September 01, 2004

Back to the table of Contents Page

Classifieds

Palo Alto Online

The goal is to get better

by Rick Eymer

For the Stanford women's volleyball team, reaching the Final Four has become the standard of success.

Those lofty expectations are welcome by the Cardinal, who start the season on Friday at the Nevada Tournament in Reno with a match against Utah State at 4:30 p.m. They also play St. Mary's and the host Wolfpack on Saturday.

This year, Stanford, ranked sixth nationally in a preseason poll, may have its hands full just to finish among the top four in the Pac-10. But then, the Cardinal have yet to back down from a challenge.

"As with any team in our situation, I expect us to get better as the season progresses," Stanford coach John Dunning said. "We have some youth and some experience and if we practice hard every week of the season, who knows where we could end up."

Reigning national champion USC once again starts the season as the prohibitive favorite to win another national title, and UCLA is ranked third in the preseason poll. Washington (7) and California (10) are also among the top 10 and Arizona is at No. 17.

Stanford (14-4, 25-7 last year) made its 23rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament last year, losing in the regional semifinal.

Four starters return, including Olympian and All-American Ogonna Nnamani and National Freshman of the Year Kristin Richards, both outside hitters.

Nnamani broke the single-season record for kills at Stanford last season with 627. She was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection along with Richards, and the graduated Jennifer Harvey.

Nnamani has been a little busy this summer, playing with Stanford grad Logan Tom on the U.S. Olympic team, which lost to Brazil in the quarterfinals.

She averaged 5.45 kills per game and has 1,627 career kills, needing 313 to become the all-time kills leader at Stanford.

Nnamani has tallied double figures in kills in 65 of her last 69 matches and ranks 22nd all-time in kills in the Pac-10.

"Ogonna is a unique player who has this high-level of experience and is clearly one of the best collegiate players given her training with the U.S. national team," Dunning said. "The training she's done and the improvements she's made, make her someone who's a joy to coach and a joy to watch. She's a very special athlete."

Richards averaged 3.38 kills and 3.03 digs per game last year.

"Kristin developed tremendously last fall during the season," Dunning said. "It gave her a good idea of where she was and where she wanted to go -- and she wants to play at the highest level. She really applied herself in the offseason and is a significantly better player. She should have a tremendous year."

On the right side, look for returners Jen Hucke, a senior, and junior Courtney Schultz to contribute.

"Jennifer did a good job for us last fall and gained lots of good experience," Dunning said. "She worked very hard this spring and she too has seen significant improvement."

Schultz settled into the role of libero last year, but Dunning expects to expand her role this year.

"Courtney's role has been an interesting one," Dunning said. "During high school she was an aggressive middle hitter but it was her ball control that got her on the court for us. In order for our team to use her ball control, we moved her to the outside hitter position, which is new for her. But she has improved each week during the winter and spring and we're excited about what she can add to the team."

Junior setter Katie Goldhahn returns to lend experience at the position. She took over starting duties last season and averaged 10.25 assists and 2.37 digs per game.

"It's nice to have a returning setter like Katie who has lots of experience," Dunning said. "This year she's worked harder, prepared better and thought more about the game."

Returner Njideka Nnamani joined older sister Ogonna at the Olympic Games, and will also be starting a little late with the Cardinal.

Senior Leahi Hall also returns as a defensive specialist. She provides a spark off the bench, and averaged 2.08 digs last year in 28 matches.

With the departure of both starting middle blockers, sophomores Liz Suiter, Michelle Mellard, and Jennifer Wilson will be expected to step up.

"The middle blocking position will be interesting because you want to depend on experience, and in our case that's not what we're depending on," Dunning said. "Our middle blockers will get better every match we play this season."

Perhaps the best known freshman is Candice Wiggins, who will likely concentrate on basketball this season.

"Candice is a terrific volleyball player who is also an amazing basketball player," Dunning said. "She is a very exciting athlete to watch whether she's playing volleyball or basketball."

Other top freshmen include middle blocker Franci Girard, libero/defensive specialist Kirsten Hornbeak, and setter Bryn Kehoe, who has experience in the junior national team program and led her high school team to two state championships.

"Each year is exciting and different in its own way," Dunning said. "We lost five seniors to graduation and are adding four new freshmen. How good we are is going to depend on how this new puzzle fits together."

With the Final Four, as usual, the ultimate goal.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.