By Kristen Davis
Arizona Summer Wildcat
August 27, 1997

Refusing to call timeout

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman blocker Erin Aldrich (5) goes up for a block with fellow teammate Marisa DaLee (12). The 6'2 Aldrich spent her summer on the track and field circuit in Europe and was one of three Americans to compete in the World Track and Field Championships in Greece.

In an endurance race between Erin Aldrich and the pink Energizer rabbit, Aldrich may be a safer bet.

The starting middle blocker on Arizona's volleyball team in the fall and high jumping sensation for track in the spring hasn't taken more than a mere two weeks off since enrolling at UA as a freshman last fall.

The 6-foot-2-inch Dallas native spent her summer in Europe touring on the track and field circuit. Earlier this month she was one of three Americans to compete in the high jump at the World Track and Field Championships in Athens, Greece.

Meanwhile, her volleyball teammates had already returned to Arizona for two-a-day practices.

The team doesn't mind her juggling act between high jumping and volleyball though.

"I think without either one of them she wouldn't be a complete person...and her (improving her) jumping skills definitely help our team too," senior Michelle Fanger said.

Aldrich immediately boarded a plane from Athens, where she had a rare poor performance as she recorded her worst jump of the year at 5-feet, 10 1/2-inches, and joined the volleyball team at its retreat in Prescott.

"I took a little breath but I haven't really taken a break,'' said Aldrich, who missed the first few days of practice.

It was no more than six hours after her arrival to Prescott that she stepped on the court for the first time in nearly nine months.

"I think it's harder for her to adjust than for everyone to adjust to her coming late," senior Carrie Penfield said. "She has obvious talents. Gosh, if I had them I'd want to pursue them too."

Before Aldrich even hit a volleyball, the pressure on her had already begun.

"I expect her to have the same if not greater (season),'' head coach Dave Rubio said.

Aldrich's team-leading hitting percentage (.300) and blocks per game (1.01) helped garner her a position on the All-Pacific-10 Conference freshman team. In addition, her hitting percentage broke the Wildcats' freshman record and is the third-best percentage in school history. In all, she finished among the top five in seven categories of UA's freshman record book.

Aldrich prefers to be surrounded by pressure as she tries to prove herself in her sophomore season.

"I don't have a problem with pressure. I really kind of thrive on people having high expectations (for me)," she said.

Aldrich did not hesitate from turning up her intensity when she first began practicing a little more than two weeks ago.

In fact, her determination got her in trouble.

Aside from feeling flu-like symptoms for a few days because of all of her activity, Aldrich suffered a minor strain in her shoulder that continues to require treatment.

"Her transition has been tough to complete but it will happen as we get farther into the season. She needs to work on her ball control skills but every day she gets better," Rubio said.

"My shoulder started hurting because I started swinging hard right away," Aldrich said. "I can't hit as hard as I maybe could have last year but I hope to get better before the season starts."

The Wildcats begin competition with a pair of matches Saturday in Columbia, S.C.

Senior UA setter Michelle Fanger arches for a serve during the Wildcat's practice yesterday. Fanger and her teammates open their season this weekend in South Carolina.

Arizona is coming off a 20-10 season, which measured fifth in the Pac-10. The Wildcats are in search of their fourth NCAA Tournament bid in five years and are looking for guidance from their five seniors to lead them there.

Rubio is also looking for the underclassman, particularly Aldrich and freshman Allison Napier, to contribute as well.

He decided to rotate the captain role around the experienced senior crew.

"All of them play such a significant role in the leadership of the team and I didn't want to isolate anyone. It's a role they all share and take responsibility for," Rubio said of Micheala Ebben, Stephanie Venne, Sara Johnson, Penfield and Fanger.

"It's an amazing opportunity for each of us to give something to the team that obviously one person couldn't," Fanger said.

Rubio said the team needs its good players to become great players for the team to do well.

"It's a matter of taking what we've heard for four or five years and doing it on the court," Fanger said. "Dave tells us to take risks and by doing so you will become great. We just need to aim at the top and all of the players need to decide they want to do it."