USC Trojans volleyball

Infobox College Volleyball Team
name = USC Women's Volleyball

logo_size = 138
university = University of Southern California
conference = Pac-10 Conference
conference_short = Pac-10
division =
city = Los Angeles
stateabb = CA
state = California
coach = Mick Haley
tenure = 8th
arena = Galen Center
capacity = 10,258
nickname = Trojans
color1 = Cardinal
color2 = Gold
color3 =
fontcolor = FFCC00
hex1 = 990000
hex2 = FFCC00
hex3 =
NCAAchampion = 1981, 2002, 2003
NCAArunnerup = 1982
NCAAtourneys = 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
conference_tournament =
conference_season = 2000, 2002, 2003

USC has a long tradition with volleyball, with both the Men's and Women's programs winning 6 national titles each for a total of 12 national championships.

Women's volleyball program

The women's volleyball is currently coached by Mick Haley, who began in 2001. Under Haley, USC became the first repeat NCAA Volleyball National Champion in 2002-03 since Stanford in 1996-97. They became the first repeat champion to go undefeated, as they finished off 2003 with a record of 35-0 whilst becoming the first school in NCAA history to stay at number one in the coaches poll every week. The former coach, Chuck Erbe, led the team to four national championships, 1 NCAA (1981) and three AIAW (1976-77, 1980)

Women's volleyball also has 8 final four appearances (1981, 1982, 1985, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007), finishing as the National runner-up in 1982.

More recently, USC sent three female volleyball athletes to the 2008 Olympics - 2004 graduate Nicole Davis represented the indoor United States team, earning a silver medal. 2008 graduate Asia Kaczor represented her native Poland for indoor play, while 2006 alum Bibiana Candelas teamed up with Mayra Garcia in beach volleyball, representing her native country, Mexico.

Year by year highlights

1981

1981 was the first year the NCAA started sponsoring women's volleyball. USC, with a 26-10 record, defeated favored UCLA at Pauley Pavilion to win the first NCAA volleyball championship in NCAA history.

2002-04

USC won the program's second NCAA championship by defeating No. 2 and defending national champion Stanford 3-1. Keao Burdine was named the Most Outstanding Player.

In 2003, USC repeated as national champions. With a 35-0 record, they became the first team to repeat since Stanford in 1996-97 and were the first repeat champion to go undefeated. USC defeated Florida 3-1 in the final.

In 2004, USC made their third consecutive final four, by upsetting No. 1 Nebraska in the regional final. In the national semifinals, they lost to No. 4 seeded Minnesota, the eventual national runners-up.

USC is the only school in the history of the AVCA Showcase tournament to win back-to-back AVCA Showcase titles, as they won in 2003 by defeating Hawaiokinai and 2004 by defeating Minnesota.

2007

USC made their first final four since 2004, upsetting No. 4 seeded Texas in the regional final. In the national semifinal, they nearly defeated No. 1 seeded Stanford, the eventual national runners-up, even having a match point, but ended up losing the fifth set in extra points, 16-14. During the regular season, USC had beaten Stanford once.

Men's volleyball program

The Men's program has won 6 national championships, 4 in NCAA (1977, 1980, 1988, 1990) and 2 under USVBA sponsorship prior to the time when NCAA starting sponsoring men's volleyball.

Notable Players

*Paula Weishoff – 1984, 1992, and 1996 indoor volleyball Olympian
*Susan Woodstra – 1984 indoor volleyball Olympian, assistant coach for the 2008 Olympics.
*Debbie Green, – 1984 indoor volleyball Olympian, highly regarded as the greatest women's volleyball setter in USA volleyball history. [Wagner, Dick. "Here Are Two Olympic Stars Who Never Stopped Shining." "Los Angeles Times" 14 June 1987: C3.] [ [http://www.volleypics.com/volleypics/hall_of_fame/volleyball/debbiegreen.php Debbie Green: The best setter USA has ever had] ] [ [http://www.avca.org/news/Green-NW11-13-02.html 2003 inductees for USC Athletic Hall of Fame] ]
*Nicole Davis – 2008 indoor volleyball Olympian
*Bibiana Candelas – 2008 beach volleyball Olympian
*Joanna Kaczor – 2008 indoor volleyball Olympian
*Donald Suxho – 2004 indoor volleyball Olympian
*Brook Billings – 2004 indoor volleyball Olympian

References

External links

* [http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/usc-w-volley-body.html USC women's volleyball home page]
* [http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/usc-m-volley-body.html USC men's volleyball home page]