College Volleyball Outlook

Eastern Washington University

Coach: Pamela Parks

Career record: 224-238

Record at Eastern: 205-224

1995 record: 8-20, 3-11 Big Sky (eighth)

Players to watch: S/H Jaime Dotson (5-8, Sr.); OH/DS Tiffaney Schwinn (5-11, Sr.); OH Kim Exner (6-1, So.); MB Lora Botha (6-0, Jr.); S/DS Toni Schwinn (5-9, So.)

Key newcomers: OH/MB Jessica Clish (6-1, Fr.); OH/MB Stephanie Dahlstedt (6-0, Fr.); S Kim Maxwell (5-10, Fr.)

Spikes and digs: Parks’ Canadian connection, one that brought 1989 Big Sky MVP Juli Argotow, is running strong again with the addition of freshmen Maxwell and Clish. As a high school player, Maxwell of Calgary, Alberta, was the province’s MVP. She could see some setting time early on. … Aside from Botha, the Eagles could be vulnerable in the middle. … Eastern’s first test is Monday when it plays host to Tulsa.

Outlook: Although the conference lost powerful Idaho, it picked up a highly regarded Sacramento State team along with formidable foes Cal State Northridge and Portland State, which still could make it tough on the Eagles.

Gonzaga

Coach: Sean Madden

Record: 131-146

Record at Gonzaga: Same

1995 record: 6-25, 5-9 WCC (tied fifth) Players to watch: MH Christy Kubista (6-0, Sr.); OH Jennifer Kubista (5-11, Sr.); S Nicole Lamoure (6-0, So.); OH Diane Pascua (5-10 So.); M/OH Theresa Spink (5-11, So)

Key newcomers: OH Aimee Wilson (5-10, Fr.)

Spikes and digs: The Bulldogs traveled to Europe in May where they played 40 pro and club teams in a two-week period and finished sixth in a tournament. … One of their big attractions should be Wilson, a member of the North Central High School Class AAA state champions. Wilson was named Greater Spokane League co-player of the year, sharing the honor with Brandy Barratt of Gonzaga Prep.

Outlook: Madden expects his team to rebound from last year’s dismal season and foresees it as one of the top in the West Coast Conference along with Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, San Diego and Santa Clara.

Idaho

Coach: Tom Hilbert

Record: 149-66

Record at Idaho: Same

1995 record: 28-5, 13-1 Big Sky (first)

Players to watch: S Lynne Hyland (5-9, Sr.); OH Kyle Leonard (6-0 Jr.); OH Beth Craig (6-1, So.); MB Jessica Moore (6-0, So.); MB Louisa Kawulok (6-1, Sr.); MB/ OH Jemena Yocom (5-11, Jr.)

Key newcomers: S/OH Anna Reznicek (6-0, Fr.); MB Jeri Hymas (6-2)

Spikes and digs: Sandpoint High School’s Alli Nieman is redshirting her freshman year but will play on the basketball team that begins practice Oct. 15. … As a sophomore, Hyland either led the nation or was in the top three in assists per game. Last year, she accumulated 1,544 assists, a number that pushed her to second on the UI all-time list.

Outlook: The cakewalk has crumbled in Moscow. With the move to the Big West, which includes newcomers Idaho, Boise State, North Texas and Cal Poly-SLO, the Vandals’ schedule has toughened. If they can knock off either Long Beach State, Pacific or UC Santa Barbara, they quickly will earn conference clout.

Washington State

Coach: Cindy Fredrick

Record: 217-160

Record at WSU: 131-101

1995 record: 22-7, 12-6 Pac 10 (tied second)

Players to watch: MB Sarah Silvernail (6-1, Sr.); OH Elis Arias (5-9, Jr.); MH Keren Oigman (5-10, Jr.); OH Shannon Wyckoff (5-11, Jr.); OH Jennifer Stinson (6-1, So.)

Key newcomers: OH Jennifer Canevari (5-7, So.); MB Wendy Rouse (6-3, So.)

Spikes and digs: The Cougars are on the road the entire month of September. They play their first Pac-10 home game Oct. 4 against Oregon State. … Symmetry counts for something. Fredrick enters her eighth season with her team ranked eighth in the USA Today/AVCA coaches’ poll. … Prime Sports Network will televise four Cougars games live and four others on tape delay. … Season ticket sales have doubled since last season.

Outlook: As always, the Pac-10 is loaded, beginning with No. 2 ranked Stanford, followed by UCLA (No. 6), WSU (No. 8), USC (No. 13) and ASU (No. 21). Unlike the past, Cougars games have become a big deal on their opponents’ schedules. The talent is there. The big question is, will the mental game be there, too?

Whitworth

Coach: Hiram Naipo

Career record: 5-23

Record at Whitworth: Same

1995 record: 5-23, 2-12 NCIC (tied sixth)

Players to watch: MB Renee Williams (5-10, Sr.); DS Brenda Clinesmith (5-4, Jr.); OH Mandy Decious (5-8, Jr.)

Key newcomers: MH Nicole Brunner (6-0, Fr.); MH Nicole Blackman (6-1, Fr.); S Kori Walter (5-6, Fr.); OH Melissa Kim (5-6, Fr.); RH Sherri Northington (6-1, Sr.)

Spikes and digs: The Pirates enter the season on a conference roll, beating Lewis & Clark College in their last match of the season. … Second-year coach Naipo has more options when fielding this year’s team. Last season, the Pirates played the first month with just 11 players. This year, Naipo invited 23 players to tryouts. … Naipo’s Spokane-area volleyball roots run deep. He coached EWU coach Pamela Parks in a UW club program. He also coached CCS coach Irene Matlock, his sister-in-law, in a UW club program, and his daughter, Erin, is a junior on the Lewis and Clark High School team.

Outlook: The Pirates’ season would be considered a success if they were to finish no lower than fourth in the NCIC. That would earn them a spot in the conference playoffs. The addition of the University of Puget Sound, the 1995 NAIA national runner-up, strengthens the league. Four-time champ Willamette University will have great competition this year. The Pirates would like to enter into the mix.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Hilary Kraus, Staff writer