The Winning Train Is Still Chugging Along
March 06, 2001 | Men's Volleyball
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THE FACTS
The No. 4-ranked USC men's volleyball team (11-5 overall, 9-3 NCAA, 9-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Pacific Division)--on a 6-match winning streak, including a pair of impressive wins last week over No. 1 BYU and No. 4 Long Beach State--now hosts crosstown rival No. 2 UCLA (12-4, 6-2) on Wednesday (March 7) in an MPSF match and then hosts Loyola-Chicago in a non-conference match on Friday (March 9). Both matches start at 7 p.m. in the USC North Gym.
RANKINGS
USC is ranked fourth in this week's USA Today/AVCA coaches poll and third by Volleyball. UCLA is second by USA Today/AVCA and fourthby Volleyball. Loyola-Chicago is not ranked.
OPPONENTS
USC trails its series with UCLA, 71-29, and has lost its last 2 meetings with the Bruins, both this year (3-0 in the UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational and 3-1 at UCLA in an MPSF contest). UCLA, coming off wins over UC Santa Cruz and UC San Diego last week, is led by sophomore outside hitter Cameron Mount (182 kills, .318, 20 aces, 60 digs, 34 blocks), junior outside hitter Ian Burnham (149 kills, 59 digs, 36 blocks) and senior quick hitter Adam Naeve (138 kills, .357, 34 aces, 64 blocks). TheTrojans are 2-0 over Loyola-Chicago, with 3-1 wins in 1998 and 1999. The Ramblers, who beat Findlay and then beat Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne last week and must play at UC San Diego on Wednesday (March 5) before facing USC, featurejunior outside hitter Brad Stoub (179 kills, .332, 71 digs, 31 blocks) and sophomore outside hitter Justin Schnor (179 kills, .326, 23 aces, 86 digs, 34 blocks).
LAST MATCHES
USC, behind 28 kills from Brook Billings, gave No. 1 BYU its first loss of the 2001 season with a 30-26, 23-30, 30-27, 30-18 victory in a MPSF home match on Wednesday (Feb. 28). It was USC's fifth win in a row and avenged a 3-game home loss to BYU in January. USC played without head coach Pat Powers, who was with his ill mother. In his place, assistant Turhan Douglas directed the Trojans with the help of assistant Laura Ames. Billings hit .429 for the match and had 8 digs. Teammate Eli Fairfield, a senior outside hitter, added 21 kills while hitting .417 and had a match-high 13 digs. Troy outhit BYU, .384 to .314, and had 8 aces to the Cougars, 3 and 38 digs to their 24. On Saturday (March 3) with Powers back at the helm, USC extended its winning streak to 6 matches as Billings had a match-high 18 kills and Fairfield added 17 kills to help to a 30-17, 27-30, 32-30, 27-30, 15-10 upset over No. 4 Long Beach State in another MPSF home match. The Trojans, who avenged a 5-game loss to LBSU in January in the third-place match at the UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational, moved into first place in the Pacific Division of the MPSF, a game ahead of the 49ers. USC, which outhit LBSU, .394 to .250, had 5 of its starters hit over .400: Miles McGann hit .667, Josh Day hit .625 with 12 kills and a match-high 7 blocks, Trevor Julian hit .500 and had 7 digs, Fairfield hit .429 with 7 digs and 4 blocks, and Donny Killian hit .417 with 4 blocks. Greg Burden had a match-best 14 digs to help USC to a 35-20 edge in digs. The Trojans also outblocked the 49ers, 13.5 to 9.0.
RETURN TO GLORY?
The 2001 season is the 10th anniversary of USC,s last appearance in the NCAA Final Four. In the 15-year span from 1977 to 1991, USC was a near-annual contender for the NCAA title as the Trojans won 4 NCAA crowns, finished second 6 times and were third once.
ALMOST
For each of the past two seasons, the USC men,s volleyball team was a victory away from capturing a berth into the NCAA Championship, but losses to Pepperdine in 2000 and BYU in 1999 kept the Trojans home.
LAST YEAR
USC proved in 2000 that the program has returned to national prominence. The Trojans had a 22-5 NCAA record and captured a share of the Pacific Division crown in the difficult MPSF by going 16-3 (their first league title since 1991). USC twice beat a No. 1-ranked squad in 2000 (UCLA and Long Beach State), was 14-0 at home and spent two weeks near the end of the season ranked No. 1 before finishing third. Only a close loss to Pepperdine in the semifinals of the MPSF tournament kept Troy out of the NCAA Final Four in 2000 (a loss to BYU in the MPSF tourney finals knocked USC out of the NCAA tourney in 1999).
