KEVIN KLAUS

UA senior setter Lauren Benward practices a set in McKale Center yesterday. Head coach Dave Rubio said the senior is vital to the team's success, even though she doesn't receive much playing time.

Tuesday September 25, 2001

Lauren Benward just wants to win

Loyalty, heart, determination and unselfishness are qualities coaches look for in their players.

For the No. 3 Arizona women's volleyball team, those words are defined by one person - Lauren Benward.

The senior was recruited four years ago as a middle blocker, but UA head coach David Rubio converted her to a setter.

Unfortunately for Benward, senior All-American setter Dana Burkholder was in her recruiting class, and is in front of her on the depth chart.

"She knew that she would never beat out Dana and she did not care," Rubio said. "There were other roles that were important, and she took those on"

Benward said being part of a successful team was motivation enough.

"When I came here, I just wanted to do whatever I could to help our team win," Benward said. "I just always wanted to be on a winning team. It was so important for me to go to the (Pacific 10 Conference), and the girls are so great.

"My goal, just as much as anyone, is to win - and that is all I care about. I just want to do whatever it takes to help our team win."

After her sophomore year, Benward became a legitimate setter, and Rubio said that he knew that she could start at another school.

"Four years ago, I did not envision her becoming as good of a setter as she has become," Rubio said. "After her sophomore year, I sat down with her and told her I would help her pursue other schools if she wanted to play more, and she wasn't interested. She demonstrated to me her unselfish character and devotion to our team. She is very loyal to Arizona athletics and we have benefited from that loyalty."

Senior outside hitter Jill Talbot was recruited with Benward and said the senior's unselfishness and dedication to the team's overall success has been ideal.

"She is the kind of teammate and person any team wants," Talbot said. "There is always that role on a team that people don't want to take on and she has done it. She sacrifices everything that she has for the team and she does her job with great pride. She could have been easily frustrated or transferred to start anywhere, but she stayed with us. She makes everyone on the court better and we would not be as good with out her"

During her career, UA's volleyball program has developed into one of the nation's elite programs.

"Our team would not have had the success we have had without her unselfish commitment to our team," Rubio said. "I could not ask for anything else in a player. She is the perfect team player."

Last season, Arizona advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history. After its loss to the eventual national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers, Benward said she realized how close the team is to winning a national championship - one of the reasons that Benward decided not to transfer to another volleyball program.

"My teammates are so important to me," Benward said. "All of us want to win a national championship together. We have worked so hard since our freshman year. I had a lot of opportunities to transfer, but I wanted to be part of a team that could win a national championship. It is more important for me not to play and be part of a winning team then to go to a non-contending team and play."

Even though Benward doesn't see much time on the court, she prides herself on being a motivational leader from the sideline.

"I may be the center of the cheers on our team," Benward said. "It is really important for me to keep the energy level up and keep everyone involved. I want the players on the bench to feel involved. Just because we are not in the game we have to support everyone. We make everyone laugh and feel good and it makes everyone more involved."

Junior middle blocker Stefani Saragosa said Benward is the type of player that everyone strives to be, and the enthusiasm she brings to the court helps her teammates become better players.

"She works just as hard as anyone in practice," Saragosa said. "She motivates everyone to do their best. When we see her full of energy from the sideline, it makes us all work harder. Our team would not be the same without her."

As a reserve throughout her career, Benward has managed to accumulate 315 career assists, good for 10th in UA history.

Talbot said that Benward's role on the team is just as important as the star players'.

"I am just so proud of who she is," Talbot said. "Her role is to make everyone better, and to see her willing to do that the past four years makes me happy to part of this team. I have all the respect in the world for her."