Sandwiched between Arizona's all-time assist leader Laura Bartsch and high school All-American Kara Gormsen lies Michaela Ebben, a setter with everything to prove.

Ebben came to Arizona following Bartsch's 1400 assist season in 1993. She had the credentials to be Arizona's next great setter. Named toVolleyball Monthly's FAB 50, the Northern California native guided her team to four championships and was M.V.P. of t he Sonoma County League. Ebben was an alternate for the Junior National Team in 1992 and 1993. Ebben said that she wanted to play in the Pacific 10 Conference and had to decide between playing at Washington or Arizona.

"I wanted to play at the highest level," Ebben said. "I made my decision when I came (to Arizona) on my recruiting trip. I had every intention of beating Laura out."

Ebben came to Arizona, but was unsuccessful in wresting the starting role from Bartsch. Bartsch had a second season with over 1000 assists in 88 games. Ebben played in 21 games, starting three times and recording only 110 assists. The only bright spot was that her best friend Sara Johnson was there to share the season with her. Johnson, who had played on Ebben's high school team was a walk-on defensive specialist.

"There is a lot of chemistry between us," Ebben said. "I look to her a lot of times for support. She's been my best friend since second grade."

Still in the shadow of Bartsch, the 1995 season saw a marked improvement in Ebben's play. She played in 34 games recording 236 assists. Bartsch ended her senior year with 1,082 assists, giving her the all-time career mark of 4,023.

Ebben had some serious shoes to fill.

"I know that I can only do what I can do," Ebben said. " I try to forget about Laura when I'm playing."

As if it wasn't hard enough for Ebben following Arizona's most accomplished setter, head coach Dave Rubio brought in Gormsen. A prized recruit, she was considered by many to be the best setter prospect in the country. Ebben had finally earned the starting job, but knew that a few bad matches are all that stood between her and the bench.

"I knew that it was time for me to step up," Ebben said. "I have to perform in order to stay on the court."

In her first start of the 1996 season against Northern Arizona, Ebben came one assist shy of her career record of 35. Later that day against Wright State, she had 43 assists, completely erasing her former record. In the past 21 matches she has seen her re cord go from 43 to 46 to 61. On October 25 in a match against Oregon State she had 66 assists, more than half of what she had all season in 1994.

"She has all the abilities and all the talent to become one of the elite setters in the Pac-10," Rubio said.

In Pac-10 play Ebben has shined. She has 542 assists, with an average of 10.82 assists per game. Ebben came back in a weeekend match with 55 assists against the Bruins.

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