Colleges

Volleyball previews

By Times staff writers
Published September 2, 2005

South Florida

COACH: Claire Lessinger (9-20, second season).

2004 RECORD: 9-20 (5-8 in Conference USA, five-way tie for eighth).

OUTLOOK: All but one starter is back from last season, and Lessinger brought in six freshmen. Picked 10th out of 15 teams in the Big East preseason poll, the Bulls set their sights on a top-eight finish, which would get them in the conference tournament at Louisville. Three of the top five teams in the poll were in C-USA last season. Leading the way is sophomore Kristina Fabris, last year's C-USA freshman of the year, fresh off a gold medal at the Canada Games this summer. Senior Flavia Silveira, who led the team with 410 kills last season, also returns, as does fellow Brazilian Juliana Nogueira, the team's setter. The Bulls open play with three matches at the MSU Spartan Invitational in Lansing, Mich., including Ball State and Michigan State today.

- GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer

Florida State

COACH: Todd Kress (55-41, fourth year; 207-116 overall).

2004 RECORD: 18-11 (9-7 in the ACC, tied for fourth).

OUTLOOK: Kress, looking to lead the Seminoles back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002, has remade his team's attack. Graduation claimed middle blockers Amanda Santos (320 kills), an All-ACC and All-East Region pick, and Aisha Carr (267 kills). Even with Nikki Anthony's decision to give up volleyball to focus solely on basketball and Cassie McLaughlin's decision to transfer, FSU is deep in outside hitters, beginning with seniors Kristen Rust (388 kills, 284 digs) and Andreza Santos (100 kills) as well as junior Sarah Griffin and heralded freshman Marri Royster-Crockett, whose mother, Rita Buck-Crockett, is the associate head coach. ... Another touted freshman, Gabrielle Rivera, a member of Puerto Rico's under-20 national team, will shift from the outside to shore up the middle. ... The ACC won't hold a postseason tournament, going instead to a double round-robin regular-season schedule to determine its league champion and the qualifier for the NCAA Tournament.

- BRIAN LANDMAN, Times staff writer

Florida

COACH: Mary Wise (460-48, 15th season; 541-111 overall).

2004 RECORD: 29-5 (15-1 SEC champion, lost 3-2 to Stanford in second round of NCAA Tournament).

OUTLOOK: With a young, inexperienced squad last season, Florida won its 14th consecutive SEC championship. Five starters and nine letterwinners - more than 60 percent of last year's kills, total attempts, assists, aces, digs and points - return. Florida defeated Jacksonville 3-0 Monday and hosts the Aquafina Invitational this weekend. The Gators boast a top left-side hitting trio in senior Jane Collymore and sophomores Marcie Hampton and Kari Klinkenborg. Collymore was the 2004 SEC player of the year, and the Gators also return last year's freshman of the year, Angie McGinnis. The weak spot may be middle blocker, where the Gators lost two All-Americans; they will try to fill that hole with two who played in reserve last season and two incoming freshmen who were ranked among the top prospects in the nation, Kelsey Bowers and Kristina Johnson. Under Wise, the Gators have never won fewer than 28 matches in a season and have won at least 30 matches 10 times in her 14 seasons.

- ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times staff writer

[Last modified September 2, 2005, 02:15:35]