March 13, 2002
WACO, Texas - Baylor's women's volleyball team will begin spring drills here Thursday in preparation for the 2002 season. The Bears will conduct 20 hours of practice each week and play in four tournaments during the spring.
Head coach Brian Hosfeld returns seven players from last season's team that finished 18-12 and made the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance in the past three years. Included in that group is two-time, first-team all-Big 12 Conference selection Stevie Nicholas, a rising junior.
Junior OH Lisa Smith also returns after missing the entire 2001 season with a torn ACL. Hosfeld said Smith is in excellent condition and ready for practice. Rising juniors Sarah Braga, Laura Daniela Lloreda and Tisha Schwartz, and rising sophomores Kara Kennedy and Jillian Mazzarella will join Smith and Nicholas on the court.
"Everyone is getting stronger and faster," Hosfeld said. "Having only seven players right now will allow us to really make some strides in areas where we've been weak. These seven girls will have a chance to establish themselves before the freshmen get here in the summer."
Baylor hosts two tournaments this spring at the McLane Student Life Center. Saturday, March 23, the Bears entertain Rice, Southern Methodist, Southwest Texas State and Texas A&M. Three weeks later, April 13, Baylor hosts Houston, Louisiana State, Texas and Texas Tech.
The Bears also play April 6 and April 27 at tournaments hosted by Texas.
There will be another change to NCAA volleyball for the 2002 season as the libero position has been added. The libero is a passing position that plays only on the back row, but cannot serve, the player will also wear a jersey of an alternate color. Teams are still allowed 12 substitutions per game, and the libero is not figured into that total.
"The international game has been using the libero for about four years," Hosfeld said. "It will be to a team's advantage to have a quality skill person in that position, and it gives teams a better opportunity to control the ball and score at a higher level. Fans should gain a greater appreciation for the position after it has been around for a year."
The libero made its debut in Olympic play at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia. For more information on the libero position, go to the American Volleyball Coaches Association website at www.avca.org.
Baylor opens its 2002 season Aug. 30-31 at the Long Beach State Invitational. The Bears also hold their annual Green and Gold scrimmage Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. CST in the Ferrell Center.
