Jan. 5, 2000

LOS ANGELES - Remember the good ol' days days when the USC men's volleyball team was an annual contender for the NCAA title?

In the 15-year span from 1977 to 1991, the Trojans won 4 NCAA crowns, finished second 6 times and were third once.

Get ready for those good times to roll again. After an 8-year drought, USC is on the brink of returning to national prominence in 2000. Don't be surprised if this is the season that Troy makes its first visit to the NCAA Final Four since 1991. USC is ranked No. 2 in a pre-season poll.

Five starters--including some of the best players in the college game--return from last year's squad that came within a victory of advancing to the NCAA tournament. In 1999, USC went 24-12 overall (17-11 NCAA), tied for second place in the Pacific Division of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation at 11-8 and ranked seventh nationally.

Those senior-less Trojans--who began the season with a No. 11 ranking--finished 1999 on the upswing by knocking some gorillas off their back. They closed the regular season with a win at No. 7 Hawaii (snapping a 9-match losing streak to the Rainbows and beating them in Honolulu for the first time since 1991), then won at No. 4 Pepperdine in the MPSF tourney's first round (ending an 11-match losing skid to the Waves and posting Troy's first win in Malibu since 1991), then beat No. 2 Long Beach State in the MPSF semifinals (breaking a 7-match losing streak to the 49ers). Only a 4-game loss to eventual NCAA champ and No. 1-ranked BYU in Provo in the finals of the MPSF tourney kept USC from garnering an automatic berth to the NCAAs. USC hadn't even qualified for the MPSF playoffs the previous 3 years.

The Trojans are hoping that the momentum of last year's finish carries over to 2000.

"By the looks of things, we seem to have picked up right where we left off last year," said fourth-year head coach Pat Powers, the former USC All-American, Olympic gold medalist and pro beach star. "If we continue to improve at that level, we have a chance to be playing in Fort Wayne the first week of May."

The 2000 NCAA Final Four, hosted by Indiana-Purdue, will be held in Fort Wayne on May 4 and 6.

"I feel good about this team and the direction it is going," said Powers. "Our finish last year helped define this team's character. This is a real focused and talented group. And even though we have only 13 players on the roster, the players we'll put on the floor are top quality performers."

The team's only senior is 6-5 captain Donald Suxho of Albania, who will be starting at setter for the fourth year. One of the premier setters in college, he is also a blocking force at the net and possesses a lethal jump serve. He was named to the 1999 AVCA All-American first team when he led USC in aces (a USC season record 63), digs (199) and assists (1,871). He was second nationally in ace average (.658, tops in the MPSF).

"Donald is one of the best players in the nation and is on his way to being a two-time All-American," said Powers. "He is certainly the best blocking setter we've ever had at USC and is an outstanding jump server. He provides great senior leadership and holds the team to a high standard of excellence. He has elevated his game in every facet. If all of our players improved as much as he has, it'd be scary."

Troy sports perhaps the top young player in the game in dominating 6-5 sophomore opposite hitter Brook Billings, who will be in the starting lineup for his second season and could be in line for All-American honors. In 1999, he was the Asics/Volleyball National Co-Freshman of the Year and the MPSF Freshman of the Year as he led USC in kills with 640, the fourth most ever in a season by a Trojan (more than any USC freshman), while hitting .317. He was sixth nationally in kill average (6.17) and added 169 digs (second on USC) and 92 blocks (fourth on USC). He showed just how precocious he was during USC's final 4 matches of the year (all against Top 7-ranked squads) when he had an amazing 30-plus kills in each outing (and he had 20-plus kills in the last 9 matches of 1999).

"Brook is one of the best opposite hitters in the game right now and a strong All-American candidate," said Powers. "He's just a premier hitter. He brings a lot to our front row attack and our blocking. Last year, he got better as the year went on and helped propel us to some huge late-season upset wins. And it appears he has picked up this season where he left off last year."

Back for their third year starting at the outside hitter spots are juniors Eli Fairfield and Trevor Julian. Last season, the 6-7 Fairfield was second on USC in kills (501) while hitting .283 and in aces (30) and fourth in digs (139) and blocks (83). The 6-5 Julian was third on USC in kills (269), aces (24) and digs (154) in 1999, and also had 80 blocks.

"Eli is a complete player and will be one of the top players in the MPSF," said Powers. "He hits, blocks and passes very well. He's getting better and better in our offense. He'll see lots of sets this year. He is the kind of player who you can build a program around. And he's one of the leaders on our team.

"Trevor is turning into an outside force at the net. This is the year I expect him to step up his game. He has done that so far in the pre-season. He has stabilized his passing, which has always been a strength, and the rest of his game is getting more well-rounded. He is playing better defense and is serving better. He is doing everything we've asked of him."

Beau Rawi, a 6-5 sophomore middle blocker, is USC's fifth returning starter. He was second on USC in blocks with 114 in 1999, and also had 235 kills while hitting .358, 18 aces (fourth on USC) and 104 digs.

"Beau is one of the most athletic players on our team," said Powers. "He is getting quicker and quicker in the middle. He is just a sophomore, but I believe his play will evolve into that of a veteran by the end of the year."

The likely new starting middle blocker will be 6-7 freshman Mark Dusharme, a 1999 Volleyball Fab 50 pick and 2-time All-CIF San Diego Section first teamer at Bonita Vista High in Chula Vista, Calif. He was a member of the 1999 USA Boys Youth National Training team and the 1998 USA Youth National team, where he was named the "Best Blocker" at the NORCECA Youth National Tournament. He's back to full speed now after being slowed in fall workouts by injuries.

Providing depth at outside hitter are Ryan Thurlow, an experienced 6-2 junior, and 6-8 walk-on freshman Marcus Gilmour, USC's biggest player who has loads of potential. Thurlow was a part-time starter in 1998 and appeared in 9 matches as a reserve in 1999. Gilmour was named to the 1999 Volleyball Fab 50 team and the All-CIF Division III first team at Santa Ynez (Calif.) High, which won the CIF Division III championship last season. Gilmour played on the 1999 USA Junior Nationals Boys 18-and-Under champion. He is just coming around after knee surgery this past fall.

Josh Day, a 6-6 walk-on freshman, will be a reserve middle blocker. He was on the 1999 Volleyball Fab 50 team and was an All-State first teamer at Kamehameha High in Honolulu, Hi.

Suxho's backup at setter in 2000 likely will be 6-2 redshirt freshman walk-on Dustin Avol, who did not compete at USC last year after attending prep powerhouse Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach, Calif. But waiting in the wings while probably redshirting is highly-touted 6-5 freshman Miles McGann, a 3-time All-CIF first teamer (he was MVP of the 1999 All-CIF Division III team) and a Volleyball Fab 50 choice at Laguna Beach (Calif.) High. He was a 4-time All-American first team selection at the USA Junior Nationals (his team finished first twice and was on the 1998 USA Youth National team.

USC has a pair of players capable of ably filling the new libero position, a combination defensive and passing specialist: 6-0 sophomore Greg Burden and 5-10 redshirt freshman walk-on John Hinds. Burden is the more skilled passer, while Hinds is better on defense. Burden saw limited action in 3 matches last year at Troy, while Hinds sat out 1999 at USC after prepping at Santa Margarita High in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Hinds played on the 1998 USA Junior Nationals Boys 18-and-Under champion.

With this group, Powers feels his rebuilding process is about to come to fruition.

"Six teams in the nation can win it all this year, and we're one of them," said Powers. "The key is how well we mature and how well we peak. If we are successful in those areas, we could win the NCAA title this year. I haven't been able to say that in my first 3 years here."