Collegian CSU Volleyball Preview

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SPECIAL EDITION

Friday, August 28, 2015 Volume 124, No. 14 • collegian.com

Ready to lead

Seniors looking to deliver seventh straight Mountain West title PAGE 4

Sara’s Story

Meet the brave 10-year old who inspires the Rams PAGE 8

Culbert named preseason player of the year Seniors Culbert, Colaizzi highlight preseason All-MW team PAGE 3

Will the Rams Reign Again?

Colorado State pegged to win seventh consecutive Mountain West title by league coaches | PAGE 2 |

Colorado State senior libero Jaime Colaizzi will look to lead the Rams to their seventh-consecutive Mountain West title. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

WELCOME BACK STUDENTS!

2 Friday, August 28, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

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Friday, August 27, 2015 • Page 3

CSU's Culbert named MW Preseason Player of the Year

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

Adrianna Culbert, the Rams’ top returning hitter from 2014, has been named the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year.

The senior from Delton, Michigan averaged 2.45 kills and 3.26 digs per set while hitting .312 percent in 2014. She is a twotime AVCA honorable mention All-American and All-MW honoree.

Culbert highlights the AllMW Preseason team along with teammate Jaime Colaizzi. The senior libero from Windsor, Col-

orado led the conference in digs per set (4.14) in 2014, and ranks No.24 on the MW career digs list with 1,098.

The rest of the All-MW team is made up of sophomore outside hitter Sierra Nobley (Boise State), senior setter Hannah Johnson (New Mexico), junior outside hitter/libero Julia Warren (New Mexico), junior middle blocker Bree Hammel (UNLV) and senior outside hitter/middle blocker Bridget Shanahan (Wyoming).

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

2015 Mountain West Preseason Women’s Volleyball Team Sierra Nobley - So. - OH - Boise State Jaime Colaizzi - Sr. - L - Colorado State Adrianna Culbert - Sr. - OPP/OH - Colorado State Hannah Johnson - Sr. - S - New Mexico Julia Warren - Jr. - OH/L - New Mexico Bree Hammel - Jr. - MB - UNLV Bridget Shanahan - Sr. - OH/MB - Wyoming Adrianna Culbert (No.3) is poised for a strong senior year. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

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Friday, August 28, 2015 • Page 4

Volleyball seniors step into leadership roles to replace graduates @emccarthy22

Every year, CSU’s volleyball team has to find a way to replace its outgoing seniors.

The Rams were thrown a bit of a curveball this season when Kaitlind Bestgen, the team’s leader in serving aces last season (40), decided to forego her senior season, to go along with the already obvious losses of three All-MW selections, including MW Player of the Year Deedra Foss.

Seniors Jaime Colaizzi, Crystal Young and MW Preseason Player of the Year Adrianna Culbert are taking the challenge head on.

“When we lose players in big positions, we have players who can fill those positions,” Colaizzi said. “We know that we do need to fill those shoes and make up for the loss in other areas. But, every year we go do it.”

Veteran leadership on and off the court is vital to how head coach Hilbert wants to see his team come out and play at the season opener against Baylor on Friday at 6 p.m.

“I want to go out and play with maturity, and we’re putting

four seniors out on the court, so I think we can do that,” Hilbert said.

The fourth senior is one that fans might not recognize Friday.

But, they should be very familiar by the end of the season.

Senior transfer Alex Reid comes to CSU from Long Beach State and brings tournament experience along with her. She led her team to a Big West title in 2014 and earned first-team all-conference honors while helping LBSU advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament that same year.

Hilbert recruited her when she played at Grandview High School in Aurora, so he was already familiar with her game.

Now, three years later, he has to evaluate the less tangible aspects of it. So far, he likes what he has seen.

“It’s been the greatest thing about her,” Hilbert said of Reid’s leadership. “She’s a solid player.

She does everything for us. She defends, she serve receives, she serves tough, she hits the ball well, she can block and she is very outgoing. Is she a great leader?

Well she has been for us so far,

but we haven’t played a match yet.”

Reid admitted she had some doubts about whether the rest of the players would look to her as a leader.

“Before I transferred, I was a little worried about it,” Reid said. “You wonder, ‘is the team going to respect me?’ I am new, but I’m also an older player. So I should have that responsibility.”

