Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/724830
9 2016 PAC-12 VOLLEYBALL // PREVIEW PRESEASON NOTEBOOK Madi Bugg, Stanford Samantha Bricio, USC Lindsay Vender Weide, Oregon Tournament and Barnard will look to get back on track. He will have veteran leadership to rely on as 12 letterwinners return, inlcuding Preseason All- Pac-12 honoree Mary-Kate Marshall, who has been the Beavers' go-to player since arriving on campus. That leadership will be key as he also welcomes in a large incoming class with seven newcomers that will need to be incorporated not just to a new team, but a new staff, system and philosophy that always comes with a coaching turnover. But what the Beavers do have is depth. With such a big roster, Barnard will have options as OSU looks to make strides in 2016. STANFORD With three All-Americans returning this season, Stanford is the preseason favorite to win its 17th Pac-12 crown this season. The Cardinal are loaded with talent, welcoming back the national freshman of the year and the team's leading scorer Hayley Hodson. All-American middle blocker Merete Lutz is back to give the Cardinal an imposing prescence at the net. Head coach John Dunning also has the added bonus of welcoming back 2014 All-American Inky Ajanaku. Ajanaku was a national player of the year candidate going into 2015 but missed the entire season due to injury. How she bounces back to full collegiate action remains to be seen, but her skills will no doubt put her among the best in the country, once again. Stanford has also built up its reserves with another highly-touted incoming class that adds depth to a squad that is expected to go far in the postseason. Highlighting that class is the addition of freshman Audriana Fitzmorris, a middle blocker that was ranked the No. 2 recruit in the nation last season. UCLA Picked second in the Preseason Pac-12 Coaches poll, the Bruins are poised to prove everyone wrong. UCLA is the deepest and most talented since win- ning a national championship in 2011, losing just two defensive specialists from last year's squad and returning 11 letterwinners overall. Preseason All-Pac-12 selection Jordan Anderson was second in kills in the Conference last season. She gained valuable experience playing with the collegiate national team over the summer. Also returning is Pac-12 Libero of the Year Taylor Formico who will have help on defense with a veteran core of middle blockers. UCLA appears to have depth at every posi- tion, which includes the setter spot which welcomes back redshirt junior Ryann Chandler who missed a lot of time last year because of injury. The stores do not end there. The Bruins also have a talented class coming in with five newcomers hitting campaus this fall, and some looking to make an immediate impact. USC Defending co-Pac-12 Champion USC has big shoes to fill with the departure of AVCA National Player of the Year and Pac-12 Player of the Year Samantha Bricio to graduation. She was a multi-faceted of- fensive weapon and filling that void may take more than just one individual. And while the Trojans were picked to finish fifth in the Conference by the Pac-12 coaches, they should not be counted out after win- ning at least 29 matches in five of the last six years. USC has two of its top-three scorers back for 2016, in addition, senior Taylor Whittingham, was one of the top liberos in the Conference and is back to pick up everything that comes near her. Head coach Mick Haley also boasts the No. 1 recruit in the nation. Khalia Lanier is an athletic outside hitter that comes to campus already with elite-level experience playing internationally with the Team USA program. Haley will look to her, as well as Presseason All-Pac-12 honoree Brittany Abercrombie and sophomore Alyse Ford, to take on big roles on offense. UTAH Utah will be a veteran squad this season after hav- ing lost just just two seniors from last year's team. With 12 letterwinners returning, the Utes should be a much-improved squad, led by All-Pac-12 and Preseason All-Pac-12 selection Adora Anae. She had a breakout season as a sophomore last year, leading the team in several categories and breaking a handful of school records. If the Utes look to improve upon their 10th-place showing, Anae will need some more contribution from the rest of the squad. That is where the veteran leadership will play a factor. In her 26th season, Beth Launiere will have options to choose from at nearly every position. Where Utah may have some questions to answer is at the setter spot. Sophomore Jessie Openshaw returns as the top setter candidate after having split time last season. However, the two other players listed as setters do not have collegiate playing experience. Figuring out 2016 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 Brittany Abercrombie, USC Inky Ajanaku, Stanford Adora Anae, Utah Jordan Anderson, UCLA Haley Hodson, Stanford Kyra Holt,Washington State Crissy Jones, Washington Merete Lutz, Stanford Mary Kate Marshall, Oregon State Kalei Mau, Arizona Tia Scambray, Washington Gabby Simpson, Colorado Penina Snuka, Arizona Lindsey Vander Weide, Oregon