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T Page 42 Volleybal i SKIlP ^ :y tok |?W . ' W si m *'-*? * - #*> : m *V :| S.*> USC volleyball coach Kim Hudsi of veterans and a good mix of Arkansas for the SEC title. The home against Charleston Southe Bryan Johnston o i A -j i i: _ opuu Auinmisuauuit semui USC volleyball coach Kim Hudson is truly excited about the prospects of the 1998 season, and with good reason. With three All-SEC performers returning, including two-time firstteamer Ashley Edlund and secondteam performers Crystal Moore and Cindy Robarge, and a recruiting class that would rival the best around, Hudson is expecting her Gamecocks to challenge for the SEC Championship. With only three starters returning from last year's NCAA Tournament team, the heavy load will fall on Edlund, Moore and Robarge. And according to Hudson, they're not disappointing. "Ashley just looks great going into her senior year," Hudson said. "She, physically, is in the best shape I've ever seen Ashley be in. She's always been in good shape, but she's taken another step as far as physical conditioning. Crystal Moore is a different player, too. She has become comfortable and gained quite a bit of self-confidence. Cindy is back to where she was as a freshman and I look for her to be a big t JLl. : 3 .. . - - .. __ I team rea (. SPECIAL TO DISCOVER CAROLINA an has put together a solid group fresh faces to battle Florida and Gamecocks open play Sept. 1 at rn. factor this year." Another player Hudson is counting on this fall is sophomore Mandy Quarterman. The Gilbert, S.C., native had a great spring practice and will have to produce at the outside hitter position if the Gamecocks are to be ?._! successrui. "I've been real happy with the way Mandy Quarterman has grown," Hudson said. "It's amazing what six months will do as far as their maturity level. All of the girls seem to be doing real well." With only seven players returning, five of which will be sophomores, bringing in experience is a key for Hudson. Enter Danika Taylor and Jennifer "J.B." Brose. Both are transfers who will be looked upon to fill the spots left by Heather Larkin (graduation) and Dee Dee Fortman (transfer). Brose is a middle blocker from Cabrillo Junior College in Cabrillo, Calif. "J.B.'s a really nice player who'll add stability where we'll miss our se niors," Hudson said. "She'll come in and add stability right away. She's a complete player." Taylor is a 5-foot-l 1 middle blocker from New Mexico State, who DISCOVER CAROLINA dy to chall played with Moore at New Mexico State. "She's an extremely dynamic athlete who jumps out of the gym," Hudson said. "We're thrilled to have her. She'll add a lot of dynamics to our V "I'm really proud about Elizabeth because she is extremely athletic, has a great personality, good court demeanor, and she fits well with the team," Hudson said. "She's going to be a great addition to our squad." Another recruit in Hudson's 1998 class is Laura Estes. Estes, from Hudson's hometown of Amarillo, Tex., is a 5-foot-10 outside hitter. She played for USC assistant Scott Sandel in Amarillo. "Laura is a middle blocker in high school and club that we're planning on training on the outside," Hudson said. "She's very athletic and a good jumper. She'll benefit quite a bit for our strength and conditioning program. She's a great athlete who has been in the middle, but we think her natural position is on the outside." Hudson landed two recruits late in the signing period to bring the total of new faces on the 1998 squad up to seven. Andy Filbeck, a transfer from George Mason, and Nia Mackie from Cypress, Calif., will look to battle for playing time. The 1997 Carolina Volleyball season brought about many awards, honors and records for both the Gamecock players and coaches. enge for S Among the highlights were a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the school's best ever SEC record, two players on the All-SEC first team, an SEC Coach of the Year award for Kim Hudson, an upset of l w * jsgygF* JML ' BW8ii||L JmJ^$SK*fiLm *^^0^ ;^B|HHBHBBBpMBBT ^ T 9 | Setter Ashley Edlund is a two-ti and is on pace to break the USC linuuic pusiuon bu wc ic exuieu auuui her." Along with the two transfers, Hudson is excited about four others, particularly Milica Perovic and Cally Plummer. Perovic comes to USC from Belgrade, Yugoslavia and committed to South Carolina without visiting the campus. She is a 6-foot-1 outside hitter who could be the biggest recruit Hudson has landed. Plummer, a 6-foot left-hander from Cheboygan, Mich., comes from the same club team as Edlund. She is a member of the "Fab 50" team as released by Volleyball Magazine and has Hudson extremely excited at the thought of her immediate impact. "She's a great athlete and a great competitor with a good attitude," Hudson said. "She's the real deal. She's going to add a lot to our program. She's going to be a really nice addition to our program and somebody to watch in the future." To fill the spot of defensive specialist left by Stacy Donham, Elizabeth Price, out of Hammond, is being brought in. She is in the Gamecock Juniors Club Program and will be looked upon to contribute immediately No. 22 Arkansas at home, and a finishing RPI of 24th in the nation. After posting a 20-7 record following the conference tournament, the Gamecocks were chosen as one of the 64 teams to participate in the NCAA Tournament, where they defeated Illinois State 3-0 in the first round. Carolina then fell to No. 12 Texas 3-0 in the second round, ending its season at 21-8. "I'm very proud of this group of young ladies. Carolina Volleyball continues to make huge strides, and that I 1 . .1 *1 1 1 M TT 1 is attn Dutea to tneir nara wont, nuason said. "There are only 32 teams who make it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament." Carolina made it to the round of 32 for the second time in three years. It is the only two times in school history the Gamecocks have advanced to the second round. University of South Carolina IEC crown The Gamecock volleyball team also collected the most conference wins in school history. After starting out 9-0 in the conference, the Gamecocks finished SEC play with the school's best record at 11-3. USC finished second in the SEC East and were ranked as high as No. 26 in the nation. When Hudson took over the program, the team was ranked 193rd in the nation and now have made it to the round of 32 in two of the past three years. "We've come a long way in a few short years," Hudson said. "I feel good about what we've done. It will help us grain resDect for Carolina Vollevball on U I J the national level." The Gamecocks will open up their 1998 campaign on Sept. 1 when they host Charleston Southern. USC will host 16 matches this season, including contests with archrival Clemson and 1997 Final Four participant Florida. And if all goes according to Hudson's plan, USC will be back in the post-season again. $ * % mm | P |F- jKnp'nir"? ? | f li?0m m * ? )]. I llll! IHIIIIIT I " " | f ?[g I| |J |I 1 MP * By ? yii Ml A I I -VI ^ ''pi SPECIAL TO DISCOVER CAROLINA me All-SEC first-team selection assists record late this season.