USD Volleyball 2007

new program record for single-season assists with 1,546 while directing the Toreros offense to a .255 team attacking percentage. "Jessica had a superb season last year running our offense," stated Petrie. "Now that she has some expe– rience, I think she will excel from last year and have the opportunity to set a very dynamic offense this year." Backing up Nyrop is a highly touted freshman re– cruit in Kelsi Myers. From Winter Park, Colo., Myers joins the Toreros after a standout high school career at Middle Park High School. She was named the Met– ro Player of the Year in 2006, selected to play in the CCGS All-State Games and earned a Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post All-State Honorable mention. Another key returner for the Toreros is AII-WCC freshman team honoree Andrea Csaszi. A sopho– more libero, Csaszi posted 285 digs in her freshman season, ranking her second on the team. Backing up Csaszi will be sophomore Kayleen Webster. Webster makes her return after a success– ful freshman campaign that saw her record 216 digs in 55 games, for a team-best average of 3.93 digs per game. Breanne Ogden rounds out the returning roster from the 2006 Sweet 16 team. Petrie and her coaching staff are looking for the junior DS to contin– ue to baffle opposing passers with her tough serve. With all of this firepower on the roster, Petrie has set a schedule that will challenge her players to com– pete at the highest level. Two in-season home tour– naments, nine matches against NCAA Tournament qualifiers and two matches against half of the final four participants from the NCAA Tournament a year ago highlight the 2007 schedule. The Toreros will be challenged with one of the toughest schedules in all of college volleyball. Seven of USD's 12 non-conference opponents participated in postseason play a year ago, including semi finalists UCLA, and national runner-up Stanford. According to Petrie, the combination of the non– conference schedule and a rigorous WCC slate will challenge this year's squad. "Our schedule is very tough, and that is the way we like it," stated Petrie. "We feel that teams always play better when they are challenged, and when you play the best teams at the beginning of the year, you know where you stand heading into conference as well as the NCAA Tournament."

The outside hitters will also be a valuable asset to the 2007 Toreros. Senior Erin Wiskar, a three-year starter for the Toreros, will make her return for her fi– nal season after a very successful junior campaign in which she posted 147 kills, 199 digs and 50 blocks. "Over the past three seasons Erin has significantly contributed to the success of our team," observed Petrie. "She passes a lot of the court, she has great ball control, and she is a superb blocker. In her se– nior year, we are going to count on her a lot for lead– ership." Junior Jaimarie Sutherland is expected to com– pete for a starting spot on the outside. In 2006, Sutherland appeared in 29 matches and recorded 47 kills, 29 digs and two blocks in her first season in a Torero uniform. In the spring, she teamed up with Andrea Csaszi and represented USD in the POW– ERade Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championships. Sutherland's greatest asset is her true competitive– ness, which the coaching staff feels will help this team get to the next level. Sophomore Amy DeGroot will also compete for a starting role on the outside for the Toreros after seeing playing time in 2006 in the middle, right and outside positions. DeGroot came on strong towards the end of the 2006 season and played a big role in USD advancing into the Sweet 16. In the postsea– son, DeGroot averaged 2.09 kills per game and led the team in attacking percentage at .328. Overall, she posted 99 kills,a .242 attack percentage and had 34 blocks in the 2006 season. Taking great strides this spring converting from a middle to the outside, Petrie feels DeGroot is ready to make a big impact. "Amy is an unbelievable athlete. She has the abil– ity to grow into our next go-to player and I have a feeling this will be a breakout year for her," stated Petrie. Another player that may provide the same versa– tility DeGroot did in her freshman campaign is Col– leen Carlson, the younger sister of the 2006 WCC Player of the Year Kristen Carlson. The younger Carl– son will compete for playing time in the middle and outside positions and Petrie is excited about her ad– dition to the roster. "We are thrilled to have Colleen join us. She is a tremendous physical athlete, a great jumper, and she will learn very quickly at a high level," said Pet– rie. "She has a very fast and powerful arm swing, great ball control and moves very smoothly on the court." Feeding the offense this season, and returning af– ter leading the team to the Sweet 16 in her first year as a starter, is junior setter Jessica Nyrop. Nyrop, an AII-WCC honorable mention honoree in 2006, set a