TOUGH AT HOME
USC is 205-61 (.771) in home matches in its 25-year history. The Trojans had a school-record 19-match home winning streak in the quaint North Gym (dating to the 1999 season) snapped when they lost to BYU this season. USC is 6-1 at home in 2001. Last year, Troy went 14-0 in the North Gym, its first unblemished home season since 1991 and its most home wins ever.
SUBSTITUTE HEAD COACH
When head coach Pat Powers missed USC's home match against BYU (2-28) to be with his ill mother, assistant Turhan Douglas--with the help of assistant Laura Ames--directed the Trojans quite capably. In fact, Troy upset the top-ranked, undefeated Cougars, 3-1.
ACES ARE WILD
Against UC Irvine (1-23), Beau Rawi served a school-record 8 aces and USC posted 18 aces in the match, also a school record.
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 2000 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 fifth year, his career mark is 96-54. 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. Last year, USC shared the MPSF Pacific Division title and went 26-6 with a No. 4 national ranking. 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 returns 5 starters from 2000--All-American opposite hitter Brook Billings, 3-year starting outside hitters Trevor Julian and Eli Fairfield, and middle blockers Beau Rawi and Mark Dusharme. USC's only loss from 2000 is a big one: 2-time All-American setter Donald Suxho, the AVCA National Player of the Year who was a 4-year starter and owns Troy's career record for aces.
BROOK BILLINGS
USC sports one of the collegiate game's most dynamic players in dominating 6-5 junior opposite hitter Brook Billings. He was a 2000 All-American and All-MPSF first team pick. A starter since he arrived at USC, he led the Trojans in kills as a freshman and sophomore (he had 601 last season while hitting .339). He was fifth nationally in kill average in 2000 (6.84)^he had 50 kills in a match last spring^and also had 160 digs and 73 blocks. Nobody in the country hits the ball harder. With 1,460 career kills, he is on pace to break Bryan Ivie's all-time USC mark (2,380). He currently leads USC in kills (219) and is second in blocks (35).
--He began his 2001 campaign by being named to the 2001UC Santa Barbara Collegiate Invitational All-Tournament team.
--He had a match-high 17 kills while hitting .577 vs.Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--He had a match-high 15 kills with 3 digs and 3 blocks vs. UC San Diego (1-19).
--He had a match-best 22 kills with 4 blocks and 6 digs vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--He had 23 kills and a match-high 11 digs at UC Irvine (1-26).
--He had 9 kills vs. BYU (1-31).
--He had 13 kills at UCLA (2-7).
--Because of disciplinary reasons, he came off the bench to start the third game vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10) and had a game-high 20 kills while hitting .448.
--He had 25 kills and 8 digs, both match highs, at Cal State Northridge (2-16).
--He had 13 kills and 4 blocks at Stanford (2-23).
--He had a match-high 16 kills with 6 digs and 4 blocks at Pacific (2-24).
--He had a match-best 28 kills (hitting .429) with 8 digs in the win over unbeaten No. 1 BYU (2-28).
--He had a match-high 18 kills with 4 blocks vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
ELI FAIRFIELD
Eli Fairfield, a 6-7 senior outside hitter starting for his fourth season, is known as a strong hitter, accurate passer, lethal jump server and dependable defender. A 2000 All-American honorable mention selection and All-MPSF second teamer, he was second last year on USC in kills (497) while hitting .323 and third in aces (42). He also had 150 digs and 77 blocks. He currently leads USC in aces (19), digs (97) and blocks (37) and is second in kills (182). He was named AVCA/Sports Imports National Player of the Week (Feb. 19-25) for performance against Stanford and Pacific.
--He had 7 kills and 3 aces vs.Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--He had 13 kills while hitting .429 and added a team-best 5 digs vs. UC San Diego (1-19).
--He had a match-high 9 digs to go along with his 12 blocks vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--He had a match-high 24 kills with 10 digs at UC Irvine (1-26).
--He had 9 kills vs. BYU (1-31).
--He had 16 kills and a match-high 12 digs at UCLA (2-7).
--He had 14 kills, 5 blocks and a match-high 12 digs vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10).
--He had 16 kills (hitting .344), a match-high 6 aces and 5 blocks at Cal State Northridge (2-16).
--He led USC with 20 kills (hitting .389) with 8 digs and 3 blocks at Stanford (2-23).
--He hit .480 with 13 kills, 4 blocks and a match-best 10 digs at Pacific (2-24).
