Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/162669
PRESEASON NOTEBOOK 2013 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 Inky Ajanaku, Stanford Liz Brenner, Oregon Samantha Bricio, USC Jordan Burgess, Stanford Macey Gardner, Arizona State Adrienne Gehan, California Natalie Hagglund, USC Brittany Howard, Stanford Madi Kingdon, Arizona Kylin Muñoz, Washington Lauren Plum, Oregon Kelly Reeves, UCLA Krista Vansant, Washington Carly Wopat, Stanford to make up for a disappointing NCAA quarterfinal loss in last year's postseason tournament. UCLA Carly Wopat, Stanford OREGON STATE The Beavers recorded one of the biggest wins of the season last year, defeating then-second ranked Penn State, but had difficulties finding consistency throughout the rest of the season. Oregon State will be a young squad again this season with just one senior on the team. Only three starters return, including senior libero Becky Defoe who led the Pac-12 in digs per set last year (5.05). Junior outside hitter Arica Nassar also returns to lead the team's offensive efforts. She has been an offensive threat since she arrived in Corvallis as a freshman. With Hall of Fame coach Taras Liskevich who enters his ninth season at OSU, the young Beavs are in good hands. The Bruins exited out of the NCAA Tournament in the second round last season, just one year after an unexpected run to claim the 2011 NCAA title. Consistency was an issue for UCLA last year, and while four starters return, the team is still a young one with 10 underclassmen on the roster. Additionally, the Bruins lost All-American Tabi Love and All-Pac-12 honoree Rachael Kidder. But what the Bruins do have is a talented squad, including an incoming class that was tabbed the sixth-best in the country and includes the nation's top-rated libero of the 2013 recruiting class in Skylar Dykstra. Additionally, seniors Kelly Reeves and Mariana Aquino, and junior Zoe Nightingale return and bring a wealth of experience and leadership. Nightingale was among the top hitters and blockers in the Pac12. Along with Aquino, the Bruins return a strong defense at the net. STANFORD The defending Pac-12 Champion Cardinal was picked to win the Pac-12 title again in 2013 and was the highest-ranking league team in the AVCA Preseason Coaches poll, coming in at No. 3 in the country. With the return of 11 letterwinners from last year's championship team, including every starter, the expectation for a repeat is no surprise. 2012 Pac-12 Coach of the Year John Dunning welcomes back four All-Pac-12 performers, including senior middle blocker Carly Wopat, who was also tabbed a first team AVCA All-American. Wopat was the most efficient hitter in the Conference, converting on nearly 40 percent of her hitting attempts, and was third in blocks (1.45 bps). But Dunning's arsenal also includes four sophomores who burst onto the scene as freshmen: Inky Ajanaku, Brittany Howard, Madi Bugg and Jordan Burgess. All four were named to the Conference's All-Freshman team, while Ajanaku, Howard and Burgess were also allConference picks. Dunning has also equipped the Cardinal with an incoming class that was ranked eighth in the country. With all the talent and depth at Dunning's disposal, the Cardinal will be looking Madi Kingdon, Arizona USC The Trojans have nearly every starter returning, including two-time first team All-American and twotime Pac-12 Libero of the Year Natalie Hagglund and 2012 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Samantha Bricio, who was also voted All-Pac-12 and honorable mention AVCA All-American. The duo leads a solid core of returnees that helped the USC post 30 wins last season, the program's first 30-win campaign since 2003. Added to that is a talented class that was ranked No. 2 in the country and includes two Volleyball Magazine FAB 50 players. The Trojans have reached the NCAA semifinals or better six times in head coach Mick Haley's 12 years and they are looking to get back again after back-to-back trips in 2010 and 2011. UTAH The Utes appear poised to make a move in the Pac-12 and improve upon back-to-back ninth-place finishes in their first two seasons in the Conference. Nearly half the roster has at least two years of experience in the new league, while also returning its top-six scorers from a year ago. Head coach Beth Launiere will have to find a solution for the loss of their top setter, McKenzie Odale, but sophomore setter Kendall Cygan saw her fair share of playing time in 2012 and should be able to make an easy transition to the primary position. If the Utes are going to make any moves in the Conference, Launiere will have to look to their blocking core to lead the way. Over the last two years, Utah has ranked in the top 10 in the nation in blocks per set. It had three players average at least 1.00 blocks per set last year, led by junior Bailey Bateman's 1.53 blocks average, the ninth-best average in the country in 2012. Kelly Reeves, UCLA PREVIEW // 2013 PAC-12 VOLLEYBALL MEDIA GUIDE // 9 //9