UA signs top-notch recruiting class

Lisa Rutledge of Vista, Calif., Stephanie Saragosa of Chula Vista, Calif., and Shannon Torregrosa of San Diego should add more depth and talent to the young team when the season starts in September.

"This class is an exceptional class," UA head coach David Rubio said. "It's probably one of the top five in the country, and it just backs up our last class."

After finishing 22-7, Arizona lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to eventual champion Long Beach State. The team graduated All-Pacific 10 Conference middle blocker Keisha Johnson Demps and defensive specialist Jodi Bethke, but returns nine players who will be sophomores or juniors next season.

"It's all an arms race," Rubio said. "The programs with the most talent are usually the ones who are more successful in recruiting. We're getting closer to our goal of putting us in the position to win a national championship."

Rutledge is the marquee signing for the Wildcats. The 6-foot-2 left side hitter was named the San Diego Player of the Year this past season. She played with freshman setter Dana Burkholder on the 1998 U.S. Junior National Team that won the world championship.

"Lisa's an exceptional player with a tremendous amount of potential yet to be developed," Rubio said. "She's an immediate impact player."

Saragosa is a 6-2 middle blocker from the California state champion in its division, Francis Parker High School.

"Potentially, she can come in and play immediately," Rubio said. "It's just a matter of how the players in our program respond to the offseason training and how prepared Stephanie is to take that role of middle blocker on the team."

Torregrosa is a 6-2 left side hitter from University City High School.

"Shannon's probably the most physical high school player that I have seen in the last eight or nine years," Rubio said. "She has tremendous jumping and hitting ability and could turn out to be one of the hardest hitters in the country."

Saragosa and Torregrosa were teammates of Arizona freshman outside hitter Jill Talbot in 1997 at the Sunwest Volleyball Club.

"Talented and athletic, plain and simple," assistant coach Chris Lamb said of the class. "Rutledge could be an impact right away, while Shannon, in time, could make an impact on the conference. Stephanie is high-spirited, a real fireball."

While all three recruits come from the San Diego area, the coaching staff never planed to do their primary recruiting there.

"There was never a game plan to see how big a dent we could make in San Diego," Lamb said. "There are so many good players in California, and it's not that far away from here. They don't have to live too far away from home and are already used to the weather."

Currently, the team has been working out with the coaches individually. The players have gotten a taste of what it's like to be a top team, and are striving for more.

"We're working hard and learning," Lamb said. "The training has been good, and the conditioning has been so hard I can't even walk."