--He had 21 kills (hitting .417) and a match-best 13 digs in the win over unbeaten No. 1 BYU (2-28).
--He had 17 kills (hitting .429), 7 digs and 4 blocks vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
TREVOR JULIAN
Coach Pat Powers says 6-5 senior outside hitter Trevor Julian, USC's captain in 2001, might be the nation's best passer. He is starting for his fourth seasons. He was second last spring on the Trojans in aces (51) and third in both kills (362) and hitting percentage (.373). He also had 117 digs and 71 blocks. He currently is second on USC in aces with 15.
--He had 5 kills (hitting .500) and 3 aces vs. Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--He had a match-high 4 aces (plus 4 digs and 2 blocks) vs. UC San Diego (1-19).
--He had 14 kills while hitting a match-high .611, and added 6 digs, vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--He had 12 kills and a match-high 11 digs at UC Irvine (1-26).
--He had a match-high 3 aces vs. BYU (1-31).
--He had 12 digs while hitting a team-best .588 at UCLA (2-7).
--He had 12 kills vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10).
--He hit .389 with 9 kills, 5 blocks and 4 digs at Cal State Northridge (2-16).
--He had 12 kills while hitting .476 at Stanford (2-23).
--He hit .667 with 6 kills and 8 digs at Pacific (2-24).
--He had 7 kills, 5 digs and 2 aces in the win over unbeaten No. 1 BYU (2-28).
--He hit .500 with 8 kills and had 7 digs vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
DONNY KILLIAN
It makes sense that 6-5 middle blocker Donny Killian, a transfer from Pepperdine who has earned a starting job this season, will spend his 2001 senior year at USC. He has deep Trojan roots, as his father, Don, was a member of USC,s 1977 NCAA champs and his sister, Lauren, is a member of the Women of Troy team which played in the 2000 NCAA Final Four (about a dozen other relatives also attended USC). Killian was a two-year starter for Pepperdine, twice appeared in the Final Four and led the Waves in hitting percentage the past two seasons, including .465 (sixth nationally) last fall. He also had 303 kills, 47 aces (he was fifth nationally in ace average at .495), 134 blocks and 69 digs in 2000.
--In his Trojan home debut, he had 10 kills while hitting .692 vs. Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--He had 4 aces vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--He had 17 kills while hitting a match-best .448 at UC Irvine (1-26).
--He came off the bench vs. BYU (1-31) to hit .429.
--He had 7 kills and a team-best 5 blocks at UCLA (2-7).
--He missed the UC Santa Barbara match (2-10) after spraining his wrist in a car accident.
--He had 4 blocks off the bench at Cal State Northridge (2-16).
--He had 8 blocks at Stanford (2-23).
--He hit .600 with 7 kills, 3 blocks and 2 aces in the win over unbeaten No. 1 BYU (2-28).
--He hit .417and had 4 blocks vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
JOSH DAY
A 6-6 sophomore, Josh Day emerged as a starting middle blocker after the first third of the 2001 season (replacing Beau Rawi). He started 8 times in 2000, ending up second on USC in hitting percentage (.413) and had 79 kills, 45 blocks, 14 aces and 14 digs. He currently leads USC's regulars in hitting percentage at .494.
--He started vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10) and had 10 kills while hitting a match-best .533.
--He started at Cal State Northridge (2-16) and had a team-best 7 blocks.
--He hit a team-best .650 with 14 kills as a starter at Stanford (2-23).
--He hit .700 and had 7 blocks, both match highs, at Pacific (2-24) while starting.
--He had 7 kills and 4 blocks in the win over unbeaten No. 1 BYU (2-28).
--He had 12 kills while hitting .625 and had a match-high 7 blocks vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
MILES McGANN
Having the challenging task of filling the big shoes of Donald Suxho at setter is 6-5 sophomore Miles McGann, who appeared in 11 matches in 2000 as an outside hitter and jump serving specialist. He was a highly-decorated high school setter who has impressive national junior-level experience. He currently leads USC in assists (580).
--He dished 37 assists vs. Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--He rested a sore ankle vs. UC San Diego (1-19).
--He had 52 assists vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--He had 84 assists with 2 kills, 6 digs and 3 blocks at UC Irvine (1-26).
--He had 33 assists vs. BYU (1-31).
--He posted 50 assists at UCLA (2-7).
--He had 69 assists vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10).
--He had 51 assists at Cal State Northridge (2-16).
--He had 48 assists and 3 digs at Stanford (2-23).
--He had 38 assists, 3 digs and 3 blocks at Pacific (2-24).
--He had 64 assists, 3 blocks and 2 aces in the win over unbeaten No. 1 BYU (2-28).
