A strong returning cast, the nation’s eighth-ranked recruiting class and upgrades in areas that were previously a concern has Pepperdine women’s volleyball coach Nina Matthies thinking that 2008 will be a championship season for the Waves.

The 2007 Waves had another good year when compared to most teams — 18-11 overall, a third-place finish in the West Coast Conference, a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in the last 11 years — but not necessarily by Matthies’ high standards.

"I think every year that we’re going to win the conference, and I believed it last year," she said. "I feel every year we come in as a contender and this year is no different. I see us winning the conference, and hopefully if we take care of business during our pre-conference tournaments, and not let some matches slip away like we did last year, then we could earn a better seed in the NCAA Tournament, which would make quite a difference."

Eight letterwinners (including five starters) return from 2007, and the added experience that they gained from their spring training season should be an important factor toward this team’s success.

"Our returning group had a very strong spring," Matthies said. "Both with the physical training and for the opportunity for them to just come together as a team, it was very good. The kids really worked hard as a unit, and I’m very excited to see how that hard work will pay off."

Add three freshmen who all earned Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 honors and were rated among the nation’s top 45 players by prepvolleyball.com, and Pepperdine’s team just got even stronger.

"The new players coming in are fabulous players," said Matthies, who is assisted by Tim Jensen and Marcio Sicoli. "They’ve all had great high school seasons and great club seasons. These are freshmen who are coming in with great experience, even if it’s not collegiate experience. This group may be better than what we’ve had in the past as far as players who are ready to step right into collegiate volleyball."

The upgraded roster has Matthies feeling good about the well-rounded players that she’ll be able to put on the floor.

"We’ve had plenty of firepower the last couple of years," said Matthies, who begins her 26th season as head coach with a career record of 474-286. "But our ball control has been a little suspect and we’ve been lacking in passing and defending. But that has been shored up. We’ve found players that know how to win and will bring some much-needed fight and feistiness. This group loves to play volleyball and that will only make the team that much better."

Setters

Junior Kiah Fiers (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula HS) has given the Waves two brilliant seasons en route to WCC Freshman of the Year honors in 2006 and All-WCC first team acclaim in 2007. She has averaged 12.37 assists per game, third all-time at Pepperdine. But she missed Pepperdine’s first-round NCAA Tournament match last year after suffering a knee injury, and she is in the process of getting back to full strength after the subsequent surgery.

Fiers’ injury opened the door for sophomore Kealohilani Kea (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kamehameha HS), who saw limited time last season as a defensive specialist. She was Hawaii’s state player of the year in 2005 as a setter, however, and her improvement was immeasurable after being able to work with the first team this spring.

So while the status of Fiers’ recovery may have made the setting position a question mark at first, Kea’s emergence has Matthies feeling very comfortable heading into the 2008 season.

"Kiah has been one of the best players in the country, but we have to make sure she is all the way back both mentally and physically," Matthies said. "She’s right on schedule but we’ll be cautious until she’s ready to go. Kea had a great spring and gained a lot of experience and respect from her teammates. She’s a different kind of setter than Kiah, and she’s a wonderful player. Our setting is very solid."

Outside Hitters

With the return of two starters and the addition of an exciting freshman, outside hitter should again be a strong point for Pepperdine’s attack.

Senior Julie Rubenstein (Camarillo, Calif./Oaks Christian HS) is a three-time All-WCC honoree (the last two years on the first team) and should be an All-American candidate in 2008. She is well-represented on Pepperdine’s all-time records list, including fifth in kills (1,297) and points (1,544.5) and ninth in service aces (83). She led the team and was fourth in the WCC in kills at 4.37 per game last season. She’s also a standout in the classroom and is a member of the NCAA’s national student-athlete advisory committee.

"Julie is going to carry a lot of the load, she always has, and she’s ready for it," Matthies said. "She loves being here and I know she wants to have a great senior year. She’s calm, strong and a good leader."

Junior Rachel Lumsden (Brea, Calif./Brea Olinda HS) missed a small portion of the 2007 season due to injury but has averaged 3.23 kills over her first two seasons and currently ranks #1 at Pepperdine with 0.43 service aces per game for her career.

"Rachel is just a very solid outside hitter," Matthies said. "Her fitness level is fabulous. Mentally, she loves to play and can’t wait to get going."

