Aug. 4, 2003
San Diego - Coming off one its most successful campaigns in recent years, the San Diego State volleyball team knows there's more work to be done in 2003.
In 2002, the Aztecs recorded their first 20-win season since 1996 and finished second in the Mountain West Conference with an 11-3 mark, their best final league record and standing since joining the MWC in 1999. In addition, SDSU notched one regular-season tournament title, upset the nation's 16th-ranked team, and concluded the year ranked sixth in the West Region.
Even so, the team's dream of a second straight NCAA Tournament bid was not realized despite a regional ranking that was better than four teams from the West that went on to play in the postseason. In 2003, the goal remains the same: overall improvement and a berth in the postseason.
To achieve success, San Diego State will have to replace three premier athletes who made significant contributions to the squad's success a year ago. First and foremost is Melissa Wright, a three-year starter who was named the conference setter-of-the-year in 2002.
Also lost to graduation were middle blocker Nicole Akporiaye and outside hitter Rochelle Currier. Akporiaye was an all-MWC selection as a senior while Currier was second among the Aztecs in kills and digs in her final season.
"Those players were certainly important parts of our success a year ago," said coach Mark Warner. "We'll feel the loss of Nicole's blocking and Rochelle's determination and personality. And of course, Melissa's shoes will be hard to fill after three years as one of the top setters in the program's history."
The good news for Warner and the Aztecs is that this fall's squad is an experienced side seasoned with seven seniors. Of that group, five have been together at SDSU the past three seasons and four of them have been starters or in the regular match rotation for much of their careers.
The senior class is led by middle blocker Aspen McPartland, last year's MWC co-player of the year, and outside hitter Zlatina Anguelova, an all-conference selection in 2002. Joining them is returning starting blocker Megan Schauermann and back row player Robyn Gregg, a powerful jump server who was the league's defensive player of the year as a sophomore.
The other seniors include fifth-year Aztec Melissa Cansdale, a hard-hitting offensive player, plus a pair of athletes who came to SDSU from other four-year schools last season: Sara Engstrom and Natalie Sande. All three add depth at their positions and could see time in the starting lineup to varying degrees as the season progresses.
Add to this core two other returning letterwinners, a pair of incoming junior college All-Americans, a transfer, and four freshmen plus a group of returning redshirts, and the outlook for the coming campaign is positive.
"In some ways, we may be better than last year even with the personnel changes," noted Warner. "The team as whole had a very good spring season and I think the players are very confident in themselves and in each other as we gear up for the fall."
SETTER
The leading candidate to step into the role of starting setter is Sara Engstrom, a senior who came to SDSU last season after two years at the University of Portland. She appeared in 30 matches in 2002, primarily as a defensive back row specialist.
"Sara is a fine player and we're fortunate to have her in the program," commented Warner. "She's an experienced Division I player who played very well in the spring, and she should be able to step right into the starting role."
The other primary candidate who could see playing time here is freshman Meredith Hasson, a standout club player from Texas. Hasson hails from Austin, where she helped her high school team to the state 5A title last season.
"Meredith Hasson is somebody who should be able to come in and play right away," said Warner. "She may not start, but we're expecting big things from her.
"So we have a senior veteran with experience and a freshman who will be able to come into the program and contribute immediately. There are a couple others on the roster who could fill in here as well, so we should be solid at the setter position."
OUTSIDE HITTER
The list of candidates at the outside hitter position begins with three returnees who saw significant playing time last season: Zlatina Anguelova, Melissa Cansdale and Kara Moriarty.
Anguelova was an all-conference selection a year ago after leading the team in kill average at 3.44 per game. Moriarty could step into the spot vacated with the departure of senior Rochelle Currier. Cansdale is also a hard-hitting player who could see her playing time increase both in a starting role and as a front row option off the bench.
Other Aztec veterans back include senior Natalie Sande and sophomore Ashley Bowker. Sande, who came to SDSU after two seasons at the University of San Francisco, saw spot duty last season, primarily as a back row player. Bowker was the team's most improved player last season and could come into her own in her third year with the team.
"Anguelova's play over the past three years speaks for itself and she should have another great year as a senior," noted Warner. "Moriarty is a good athlete who hits the ball hard and had an excellent spring. Cansdale has been a model of consistency during her time here and we expect her to continue to contribute to our success."
Challenging for playing time at outside hitter will be a pair of transfer newcomers in Melissa Stapley and Alison Finucane.
Stapley was a first-team NJCAA Division II junior college All-American and a second-team AVCA junior college All-American at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, Ariz., last season. She began her collegiate career at Arizona State, where she redshirted prior to playing one year of junior college ball. Finucane comes to the Aztecs via the University of Portland where she sat out her freshman year in 2002 with an injury.