Once she arrived on campus, meeting the team more in person eased those concerns.

“When I came here, I felt like it was really natural,” Reid said. “All the girls respected me and (Coach Hilbert) respected me. The first meeting with me, he told me, ‘I was a natural born leader, and I just want you to give.’ That’s all you can do is give to the program, and so far it’s been going pretty well.”

It is going well for Culbert and Young too, who understand they have big shoes to fill at setter. Culbert is already leading by example, as evidenced by her willingness to play as a setter this year.

“Anything we can do to put the best team out on the court,” Culbert said.

“If me

The MW Preseason Player of the Year treats it like its just another part of doing business.

“I

OL LE GIA N

By Emmett McCarthy

PHOTO BY

setting is going to help our team be the best we can, then I’m all for it. If me hitting like I have been is what’s best, then that’s what I’d love to do.”

Culbert is comfortable in her new role. Embracing being a leader is just another one of the job requirements for seniors of Hilbert’s teams.

C R AR P IE don’t ABB

think it’s different than it is any other year with the seniors leaving,” Culbert said.

“They take on a lot of stuff behind the scenes. It’s just a transition everyone goes through when they become a senior.”

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, August 28, 2015

Rams start season in search of another MW title

By Emmett McCarthy

a sophomore. That would leave Culbert with two years of eligibility left to take over the setter position after Foss graduated.

But Culbert's immediate development as a hitter changed those plans. With just her senior year remaining now, she is enthusiastic about shifting back to a setter role in some capacity.

“I’m really excited for it,” Culbert said. “It’s something I haven’t done in the last couple years, but I’ve always wanted to have a chance to do both. To get back into that part of my game is really awesome.“ Fellow senior Crystal Young will join her as the other setter in the starting lineup. Hilbert explained the benefits of the new rotation and how it best fits the roster.

“It allows us to put some people into their strengths,”

@emccarthy22

The Rams would like to hit the ground running in 2015 as the 6-time defending Mountain West champs make their push for seven in a row.

“We’re one of the best that we’ve ever been in the areas of ball handling, serve-receive and defense,” said Rams’ head coach Tom Hilbert. “We’ve got experience in those positions, we’ve got great players in those positions.”

What they do not have is the 2014 MW Player of the Year Deedra Foss, two other All-MW selections in Marlee Reynolds and Kelsey Snider and last year's leader in service aces, Kaitlind Bestgen.

The departures of the three seniors along with Bestgen deciding to forego her senior year leaves a void in the hitting and setting departments.

It is the main reason that Hilbert has elected to go with a 6-2 rotation, rather than the 5-1 rotation they have utilized in the past.

The 6-2 means that he will have two setters rotating through the back row, but that he will have six hitters on the court at all times as well.

The setters in a 6-2 must be able to finish off plays as well, so Adrianna Culbert will fit right in.

The MW Preseason Player of the Year was initially recruited as a setter, with the plan being for Culbert to take a redshirt in her first year when Foss was

Now that Hilbert has the setting figured out, he would like to see better hitting at the net. he said. “I think that (Adrianna) Culbert is a very good setter but she also passes well and hits well. Crystal (Young) is a good setter, but Crystal is not great as a setter close to the net.

It allows them both to avoid their weaknesses and stay with their strengths. It also allows our middles to do what they do best.”

Now that Hilbert has the setting figured out, he would like to see better hitting at the net.

He credited the blocking in practice for giving hitters a tough time but said that they should still be able to terminate more hits.

“I look at it as kill percentage,” Hilbert said. “But I don’t want to tell players we have got to get at this kill percentage because that means nothing to them. They just need to go up and take care of the ball.

When they have a chance to get a kill, go for it. When they don’t, they’ve got to do smart things.”

That was part of the reasoning behind bringing in senior Long Beach State transfer Alex Reid, who Hilbert believes will bring a lot to the table with her hitting and smarts.

Reid is one of a few new additions to the CSU team.

The Rams added two freshmen by way of California in Katie Craig, a defensive specialist, and Julia Cubbedge, a left-handed setter/hitter.