Freshman Lilla Frederick (Anaheim, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS) comes to Pepperdine with outstanding credentials and is looking to break into the rotation one way or another. This summer alone, she was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team that won a gold medal at the Norceca Continental Championships in Mexico and was MVP at the 18-Open Division of the Junior Olympics.

"Lilla is going to come in and fight for a spot," Matthies said. "She’s small but she’s a big jumper and a big banger. She is a really fun player to watch. We haven’t had a big jumper like her at her size. She’s going to be a fan favorite."

Opposites

Sophomore Kristen Seaton (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo HS) got her feet wet last year and averaged 1.88 kills per game last season. She is expected to start on the right side this year.

"Last year Kristen was a little bit up and down, but when she was up she was hitting about .750, and when she was down she played like a freshman," Matthies said. "If she’s healthy, then I think that she will have a breakout season."

One player who doesn’t fit neatly into any of the position categories, but who will likely end up being a key player due to her versatility and leadership, is senior Caitlin Lawson (Walnut Creek, Calif./Carondelet HS). Lawson has started at libero and outside hitter in the past, spent time at opposite during the spring, and with the lack of depth at middle blocker, she may even work there in 2008.

"Caitlin has been a go-to gal for me and has done a little bit of everything," Matthies said. "She’s been the libero, a defensive specialist, an outside hitter, a right-side hitter, and I told her this year she’s going to have to play in the middle a little bit. Caitlin works her tail off and will get a lot of playing time, I’m just not sure in which spot. She’s ready to do whatever needs to be done and you’ve got to have people like that on your team."

Middle Blockers

With only two true middle blockers on the roster, there shouldn’t be much competition for starting positions. But when one is a three-year starter and the other is one of the nation’s top recruits, then hopefully two will be all that Pepperdine needs.

Senior Cassi Chamberlain (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood HS) earned All-WCC honorable mention honors in 2007 and averaged 2.42 kills and 0.92 blocks while hitting .330. She sat out the spring with a leg injury but should be ready to go.

Freshman Kim Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) was a two-time state high school player of the year in Oregon and comes in as the nation’s #8 recruit, according to prepvolleyball.com.

"Cassi has a tremendous work ethic, quick feet and a quick arm," Matthies said. "She’s ready to take over as a senior leader on this team. Kim is coming in and is ready to handle a starting role. I’ve had freshmen in the past where I’ve been worried about sticking them right into a starting position, but I think she can handle it.

"We’re going to have to work to keep these two healthy. We’ve told a lot of our other taller players that they may have to work in the middle if we need them to, and they’ve all said they’ll do whatever needs to be done to make us successful."

Liberos

Sophomore Krista Friedman (La Verne, Calif./St. Lucy’s Priory HS) ended last season as the starting libero. She averaged 3.03 digs for the entire season, but posted an impressive 4.27 digs per game over the final 10 matches.

"Krista has worked tremendously hard on her fitness and volleyball skills and wants to be the starting libero again," Matthies said. "One of the biggest growth spurts I see in college athletes is between their freshman and sophomore years, because they come back knowing what they’re in for and how to compete. So Krista will come back ready to go."

She’ll be pushed by freshman Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS), whose high school team won a state title and was the nation’s #1-ranked squad. She won a gold medal at Junior Olympics this summer and previously played on the U.S. Junior National Team.

"Stevi is going to come in and battle for the libero job," Matthies said. "We should be able to use both of them, one at the libero and the other as a defensive specialist. Stevi is a feisty player who doesn’t let a ball drop. She can hit outside too and that gives her another dimension."

Schedule

Pepperdine begins the 2008 season with three consecutive tournaments on the road, as the squad visits Cal State Fullerton, Oregon State and Nevada. The Waves then come home to host their annual Pepperdine Asics Classic on Sept. 19-20. A strong WCC schedule awaits, and the regular season will come to an end on Nov. 25 with a visit to local rival UCLA.

"I think it’s a good schedule," Matthies said. "We’re doing a little bit of traveling but not too much. There are some good teams in every tournament, teams that will be at the top of their conferences around the country. We put a lot of pressure on our teams to win these pre-conference tournaments. If we want to be in the top 25, we have to win. That’s what my mindset is and hopefully it will be the team’s too."