Cougars Volleyball Facts

Coach: Cindy Fredrick (12th year)

Record at Washington State: 209-142

1999 record: 13-15 overall; 7-11 tied for sixth in Pacific-10 Conference

Assistant coaches: Mashallah Farokhmanesh, Jennifer Stinson

Players to watch: So. OH LaToya Harris, So. MB Holly Harris, So. RS/S Chelsie Schafer

Key newcomers: Jr. RS/S Kali Surplus, Fr. MB Noheo Tano, So. RS/S Camila Schmitz Rower< Bonus points: After two years at Beasley Coliseum, the team will move back into the renovated Bohler Gym on Sept. 22 for its Pac-10 opener against Arizona. WSU also is back on a wood court vs. a Sport Court. … With two strong setters who can hit in Surplus and Schafer, Fredrick might try a 6-2 offense for the first time where the setter is always in the back row. Surplus, out of Salt Lake CC, was selected first team NJCAA All-America last year and named co-MVP at the NJCAA national tournament. … Another JC transfer, Camila Schmitz Rower, married Cougars basketball player 7-foot1, 310-pound Paulo Rower this summer. Both are from Brazil and played at Arizona Western College. … Melissa Wright, the main setter last year, transferred to San Diego State. Outside hitter Missy Blackshire, who left the program last October, is playing at UC Santa Barbara. … WSU will have one live and three delayed matches broadcast on Fox Sports Net. The live match will be Washington at WSU on Oct. 16.

Outlook: The conference coaches picked the Cougars to finish seventh, ahead of OSU, Washington and Oregon. UCLA, voted No. 1 in the AVCA poll, is expected to win, followed by No. 3 Stanford, No. 7 Southern Cal, No. 10 Arizona, ASU and Cal. Stanford is without star hitter Logan Tom until after the Olympics. WSU is young but experienced and the outcome could be better than seventh.

This sidebar appeared with the story: ROSTER

Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown Melissa Boyle OH 6-0 Jr. Boise, Idaho Brittney Diaz MB 5-11 Fr. Las Cruces, N.M. Kali Surplus RS/S 6-0 Jr. Gresham, Ore Kortney Jamtaas OH/DS 5-7 So. Orinda, Calif. Zanda Bautre MB 5-11 Fr. Riga, Latvia Trina Kightlinger MB 6-2 Sr. Yorba Linda, Calif. Camila Schmitz Rower OH 6-0 Jr. Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil Adrian Hankoff OH 5-1 So. South Lake Tahoe, Nev. Holly Harris MB 6-1 So. Salt Lake City Chelsie Schafer RS/S 5-10 So. Saskatoon, Sask. Kerry Lewis DS 5-8 Jr. West Linn., Ore. LaToya Harris OH 5-9 So. Portland Nohea Tano MB 5-11 Fr. Honolulu, Hawaii