Long Beach State 49ers

Hello Spokane! My name is Stephanie Streeks and I am a fifth-year senior on the Long Beach State volleyball team. I was a redshirt freshman on the 1993 team which won the title in Madison, Wis. I would very much like to win a second national title.

As a captain, I’m a back-row specialist who tries to energize my team with enthusiastic and aggressive play. I will be graduating in December with a degree in psychology and I carry a 3.66 cumulative GPA.

Here is a quick rundown of our Long Beach State squad:

Our three other seniors, Nique Crump, Jenn Snyder and Dana Builteman, have been very instrumental in our success this season. Crump is vocal both on and off the court. She talks all the time and she always seems to have a story for everything, no matter what it is. Nique finished the regular season hitting a nation-best .446. from her middle position. Snyder, an outside hitter, transferred to Long Beach from Arizona State two years ago. Having grown up in the desert, Jenn has really taken well to the California lifestyle.

Dana is our backup setter and has played in the back row and on the right side. She’s come out of nowhere and worked her way into the starting lineup. Having not seen any action for her previous two years after transferring from the University of Virginia, people would always ask, ‘Who is the blonde at the end of the bench?’

Junior outside hitter Jessica Alvarado is one of the toughest players on the team. When she broke her hand in practice this season, she didn’t even cry. In fact, she didn’t even know that she had broken her hand and she kept on practicing as if nothing was wrong.

Junior middle blocker Benishe Dillard of Kent-Meridian High in Washington, seems to be quiet off the court, but once you get to know her she talks all the time. I think she has made the biggest improvement of any player.

Junior setter Misty May is the biggest nut I have ever met off the court. On the court, the two-time Big West player of the year does things that no one could ever teach in a trillion years.

Off the court, she does things no coach or parent would want to teach in a trillion years. Her patented practical joke is when we’re on a road trip and we are out at at team meal. She always tells the waitress that it’s someone on the team’s birthday. At the end of the meal, the waitress and staff come over and sing “Happy Birthday,” to someone who is totally surprised because it’s not really her birthday.

Sophomore middle blocker Brandy Barratt is the first to join Misty in her practical jokes. Brandy is very excited for the Final Four and the trip to Spokane. The Lilac City is her hometown, having played high school volleyball at Gonzaga Prep.

Sophomore outside hitter Anja Grabovac gives us a foreign flavor. She speaks English as a second language and earns a perfect 4.0 GPA. Our “Croatian Sensation” missed most of last season with a knee injury. Kristy Kierulff, another sophomore outside hitter, is the most aggressive player on the team. She actually took on head coach Brian Gimmillaro in practice - only to come out with a sprained ankle.

Veronica Walls,, what can I say? The 5-foot-11 junior can jump out of the gym and when she attacks the ball over the block, you better be able to play some “D.”

And let’s not forget our resident gym rat, sophomore defensive specialist Sylvia Panak. Sylvia sat out last year because of an injury and missed a lot of matches this year. But her attitude earns her all-everything honors.

MEMO: These 2 sidebars appeared with the story:

1. THE FINAL FOUR Penn State Nittany Lions Record: 33-1 Conference: Big Ten Coach: Russ Rose, 19th year Road to Spokane: Northern Illinois (15-8, 15-7, 15-4); Ohio State (15-4, 15-4, 15-10); Brigham Young (15-0, 15-12, 15-10) Past Final Four appearances: 1994, 1993 (runner-up)

Florida Gators Record: 34-3 Conference: Southeastern Coach: Mary Wise, 7th year Road to Spokane: South Florida (15-12, 15-9, 15-5); Washington State (15-10, 15-6, 15-8); Wisconsin (8-15, 14-16, 15-7, 15-11, 15-5). Past Final Four appearances: 1996, 1993, 1992.

Stanford Cardinal Record: 33-2 Conference: Pac-10 Coach: Don Shaw, 14th year Road to Spokane: Oklahoma (15-2, 15-6, 15-7); Colorado (15-7, 15-3, 15-1); UC Santa Barbara (15-12, 15-12, 15-3). Past Final Four appearances: 1996 (champion), 1995, 1994 (champion), 1992 (champion), 1987 (runner-up), 1985 (runner-up), 1984 (runner-up), 1983.

Long Beach State 49ers Record: 33-1 Conference: Big West Coach: Brian Gimmillaro, 13th year Road to Spokane: Loyola (15-9, 15-5, 15-5); Washington (15-4, 15-5, 15-13); Nebraska (15-9, 15-9, 15-3). Past Final Four appearances: 1993 (champion), 1992, 1991 (runner-up), 1989 (champion).

2. NCAA FINAL FOUR ON TV Thursday 9:30 p.m.: Penn State vs. Florida, tape (ESPN2). Friday 9:30 p.m.: Stanford vs. Long Beach State, tape (ESPN2). Saturday Noon: Semifinal winners, live (ESPN2).

The following fields overflowed: KEYWORD = NCAA WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP