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Aug. 21, 2008

SAN DIEGO - Armed with arguably its best recruiting class in several years, the San Diego State volleyball program will look to begin a move into the upper echelons of the Mountain West Conference this fall. A group of newcomers that has been ranked nationally will combine with several returning veterans to give this team the chance to be one of the best Aztec squads in recent history.

To begin their quest, the Aztecs will have to overcome the loss of two starters and a libero who finished their collegiate careers in 2007. Also gone is a four-year setter who was an integral part of the team's offensive system.

To remedy that situation, SDSU has brought in eight freshmen athletes, four of whom received national recognition as high school seniors. Included in that group is the Gatorade Player of the Year for Colorado, two highest honorable mention All-Americans and a player named as one of the top defenders in the country. The Aztecs' 2008 recruiting class was initially ranked among the top 20 in the country before settling in as the 29th-best class in the nation according to Prep Volleyball.

SDSU got off to a fine start a year ago, winning nine of its first 11 matches prior to opening conference play, then beginning its league season with three wins in its first six outings including victories over perennial power Utah and eventual MWC tournament champ UNLV.

The Aztecs then suffered a big blow when outside hitter Stephanie Darnall went down with a broken leg in the match at TCU and was lost for the year. That event was to have an impact on the remainder of San Diego State's season as it could only muster two wins in its final 11 contests.

If one concept could summarize the reasons behind the team's showing a year ago it was lack of depth. In addition to missing Darnall over the second half of the campaign, San Diego State was also without sophomore middle blocker Bailee Hellwig, who was forced to sit out the entire season as a medical redshirt. A sophomore last year, she had started 17 matches in 2006 and was expected to see extensive playing time in her second season.

"We were doing very well last year until Stephanie went down," said Head Coach Mark Warner. "We were right there in the heat of things, and then we got crushed by that injury. With the influx of new talent that we've got, we're going to have a lot more depth this fall especially at outside hitter. I would suspect that if somebody gets injured we wouldn't drop off much with the players coming off the bench."

That depth could prove crucial as the coaching staff sorts out its current group of athletes to replace key losses from the 2007 season. It will be critical for the new members of the team to step up and become an integral part of this year's squad.

"We expect them all to contribute," noted Warner. "With this mix of athletes, it's going make our practices intense. I would expect the competitive nature of those sessions will make them all better players as that type of environment tends to lift everybody's game. The intensity at our practices and scrimmages will really help us improve as the season wears on."

The backbone of the 2008 Aztecs will come at the setter position where returning starter Leah Lathrop looks to cap off her SDSU career on a high note. One of two seniors and the only four-year member of the program, Lathrop will be counted on to be the team leader this fall.

Joining Lathrop at setter will be freshman Lauren Van Orden, a high school All-American who was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Colorado last season.

Other potential athletes at this position include a pair of freshmen in Kristi Jackels and Casey Klein, both all-league honorees during their prep careers.

The Aztecs' depth at outside hitter begins with Darnall, the team's kill average leader in 2007, along with three other returning veterans. Among that trio is returning starter Hannah Evans, who averaged well over two kills and two digs along with half a block a game as a redshirt freshman last season.

Other veterans here include junior Caitlin McMillan and sophomore Kelsey Manasco, both of whom saw action in almost half of SDSU's games a year ago.

Two members of the Aztec recruiting class are also expected to make an impact at the outside hitter spot. Kyley Sexton and Paije Pearson both arrive at SDSU after earning highest honorable mention All-America honors from Prep Volleyball as high school seniors. Also in the mix is freshman Kristen Beals, who played for national champion Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Perennially a position of strength for the Aztecs, the middle blockers are led by Lauren Salisbury, who is coming off an excellent freshman campaign. She finished fourth in the MWC in blocking and ninth in hitting percentage in her first season of collegiate volleyball.

After missing all of last season due to injury, Hellwig will look to regain the form of her inaugural campaign at SDSU when she averaged over a block a game.

At 6-4, freshman Jordan Burdick will add depth at the middle blocker spot while Kelsey Manasco could also play here if needed.

The task of replacing two-time all-MWC libero Aime Cordeiro will likely fall to freshman Courtney Miller, an all-region selection out of Texas who was tabbed as one of the nation's top defensive players by Prep Volleyball.

Senior Michelle Ferrer has also had experience at the libero position, filling in there at various times during her Aztec career.

Among the other defensive specialists available are Kate Ammerman and Courtney Lamphier, both two-year members of the SDSU program. In addition, freshmen Kristi Jackels and Casey Klein are also experienced back row players.

Basically an unknown quantity with eight incoming freshman, the Aztecs have been tabbed to finish seventh in the rugged Mountain West Conference. Warner, however, believes this team will fare better than predicted.

"We're really excited about the potential of our incoming class and believe it can combine with our returning players to make the 2008 season a successful one," commented Warner. "With our increased athleticism, we'll present a well-balanced attack with the ability to run multiple formations.

"Our goal is to return Aztec volleyball to its position as a competitive force in the conference and eventually move into the top 25. This team has the ability to get us moving in that direction."

San Diego State opens it season on Friday, Aug. 29, when it hosts UC Irvine as part of the annual Aztec Invitational in Peterson Gym.