CSU also stocked up on some local talent in Fort Collins product Mariah Green who earned a walk-on spot in the spring as a defensive specialist, in addition to Reid, who hails from Aurora, Colorado.

Injuries have limited freshman Kirstie Hillyer (knee and shoulder), though she has been practicing this week and Hilbert said she is doing well now.

Sophomore Sanja Cizmic worked her way back from a

high-ankle contusion and had no limitations this week in practice. Freshman Jessica Jackson is recovering from a ruptured achilles and will take a medical redshirt, according to Hilbert.

The Rams start the season with three games in two days as part of the Rams Volleyball

The Rams start the season with three games in two days as part of the Rams Volleyball Classic, including a match against a Big-12 opponent in Baylor.

Classic, including a match against a Big-12 opponent in Baylor. At this point, depth is Hilbert’s biggest concern.

That is why he felt comfortable bringing in a oneand-done transfer such as Reid. She is capable of starting, but she also understands the expectations that come with joining the program.

“The Sweet 16 is definitely on everyone’s mind,” Reid said. “But there are a lot of big steps we have to take before that."

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

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CSU opens season with Rams Volleyball Classic against talented Baylor team

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

Colorado State’s volleyball team will kick off its season with three games in two days. The Rams get started with a “White Out” at Moby 6 p.m. Friday when they host the Baylor Bears in part of the 2015 Rams Volleyball Classic. Northern Iowa and UC Davis will get the event going with a 3:30 p.m. match.

The Rams pick right back up with a doubleheader at Moby Saturday. CSU starts off at 10:30 a.m. against UC Davis and wraps things up with a match set for 7:30 p.m. against Northern Iowa.

Between those matches, Baylor and UNI will go head-tohead at 1 p.m. The Rams Volleyball Class wraps up at Moby on Sunday when UC Davis takes on Baylor at 1 p.m.

“We really don’t know much about Northern Iowa and UC Davis, but we’re going to see them before we play,” said Rams’ head coach Tom Hilbert.

“Baylor we have been doing some work on. We know that they’re athletic. They’ve got a really, really good outside hitter … and I think their setting is outstanding, so they are very fast to the pins. They’re a difficult team to start off with.”

The outside hitter Hilbert referred to is Andie Malloy, an Iowa State transfer, who finished second in the Big 12 in kills

per set (3.89) and double-doubles (17). The Bears also feature a talented hitter in the middle.

Tola Itiola started 26 games as a sophomore for Baylor last season, recording 160 kills and a team-best .292 hitting percentage.

Hilbert said he will play Alexandra Poletto and Acacia Andrews in the middle, believing that they bring enough athleticism of their own to possibly stop Baylor at the point of attack.

The Rams pick right back up with a doubleheader at Moby Saturday.

Adrianna Culbert and Crystal Young will play as setters in the new 6-2 rotation Hilbert has decided to install this year to make up for the loss of Deedra Foss and her 4,833 career sets, the fifth-most of all time at CSU and the most at the school since rally scoring was implemented in 2008.

“There is more pressure on passing and defense because we’re losing one of the best setters in the nation,” Libero Jamie Colaizzi said. “There is

more pressure on us to get the ball where it needs to go every time.”

Senior transfer Alex Reid will play as a left-side hitter, and so will Jasmine Hanna. As of Wednesday afternoon, Hilbert had not decided on who he will go with in the starting lineup on the right side.

Whoever ends up hitting, Hilbert wants to see them finish strong but efficiently.

He harped on that all week in practice to his players. Hit it hard, and hit it in play. If it gets blocked, it gets blocked. That could be on Friday, as Itiola is a solid blocker in the middle too.

Keeping unforced errors to a minimum is the key. Hilbert believes that if you do that and you still get beat, then you can live with it.

“I always go into this first weekend sort of unsure about who we are, but I do know that we need to go play with a great deal of maturity,” Hilbert said.

“Keep the errors down and do smart things and compete at the end of sets. If we do those things, we are going to be fine.”

CSU will host a BBQ before the game on Friday to welcome back the season. It starts at 4:30 p.m. on the north side of Moby Arena. The first 1,000 students will receive free t-shirts.

