Rising

through the rankings is what the No.2 USC men's volleyball team hopes to do this season

By JUSTIN UNELL
Staff Writer

A feeling of excitement surrounds the men's volleyball team. Coming off an impressive ending last season, where the team advanced to the finals of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tourney, USC enters this season with optimism and confidence.
With a No. 2 preseason ranking, the team returns five starters from last year's squad, which finished one win away from advancing to the NCAA tournament.
While the fourth-year Head Coach Pat Powers is pleased with the ranking, he doesn't take it too seriously.
"I think we're not No. 2 yet," Powers said. "It's pretty arbitrary. It's hard to tell this time of year since school is starting, teams are training hard, there's sore legs and the freshmen are developing. All that matters is how you do in the end."
Unlike most teams who send in at least 10 players, the Trojans hope to earn that strong ending by making the most out of their eight or nine players.
One of those players is the team's lone senior, 6-foot-5 captain Donald Suxho of Albania, who will be starting as setter for the fourth straight year. Equipped with a smashing jump serve and a powerful blocker at the net, Suxho also possesses strong leadership.
"He's a great blocker," Powers said. "He leads the team in warm-ups, plays strong all the time and is a good leader."
Named to the 1999 AVCA All American team, Suxho experienced a superstar season last year. He led USC by earning 63 aces, a USC record, 199 digs and 1871 assists. Suxho also achieved a .658 ace average, tops in the MPSF.
One of the young stars on this year's squad is 6-foot-5 sophomore Brook Billings, who is in the starting lineup for his second season. Billings looks to earn All-American honors after a spectacular freshman performance.
The Asics/Volleyball National Co-Freshman of the Year and the MPSF Freshman of the Year, Billings led USC in kills with 640, the fourth most ever in a season by a Trojan and more than any USC freshman, while hitting .317.
Billings' kill average of 6.17 ranked sixth nationally and he added 169 digs, second on the team and 92 blocks, fourth on the team.
In the final four matches of the year, Billings rose to the occasion. The team competed against all Top 7-ranked squads and Billings proved himself for real with a remarkable 30-plus kills in each outing.
It gives me a lot of confidence," Billings said. "I feel a little more advanced this year than when I came out of high school. My confidence was high throughout the tournament last year and I wanted to win. I'll see how it carries out. The team's a lot more balanced."
Powers is impressed with Billings' skills on the court. "He has a good arm, he's a good blocker and competitive," Powers said. "At times all the players step up which is important."
Other players who hope to step up are juniors Eli Fairfield and Trevor Julian. The 6-foot-7 Fairfield is coming off a successful season, finishing second in kills (501) while hitting .283 and in aces (30) and ending fourth in digs and blocks.
Julian, 6-foot-5, found success as well, finishing third on the team with 269 kills, 24 aces and 154 digs while earning 80 blocks.
USC's fifth returning starter, Beau Rawl, is a 6-5 sophomore middle blocker. He was second last year in blocks with 114 and had 235 kills while hitting .358, 104 digs and 18 aces, good enough for fourth on the team.
The head coach will count on his four freshmen to take the team to the next level. Freshmen Marcus Gilmour, Mark Dusharme and Josh Day will all see a considerable amount of playing time.
A walk-on freshman, Gilmour is USC's biggest player at 6-foot-8. This past fall, he had knee surgery. "When he gets back, he'll make things more interesting," Powers said.
Dusharme, who stands 6-foot-7, is the probable new starting middle blocker. After experiencing injuries during the fall and receiving limited workouts, he has made a complete recovery and is ready to go.
Day, also a 6-foot-6 walk-on freshman, will be a reserve middle blocker. Powers feels he has strong potential for success this year.
"I think Josh Day will play well," Powers said. "He keeps playing better and better in practice."
Redshirting freshman setter Miles McGann, a three-time All CIF first teamer, looks to follow in Suxho's footsteps.
"I need to prepare myself for next year," McGann said. "Donald is an unbelievable player. I'm learning from one of the best setters in the nation without losing a year of eligibility. I can learn how to be successful at this level."
McGann is amazed at the talent USC possesses. "I think you'll find we have a ridiculous amount of talent, but it's just a matter of putting it together," he said. "We'll have the ability to win if we get our chemistry."
Other contributors include 6-foot sophomore Greg Burden and 5-foot-10 redshirt freshman walk-on John Hinds. They look to fill the libero position, a role new to college volleyball this year, which focuses on passing and playing defense.
The Trojans kicked off their season at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational Jan. 6 and 7, finishing in second place and losing in the finals to No. 4 Pepperdine, 15-9, 7-15, 15-6, 15-8.
"We didn't pass well and got aced 16 times," Powers said. "That can absolutely kill you. We played six or seven players the entire time. In a tournament like that, you usually play 12 players. Pepperdine looked real good."
Besides Pepperdine, USC's top opponents include UCLA, Hawaii, Long Beach State, Fort Wayne Indiana, Purdue and Ohio State. Powers thinks defeating them will be the key to advancing to the Final Four in Fort Wayne, Ind. a milestone the team hasn't reached since 1991.

Copyright 2000 by the Daily Trojan. All rights reserved.
This article was published in Vol. 139, No. 04 (Friday, January 14, 2000), beginning on page 12 and ending on page 11.