--He had 54 assists, 5 digs, 2 kills, 2 aces and 2 blocks vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
BEAU RAWI
Beau Rawi, a 6-5 junior who started at middle blocker the past 2 years, began the 2001 season as a starter, but now backs up Josh Day. He led USC last year in blocks (137) and hitting percentage (.442). He had 315 kills, 24 aces and 28 digs.
--He hit .833 with 5 kills and a match-best 5 blocks vs. Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--He set a school single match record 8 aces and added a match-high 5 blocks with 7 kills vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--He had 14 kills while hitting .440 and added 5 blocks at UC Irvine (1-26).
--He had 9 kills vs. BYU (1-31).
MARK DUSHARME
Mark Dusharme, a 6-7 sophmore middle blocker who started in 2000, is one of the country,s top young players (he captained the 2000 USA Boys Junior National team). He was second on USC in blocks (98) and had 253 kills while hitting .361. He also had 20 aces and 32 digs.
--He had 2 aces vs. UC San Diego (1-19).
--He got his first start of 2001 vs. BYU (1-31).
--He had 13 kills (while hitting .364) and a team-best 6 blocks vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10).
--He started at Cal State Northridge (2-16) and hit a match-best .556.
LIBEROS
Greg Burden, a 6-0 junior, is back as USC's libero. He led the Trojans in digs (183) last season. He,ll be aided by 6-2 soph Dustin Avol, who was used often as a serving specialist in 2000. Avol is also available to set.
--Burden had 4 digs vs. Cal State Northridge (1-17).
--Burden had 3 digs vs. UC San Diego (1-19), while Avol filled in at setter for McGann (sore ankle) and had 34 assists, 2 aces and 4 digs.
--Burden had 5 digs vs. UC Irvine (1-23).
--Burden had 8 digs at UCLA (2-7).
--Burden had a match-best 10 digs at Stanford (2-23), while Avol started the match at setter and dished 8 assists before being replaced by McGann after the first game.
--Burden had 6 digs at Pacific (2-24).
--He had a match-high 14 digs vs. Long Beach State (3-3).
RESERVES
The wild card on USC's roster is 6-8 redshirt freshman outside hitter Marcus Gilmour, who redshirted last season while recuperating from knee surgery. USC,s tallest player, he,s just now rounding into playing form...There are four freshmen outside hitters on the 2001 Trojans: a pair of 6-3 players in Peter Jordan and Greg Stampley, 6-4 Charley Witt and 6-5 Michael Hickman. Jordan, Stampley and Hickman have seen limited action in 2001. Jordan was the 1999 All-CIF Division II MVP as a senior at San Marcos High in Santa Barbara, Calif., but sat out the 2000 season while working. Stampley was a 2000 All-CIF Division I first teamer on CIF Division I titlist Corona del Mar (Calif.) High. Witt, whose brothers played at Stanford, made the 2000 All-CIF Division III first team at Santa Ynez (Calif.) Valley Union High. Hickman was a three-time All-State selection while at Castle Hills First Baptist High in San Antonio, Tex. Owen Hanson, a 2000 All-CIF Division II first team pick from Redondo (Calif.) Union High, comes in as a 6-2 frosh opposite hitter. Ian Gallagher, who sat out his 2000 senior season at Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance, Calif., with a knee injury (he was a 1999 All-CIF Division II second teamer), is a 6-5 freshman setter. Jordan, Stampley, Hickman and Hanson all were named to Volleyball,s Fab 50 prep list.
--Jordan appeared briefly to serve (his first actino at USC) vs. UC San Diego (1-19).
--Jordan had 1 kills at UC Irvine (1-26).
--Hickman saw his first action as a Trojan at UCLA (2-7) and had 1 ace.
--Hickman started vs. UC Santa Barbara (2-10) and had 4 kills while playing the first 2 games.
--Stampley was the libero at Cal State Northridge (2-16) and had 6 digs in his first action as a Trojan.
NOTES
Here,s a rarity in the world of men,s athletics. One of USC,s assistant coaches is a woman, Laura Ames, who was the women,s head coach at both Aurora (1993-95) and Benedictine (1996-97)...Besides Donny Killian's vast USC heritage, several other 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 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 and grandfather are Trojan alums. Peter Jordan's grandparents attended USC.
KID'S CORNER
Local youth groups will be the guests of USC at 4 men's volleyball games in 2000--UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 10), Loyola Chicago (March 9), Harvard (March 27) and La Verne (April 7)--as part of the Trojan athletic department's "Kid's Corner" program.
