Clean bill of health has Wildcats clawing to set starting roles
After enduring numerous injuries last year, the Arizona women's volleyball team is new and improved and has the luxury of a healthier and deeper roster than in seasons past.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 17 in the College Sports Television/American Volleyball Association preseason poll, welcome nine newcomers to the team this season, including six freshmen and three transfers.
"We lost (libero) Kelli Mulvany, so that was a huge position that we had to replace," said Arizona head coach David Rubio. "(Freshman) Brittany Leonard and (sophomore) Katie Jackels are the ones we're really looking forward to filling the libero's position. I think right now our biggest area of improvement needs to be in that position."
Leonard, a San Jose, Calif., native and cousin of 2004 Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh, was ranked as the second-best libero in the nation by www.prepvolleyball.com.
Jackels is a transfer from Golden West Community College in Huntington Beach, Calif., where she led her team to its 12th consecutive state championship last year. Sophomore Krista Chin is also expected to compete for the starting libero role.
Junior Stephanie Butkus will serve as the Wildcats' starting setter, although she will compete for playing time with sophomores Amy Dyck and Brittany Esser.
"It's hard to say (who will start). It's quite a battle right now," Rubio said. "Stephanie looks terrific. She's setting great.
"Amy looks good - (she) still needs to polish up some of her tactical parts of it and her location, but the gap is certainly closing."
Though Butkus will be challenged by her teammates throughout the season, she said she has no doubt about her ability to lead the Wildcats as the team's "quarterback."
"Personally, I think that I'm starting in a good place," said Butkus, who averaged 12.41 assists and started all 30 matches last season. "I think I'm starting where I left off from last season. I'm confident with how I'm playing right now."
Rubio made some adjustments from last season, moving senior Bre Ladd and junior Kristina Baum from middle blocker to outside hitter.
Freshmen Brooke Buringrud and Randy Goodenough will also make an impact on the offensive end. Buringrud was a two-time California Interscholastic Federation player of the year, while Goodenough was an American Volleyball Coaches Association high school All-America selection.
"I think that Brooke Buringrud and Randy Goodenough are terrific, and they're going to be stepping in for the players (who) are going to be graduating after the season," Rubio said. "Both those players will see as much playing time as we can afford to get them."
Sophomore Dominique Lamb will be used as a middle blocker and will be joined by senior Angie Ayers and sophomore Enobong Ibok. Both Ayers and Ibok missed most of the 2004 season because of injury.
Though the Wildcats have yet to play a match this season, the underclassmen have already made a significant impact on the Arizona captains.
"They've impressed me just about how hard they work," said senior outside hitter Kim Glass. "They impress me just because they are naturally talented anyway. A lot of them are so athletic, like Brooke and Randy. It makes you excited to look forward to the future because they are going to improve so much. They're already really coachable and they already work hard. If they keep that up, they're going to be amazing."
The Wildcats play 14 matches against teams that competed in last year's NCAA Tournament. In addition, Arizona will match up against seven teams that were ranked in the top 25 of the final USA Today/College Sports Television Coaches Poll.
The team will hold its second Red and Blue scrimmage tomorrow at 3 p.m. in McKale Center. The regular season gets underway in Tucson Sept. 2, when the Wildcats take on Winthrop in the first match of the Four Points University Wildcat Classic.