Louisville Picked to Win C-USA Volleyball

Aug. 6, 2003

The Conference USA volleyball coaches have selected Louisville as the preseason favorite to win the 2003 C-USA Championship. The Cardinals return four starters, including preseason C-USA Player of the Year Bing Sun, from a club that claimed a share of the 2002 C-USA regular season title and made its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season. Sun led the team and ranked sixth in the league in kills (4.45 pg) in 2002.

Joining Sun on the preseason all-conference team are teammates Sonja Percan and Lena Ustymenko. Percan, who was the Cardinals' leading hitter before sitting out the 2002 season due to an ankle injury, returns for her senior campaign. Ustymenko ranked second on the squad in kills (3.22 pg) and service aces (0.31 pg) last season.

Cincinnati is picked to finish second in Conference USA as the Bearcats aim for an unprecedented ninth straight 20-win season and a fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. JULIE DUPONT is a preseason all-league selection and one of four starters returning for the Bearcats. She led the team and ranked fifth in kills with 5.14 per game, while also ranking second on the team in digs (2.73 pg) last season.

South Florida is third in the preseason poll, after finishing the 2002 season with a 30-7 overall record, marking only the second time in program history that the Bulls had posted 30 or more wins. (USF notched a 34-14 record in 1986). BONNYE GLOVER, who ranked ninth in the conference with a .308 hitting percentage, earned preseason all-conference honors. Houston follows in fourth place in the preseason poll. The Cougars will be looking for their 22nd consecutive winning season in 2003.

The Charlotte 49ers, with the return of five starters, including 2002 C-USA All-Freshman honoree LISA NEWELL, are slated to finish fifth. The Tulane Green Wave, who welcome back six starters, are picked sixth in the preseason poll. TCU was chosen to finish seventh, its highest preseason ranking since joining the league in 2001. The Horned Frogs return All-Conference honoree DOMINIKA SZABO, who finished the season ranked seventh in C-USA with 4.38 kills per game. Under second-year head coach PATI ROLF, the Marquette Golden Eagles welcome back five starters in hopes of improving from last year's 13-16 overall record.

Saint Louis is slated to finish ninth. Last year, the Billikens earned head coach MARILYN NOLEN her 800th victory in collegiate coaching. This year with the loss of five starters, SLU will look to rebuild with ALYSON MERCHANT, the Billikens' lone senior. Southern Miss is picked to finish 10th and will be led by senior ANDREA BUSH, who ranked ninth in C-USA with 4.11 kills per game.

DePaul, who is picked to finish 11th, hopes to rebound this season after posting its first losing record in four years. Memphis, with the return of five starters, garnered a No. 12 ranking in the preseason poll. The Tigers' top hitter BRITTANY BARNETT is just 171 kills shy of becoming the 13th UM player to post 1,000 career kills

Rounding out the final two spots in the poll are UAB and East Carolina. For the third consecutive year, the Blazers will look to increase their win total from the previous season under third-year head coach MELINDA CLAIBORNE, while the Pirates return a veteran club with nine letterwinners and four starters. MARTINA SHIELDS, the Blazers' top returning hitter, was also named to the preseason all-conference team.

With nine All-Conference performers returning this fall, Conference USA Volleyball looks for another outstanding season of play. Last year, the league had three teams advance to the NCAA Tournament, marking the fifth straight year that C-USA has sent at least three teams to postseason play. The Conference USA Television Network will showcase the C-USA Tournament championship game in New Orleans on Monday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. (EST).


2003 CONFERENCE USA PRESEASON POLL1. Louisville (28-6, 12-1 in 2002)2. Cincinnati (23-9, 11-2)3. South Florida, (30-7, 12-1)4. Houston (19-13, 7-6)5. Charlotte (18-15, 7-6)6. Tulane (21-14, 9-4)7. TCU (12-18, 4-9)8. Marquette (13-16, 3-10)9. Saint Louis (21-10, 10-3)10. Southern Miss (16-15, 6-7)11. DePaul (5-25, 1-12)12. Memphis (19-15, 4-9)13. UAB (13-20, 5-8)14. East Carolina (6-26, 0-13)
ALL-LEAGUE TEAMJulie DuPont, CincinnatiBing Sun, Louisville*Sonja Percan, LouisvilleLena Ustymenko, LouisvilleBonnye Glover, South FloridaMartina Shields, UAB
* Preseason Player of the Year

University of Louisville Athletics

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