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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 1982)
Sports_ University of California at Eugene? UO imports Cal recruits When Chris Voelz went on the recruiting trail last year, she must have had the Beach Boys song "California Girls" on her mind. Voelz came away with five highly rated Southern Cali fornians — Liz Eakin, Shaunna Koenig, Jill Koscinski, Connie Riel and Stephanie Tambe — who are expected *to raise the fortunes of Oregon volleyball. So what's the big deal about recruits from California? Well, California is the volleyball hotbed of the United States Don't even bother arguing there’s no doubt about it Vol leyball is played in a lot of places, but in California, it's a religion. Great, but what are these girls doing here? "This was one of the few schools that even knew what sports medicine was,"says Koscinski, a P E major who serves as the comedienne of the group, "and it’s pretty here " "I liked everything about the area," says Eakin, an honors college student Mostly, though, all five agree that they wanted to get away from Los Angeles, where they all went to high school within an hour of each other The recruiting tactics of Voelz didn’t hurt either. “She was a very impressive recruiter," says Koenig, recruited for her quick ness "She had a way with words," adds Riel, a 6-0 hitter setter. It is interesting to note that most of the girls didn't know they were all attending the same school. "We were really sur prised,” says Koscinski. "Con nie and I knew, and then Shaunna walked into the gym one day and said, 'Hi Ducks ' Super frosh clown around off court, but once on. exhibit a picture of determination Above, front row; Shaunna Koenig. Liz Eakin Back i t<i>viKa anW nil k'Ao/'incirt I Au/or /aft Riel blocks a spike against the University of Washing ton. Lower right, Tambe grimaces after smashing a spike of her own Then Stephanie and Liz came too." They're a very close group — “like a family," says Eakin They're a very confident group as well And why not? Between them, they've accumulated nearly every high school vol leyball honor possible In addi tion, all of them played for the prestigious South Bay Vol leyball Club, which won a na tional championship two years ago and is coached by Pat Zartman, coach of the 1964 women's national team Furthermore, three of them start for Vaelz. Tambe, a 5-5 sparkplug with great leaping ability, says, “As a freshman, you normally don’t start, but all of us are " (Actually, only Koenig, Riel and Tambe are starters.) Koenig said she even bet a friend that Oregon would be in the top 20 by her junior year. Still, it’s a young group. Be sides Koscinski, who is red shirting this year, all the girls have been victims of rollercoas ter-type play. They have led the Ducks as high as a win over 18th-ranked Utah State and as low as a disappointing loss to unheralded Fresno State. Obviously, the adjustment from high school to college has taken its toll. Academically, “it’s a pain," says Tambe, “but it won’t be that bad after this term.” Koenig, who replies "Help!" when asked about her major, says, “It's hard to study when you have volleyball on your mind.” It's also hard to have a social life. Koscinski says, “It's hard to meet people when you are al ways playing volleyball — why don't you put our phone numbers in the article?” she laughed. “It's getting better. We re meeting a couple of people here, a couple there," chimes in Riel. The girls have even had trou ble getting used to the state of Oregon. “People from out of California can't relate to us,” Story by Doug Levy Photos by David Corey and Mark Pynes says Riel. "I’ve never seen so many bellbottoms," says Kos cinski And from Koenig, "I thought the people would be really friendly I mean, they are, but I thought people would be running up and saying 'Hi!'. I guess I overestimated." Despite their problems ad justing, these five girls give Voelz all the tools for great teams in the future. Koscinski is a great blocker, Riel a hitter who can double as a setter, Eakin a ‘‘real thinker" and Tambe a defensive specialist “who can crack the ball as hard as any one."Koenig? Voelz calls her “the quickest athlete we have” and “fun to watch." Along with sophomore Ronda Dalthorp, a powerful hitter who rounds out Voelz’ "California Connection", freshman Sue Harbour ("our best recruit ever,” says Voelz), and senior redshirt Cathy Hill, an All-Amer ica possibility, the five have Oregon backers licking their chops for 1983. Overall, the girls are excited about being at Oregon. "The year has just started, but I think I'm going to like it here," says Tambe. Eakin says, "I know I sound so positive, but I don't think I could have picked a bet ter place to go.”
