Tippett relishing Trojan tenure

Barry Faulkner

It is, perhaps, fitting that each and every one of USC senior Blake

Tippett’s team-leading kills this season will induce pain. The

Newport Harbor High product’s rise to collegiate stardom, you see,

has been all about overcoming obstacles.

Tippett was the Newport-Mesa Player of the Year and a first-team

All-CIF Southern Section Division III performer as a Sailor senior in

2001. But, at 6-foot-2, well shorter than those typically allowed to

attack towering collegiate blockers, he failed to register on the

recruiting radar.

Undeterred, he walked on at USC, the school his parents and

brother had all attended. It was where he had always envisioned

himself, even if Trojan coaches could conjure no such imagery.

“I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else,” Tippett recalled.

Tippett grew to 6-4 between graduation and his freshman season

with the Trojans, but growing into a valued member of the program was

a two-year proposition.

He did see some action those first two years, posting 57 kills as

a freshman, then 64 as a sophomore.

But, having strengthened himself in the weight room and polished

the finesse game that enables him to “tool” blockers -- direct spikes

off blockers and out of bounds for a point -- Tippett became a

starter as a junior.

Playing opposite, he led the Trojans with 380 kills in 2003, but

injured his shoulder in the third-to-last match of the season.

“I was just reaching for a ball,” he said of the injury. “I had

two matches after that and I didn’t play very well at all. I didn’t

know what was going on, but my shoulder was killing me.”

Tippett rested during the off-season, but quickly discovered

recurring pain when he began practice for this season. An MRI

revealed a torn labrum in his right, hitting shoulder.

Though he will need postseason surgery, Tippett said the tear,

while painful, is not something he can’t play through. He said he

takes anti-inflamitories to help mask the pain, rests the shoulder in

practice, and undergoes an extended series of warm-up exercises to

prepare for matches. Adrenaline also helps.

“It’s not hat bad,” he said. “I guess I could hurt it worse, but

this is my last season of volleyball.”

Despite the injury, Tippett, who was granted a scholarship prior

to this season, is leading the No. 13-ranked Trojans (3-7, 1-5 in the

Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) with 118 kills. His 23 kills in

Saturday’s five-game home loss to No. 5 Long Beach State pushed him

over the 500 mark for his career (519).

His 49 digs rank third on the team and he has also contributed

seven aces and 14 blocks.

Team success, however, has been tougher to achieve. The Trojans

won six matches in each of his first three seasons and the rugged

MPSF, a virtual checklist of the nation’s top programs, offers little

sympathy to a struggling program.

“The kills are great,” Tippett said. “But the wins are what

matter.”

Still, the urban planning and development major, who is scheduled

to earn his degree next fall, has relished his experience at USC.

“The last four years have been really fun, on and off the court,”

he said. “The friendships I have with my teammates are unbelievable.

It’s just so fun playing college volleyball. People can’t really

imagine how fun it is. I love playing and I love playing here.”