar State where it faces Texas State (Aug. 30) in San Marcos and Texas (Sept. 1) in Austin. The Trojans will play their first home matches when they host the Trojan Invitational (Sept. 13-14) at Galen Center with Villanova, Yale, and Howard the visitors.
In its first season under Crouch (2018), USC finished with a 22-11 overall record and a second-place tie in the Pac-12 (13-7). The Trojans played one of the toughest schedules in the nation with 18 AVCA ranked opponents. USC made its 36th appearance in the NCAA tournament (28th consecutive), advanced to the second round as the 11th seed before falling in an upset to San Diego; and finished ranked No. 21 in the final coaches' poll. Outside hitter Brooke Botkin was named to the AVCA All-America second team and became the program's 42nd all-time All-American. Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro was chosen as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and received AVCA All-America honorable mention alongside outside hitter Khalia Lanier.
For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
"We add another exceptional group of student-athletes to our already loaded 2019 class and are now two- to three-deep at every position on the court," said Crouch. "I expect the level of competition in practice to soar; and to be able to absorb the inevitable injuries that are a part of the game. Each of the players in this group exhibits the skill, athleticism, intelligence, and character standards that we hold for the Trojan Family."
Barra was a four-year outside hitter at San Marino HS and led the Titans to the Rio Hondo League title as a senior. She was named the league's MVP and earned All-CIF Division IV honors following an appearance in the Southern Section quarterfinals. Barra is a four-time All-Rio Hondo League choice (three-time first-teamer) and served as team captain in her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. Barra played four years for San Gabriel Elite and two years with Seal Beach Volleyball Club as a six-rotation outside hitter and helped lead her club to bronze medals at the 2019 Girls' Junior National Championship.
Bustamante is a two-time beach volleyball NCAA champion (2016-17), a three-time Pac-12 champion (2016-17, 2019), and a two-time AVCA Beach Volleyball All-American (2018-19). She ranks sixth for career victories in USC program history (121) and finished with an .834 winning percentage. She and partner Tina Graudina collected 64 wins, which ranks fourth in school history and had a .941 winning percentage with only four losses (second in school history). They were named National Pair of the Year by Volleyball Magazine twice and were the 2019 Pac-12 Pair of the Year. Bustamante is a two-time All-Pac-12 choice and was team captain as a senior.
Denny was a two-year letterwinner at Arizona where she had 27-career starts and played in 52 matches (169 sets) at the middle blocker position. Denny collected 287 kills (1.69 kps), 99 blocks (0.59 bps), and had a .241 hitting percentage. Her .302 hitting percentage in 2017 ranked third in the Arizona freshman record book. Denny was named to the 2018 U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team and was also a member of the Wildcats' beach volleyball team. Denny prepped at Archbishop Mitty HS where she was a four-time California state champion and an Under Armour All-American.
Weske is a member of the German national team and will compete at the 2019 World University Games in Italy this July. She helped Germany's Junior National Team to a pair of sixth-place finishes at the 2017 and 2018 CEV Volleyball European Championships and has been a member of the SC Potsdam Volleyball Club since 2016 where she won a bronze medal in 2019 (Bundesliga) and silver in the 2018 U18 German Championship. Weske will be the first USC women's volleyball player to hail from the country of Germany.
Barra, Bustamante, Denny, and Weske join three previously-announced USC additions. The Trojans signed a pair of freshmen in December. Middle blocker Madison Horin (Munster, Ind./Munster HS) is already enrolled at USC and played with the Women of Troy during the spring season. Outside hitter Kalen Owes (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS) joins the Trojans this summer. USC also added freshman transfer middle blocker Chandlar Duff (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe South HS) from Oregon.
USC opens the 2019 season with a pair of matches in the Lonestar State where it faces Texas State (Aug. 30) in San Marcos and Texas (Sept. 1) in Austin. The Trojans will play their first home matches when they host the Trojan Invitational (Sept. 13-14) at Galen Center with Villanova, Yale, and Howard the visitors.
In its first season under Crouch (2018), USC finished with a 22-11 overall record and a second-place tie in the Pac-12 (13-7). The Trojans played one of the toughest schedules in the nation with 18 AVCA ranked opponents. USC made its 36th appearance in the NCAA tournament (28th consecutive), advanced to the second round as the 11th seed before falling in an upset to San Diego; and finished ranked No. 21 in the final coaches' poll. Outside hitter Brooke Botkin was named to the AVCA All-America second team and became the program's 42nd all-time All-American. Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro was chosen as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and received AVCA All-America honorable mention alongside outside hitter Khalia Lanier.
For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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/ Women's VolleyballThursday, September 24
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