UCI aims for Brande recognition

Barry Faulkner

A season of unprecedented success, including a school-record 24 wins

and the school’s inaugural NCAA tournament victory, was not enough to

elevate the UC Irvine women’s volleyball program from below the

national radar.

But, last year’s landmark 24-10 campaign, as well as the return of

seven of the team’s top nine players, three of them first-team

All-Big West Conference performers, has Anteater players, as well as

Coach Charlie Brande, gazing skyward as they ponder their potential

for 2004.

“Each little step we’ve taken with this group [this year’s four

star seniors began their career with an eye-opening 4-21 campaign]

has allowed us to progress,” Brande said. “Our girls know what they

need to do to get to the next level and the work ethic at practice is

a great indicator of their increased knowledge of what it takes to be

competitive. In addition to what happened to us last season, I think

maturity is a big part of that.”

Decorated seniors Kelly Wing, Ashlie Hain, Sami Cash and Dana

Kurzbard have matured as a group. And their talent might just exceed

their experience.

Wing, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, was named third-team

All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association last

season, becoming the first Anteater to ever achieve All-American

status. The two-time first-team all-conference performer finished

ninth in the nation in kills per game (5.74, tops in the Big West)

and she ranks No. 1 in UCI annals in kills in a career (1,649), a

single season (764) and a match (43).

Hain, a 5-10 setter, is UCI’s career assists leader with 4,248 and

the first-team all-conference honoree’s 13.6 assists per game last

season ranked ninth nationally.

Sami Cash, a 6-3 middle blocker, had a breakthrough season last

fall, en route to first-team all-conference recognition, while Dana

Kurzbard, a 6-5 opposite, earned honorable mention in all-conference

voting last season.

Amanda Vazquez, a 6-1 junior middle, is another returning starter,

as libero and 2003 captain Brenda Waterman is the lone starter who

needs replacing.

Kurzbard has not fully recovered from off-season shoulder surgery,

but Sarah Norman, a versatile 6-3 freshman from Bakersfield, has

arrived to provide front-row depth.

Whitney Pavlik, a 6-0 junior transfer from Montana, should help

with ball control, Brande said, while 5-8 junior returner Keegan

Featherstone will be counted upon to assume the libero role.

UCI, which opens Thursday against visiting Liberty (7 p.m. at

Crawford Court), finished tied for second in the Big West last season

and tied Long Beach State for the No. 2 spot in this year’s preseason

coaches’ poll, behind UC Santa Barbara.

UCI is not in the national top 25, but is listed among others

receiving votes.

The Anteaters defeated Missouri in five games to open the NCAA

tournament last season, before being swept in the second round by No.

7-ranked UCLA.

UCI’s 24 wins last year were three better than the previous record

(set in 1981 and ‘82) and their victory over UCSB snapped a 37-match

losing streak against the Gauchos.