"We have seven quality athletes at the outside hitter spot, plus Robyn Gregg and Brittney Pearson can also play here if we need them," said Warner. "We're going to be deeper at this position than we've been in the recent past and there will be a lot of competition for time on the floor."
MIDDLE BLOCKER
Strength at the middle blocker position begins with senior Aspen McPartland, last year's Mountain West Conference co-Player of the Year. She was among the league leaders in hitting percentage, digs and blocks, and was named the league's player of the week twice as a junior.
She is joined by fellow returning senior starter Megan Schauermann, who averaged 1.3 blocks per game in league matches. Schauermann could also see duty as a right side hitter as the season progresses.
Also returning from last season's squad is redshirt Lucilla Xavier, who redshirted as a transfer in 2002. Xavier came to the Aztecs after one season at St. Gregory's College (Shawnee, Okla.) where she won all-region and conference front row player of the year accolades.
The Aztecs will add depth in the middle in the form of junior Morgan Loftis and freshman Kelley Wahlin.
Loftis was a first-team AVCA junior college All-American as a sophomore at San Joaquin Valley Delta JC in 2002. She was also named to the all-state and all-northern California teams last year and was chosen the MVP of the Bay Valley Conference. She finished fourth in the state in kills (4.54 per game) while hitting .455.
Wahlin is a 6-5 blocker from Utah who was an all-region honoree as a senior and her squad's outstanding offensive player.
"We've got a pair of solid starters back for us in the middle plus we've added some depth with the addition of Loftis and Wahlin," said Warner. "Aspen is one of the top returning players in the conference and she will anchor the middle blocker position for us. Schauermann played middle in the spring, but she may play some right side as well this fall."
"Loftis is one of our two incoming All-Americans out of junior college and she has a chance to step in and play right away. Wahlin was mainly an outside hitter in high school, but we plan to move her into the middle."
RIGHT SIDE
The Aztecs have a pair of right side hitters in redshirt freshman Jenna Pierson and true freshman Audra Dent. In addition, Megan Schauermann is more than capable of playing here.
Pierson was a league MVP in high school who was a walk-on at SDSU last season. She has the ability to break into the lineup as a right side hitter. Dent was also the MVP of her league as a prep player and was a member of the Club Yahoo! squad that competed at the Junior Olympic National tournament the past three years.
"Jenna improved tremendously on the right during spring ball while Dent, who is a left-handed hitter, could be our right side of the future," noted Warner.
"We're also looking at Megan Schauermann here. Depending on where she falls among our middle blockers, we'd like to move her to the right to take advantage of her athletic abilities in that area."
DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST
The Aztecs have some tested talent at the defensive specialist position, led by senior Robyn Gregg. Known for her thumping jump serve, Gregg was the MWC defensive player of the year as a sophomore and holds all of the conference serving ace records. She played strictly in the back row as a junior, but may get a glimpse of action as an outside hitter this fall.
Kari Dykema returns for her third season at SDSU and was a solid back row player during spring ball. She was one of two players utilized by Warner as a libero last year and may see duty in that capacity again in 2003. Also back is sophomore Angela Verdenacci, a Brazilian who missed last season after suffering a torn ACL in late August. She had been in the team plans for the 2002 campaign, and could make her mark this year.
Joining this trio is an athlete who played locally the past two seasons. Barbara Louie, a northern California native who attended nearby San Diego Mesa JC, will also challenge for playing time.
"We expect Robyn to have a great senior season," commented Warner. "Her serve is among the best around, and because we face her in practice all the time, we really don't worry about facing jump servers when we play. We expect her to be backed up by Dykema and Verdenacci, who should both get a chance to show what they can do. And Louie is another fine player who will help us during the upcoming season."
SUMMARY
In 2003, San Diego State will face a schedule that includes seven teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament last year. Following their own tournament to open the season during the Labor Day weekend, the Aztecs will be thrown into the fire as they travel to Tucson where they will face Arizona, Santa Clara and Miami, each of whom finished among the nation's top 25 teams in 2002. Other NCAA participants looming on the horizon include Oral Roberts and the University of San Diego plus conference foes Colorado State and Utah.
"Once again the schedule is solid, but one with which we'll be competitive," said Warner. "I think the conference is going to be tougher this year, which means we'll have to be tougher as well. We open league play on the road at UNLV, Wyoming and Colorado State, which will be difficult. The exciting thing is that we host the conference tournament here in late November, and playing in Peterson Gym should give us a true home court advantage."
The coach will be counting on the experience of his seniors plus the potential of his other returnees and newcomers to lead the Aztecs to another successful campaign. Warner and his staff are confident this group of athletes can build on the successes of last season and move the program in a positive direction.
"I hate to predict any kind of finish because you never know what might happen over the course of the next few months," commented the coach. "This team really showed well in the spring. The players know what they can do and they have the confidence to get it done. If we stay healthy and our new players compete like we know they can, I think we could do pretty well."