Jan. 8, 2002

Stanford, Calif. -

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This Week's Action:
Friday, January 11       at Brigham Young       Smith Fieldhouse, 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 12     at Brigham Young       Smith Fieldhouse, 7 p.m.

Cardinal Begins 2002 Conference Season...
Stanford will open up its 2002 MPSF conference schedule on the road against the defending NCAA Champion Brigham Young Cougars. The two teams will square off on Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse.

Scouting BYU...
Friday's match is the season-opener for the Cougars. In preseason exhibition action, BYU swept defending NIRSA champion UVSC 4-0 (30-27, 30-28, 30-28, 30-25) at the UVSC Student Center in Orem. Senior outside hitter Mike Wall, the 2001 NCAA Tournament MVP, posted a match-high 18 kills and three service aces. Sophomore middle blocker Chris Gorny added 11 kills to the Cougar attack. Head coach Carl McGown is entering his 12th season at the helm of the BYU men's volleyball program.

Last Year's Meetings...
The Cougars swept the Cardinal last April in Maples Pavilion en route to their NCAA title. BYU defeated Stanford 3-0 the first night (30-28, 30-25, 30-23) and 3-0 the following evening (30-25, 30-22, 30-25). Curt Toppel recorded match-high kills in both contests with 11 and 16, respectively. BYU's Mike Wall posted 23 kills in two matches to lead the Cougars.

Stanford Cruises In 2002 Season-Opener...
Paul Bocage and Curt Toppel each finished with 12 kills as the Cardinal defeated UC Santa Cruz 3-0 in Stanford's season opener Monday night at Burnham Pavilion. Game scores were 30-14, 30-14 and 30-25. Billy Strickland added eight kills and Seth Ring tallied seven digs en route to the Cardinal's victory. Kevin Hansen in his first career start dished out 19 assists.

Don Shaw Named Head Coach...
On June 22 Don Shaw, who established himself as one of the top coaches in collegiate volleyball history during his illustrious 16-year tenure as Stanford's women's head volleyball coach, was named Stanford's men's volleyball coach. Shaw captured four NCAA Championships and eight Pacific-10 Conference Championships with the Stanford women. He also holds the top winning percentage in women's college volleyball history with his 440-70 (.863) record. As a player, Shaw was a member of the United States National Team and was one of the top beach players in the country during his playing career.

Welcome Back...
Stanford returns three starters from last year's team, including eight letterwinners. Junior Curt Toppel, said to be the Cardinal's best outside hitter, returns after leading the 2001 squad with 364 kills (5.35 kill per game average) and 22 service aces. Senior Marcus Skacel led last year's team with 149 digs and finished second in kills (309), blocks (41) and service aces (20).

New Faces On The Farm...
The Cardinal have three true freshmen playing in their first collegiate volleyball season. Middle blockers Craig Buell (Solana Beach, CA) and Chris Sandman (San Jose, CA) and outside hitter David Vogel (Poway, CA) all join the 2002 squad. Reshirt freshmen Patrick Bomhack (Waukesha, WI) and Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, CA) will be competing for the setter spot and also playing in their first season as a Stanford Cardinal.

Recapping Last Season...
Stanford secured a place among the nation's elite last spring, finishing the 2001 season ranked fifth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Cardinal went 14-9 overall and finished tied for third in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's Pacific Division with a 10-7 mark. Stanford's overall and conference records were its best since it was 15-8 overall and 13-6 in the MPSF in 1998. In addition, the Cardinal achieved the nation's No. 1 ranking from February 6-12, marking its first stint at the top shot since it captured the National Championship in 1997. Stanford also maintained its place among the nation's best thanks to 10 victories over nationally-ranked opposition, including a pair of wins over eventual national runner-up UCLA.

Skacel And Toppel Earn 2001 Honors...
For the ninth time in the last 10 seasons, Stanford was represented on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Teams. Both Marcus Skacel and Curt Toppel were named Second Team All-Americans. Toppel was also named the MPSF Second Team, while Skacel was a Third Team selection.

Conference Chatter 2001...
Stanford finished in the top three of the 2001 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's Pacific Division for the eighth time in the last 10 years by compiling a 10-7 record. Long Beach State and Hawai'i tied for the division title at 12-5, while the Cardinal and USC tied for third at 10-7. Stanford was 5-3 on the road and 5-4 at home in conference play.