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, August 28, 2015

PHOTO BY ABBIE PARR COLLEGIAN

Q&A: get to know CSU volleyball senior transfer Alex Reid

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

The Rams gained another player with tournament experience in Long Beach State transfer Alex Reid. The senior outside hitter started all 61 games for over the past two years for LBSU. She ranked third on the team in kills (2.77) and digs per set (2.71) in her junior year as she helped lead the 49ers to a Big West title.

Reid — originally from Aurora, Colorado — was named an AVCA High School All-American as a senior at Grandview High School. Head coach Hilbert expects her to be both a leader and a significant contributor on the court in her one and only season with the Rams.

Here’s a little more about Reid, in her own words: Q: What brought you to CSU? AR: I wasn’t where I wanted to be at volleyball- and college-wise, so I thought it was time to make a change. I had been recruited previously by CSU, so I really loved the school.

Q: Why did you choose LBSU over CSU at the time?

AR: It was a big decision. I really wanted to be coached by Brian (Gimmillaro) who is the coach at Long Beach because he had a lot of Olympic players and professional players. When I went to visit the school, of course it was right by the beach, and it was a lot different experience than being in Colorado. It was a complete culture shock and I loved it.

Q: What other schools recruited you in high school?

AR: I actually was kind of a late bloomer because I injured myself my sophomore year, so I was out for a while. It wasn’t until I was going into my senior year that I started getting recruited. Geor-

gia was looking at me — that’s back when (CSU assistant coach) Brooke Coulter was there — so I had that. Then Oregon and Indiana were among the others.

Q: Did you ever play against any of your current teammates while you were growing up in Colorado?

AR: I played with Grace (Gordon) on my team in high school.

Then, not in high school but in club, I played against Jaime (Colaizzi). I always hated playing against her, because she always dug me. When I came here it was like, finally, she’s on my team now!

Q: How would you describe your game?

AR: I think I play a lot of different shots. I’m not always a power hitter. I like to do a lot of roll shots, tips… changing it up and doing different stuff. That’s me as a hitter. That’s what I like to do a lot.

Q: How has it been adjusting to Hilbert and his staff?

AR: As a senior transfer, he kind of just lets me go. If he needs to make little critiques here and there, then he may suggest stuff.

But for the most part he has kind of let me be free, which I really like. I’m able to use all the technique I’ve learned previously.

Q: So it has been a smooth transition?

AR: When I came here, I felt like it was really natural. All the girls respected me and Tom (Hilbert) respected me. The first meeting with me, he told me I was a natural born leader, and I just want you to give. That’s all you can do is give to the program.

So far, its been going pretty well?

Q: What’s your favorite volleyball memory?

AR: I probably have two.

First, being recruited during Junior Olympics. I thought that

was super cool because I had a bunch of college coaches there to see me and I felt famous and everything. Then coming here was super awesome. Everybody was really great to me and really accepted me into the family, so that was really cool for me.

Q: Any game-day rituals?

AR: I don’t have any pre-game rituals, but when I play, I touch the tongues of my shoes before plays. Especially when I’m passing. I don’t know (laughs) I’ve just done it since high school.

Q: What does Alex Reid’s pregame music playlist look like?

AR: I like listening to a lot of Eminem, which is kinda weird because I don’t usually listen to Eminem or anything. But before I play, I like listening to it.

Q: When you’re not playing volleyball, what are you doing?

AR: I love to cook and bake!

That’s a hobby I’ve had for a while.

Q: What’s your best dish?

AR: Hmmm, I don’t know about a meal, but my favorite thing to make is crème brûlée.

Q: What would you would like to do after your college career?

AR: I would like to continue playing volleyball. Hopefully go overseas and play professionally.

After that, or if that doesn’t work out, I’d love to get my master’s degree in physical therapy.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about this season?

AR: Just playing. Playing with this team. I went through spring with them and those games aren’t really like the same thing.

You’re still playing and it’s a game but it’s not that same type of feeling. They’ve really become my family, so just being able to put what we worked on into play.

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

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Friday, August 28, 2015 • Page 9

Sara's story: 10-year old inspiring CSU's volleyball team

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

Sara Robinson has never been invited to a sleepover by any of her classmates. Her parents Jay and Mary Robinson wish it didn't have to be this way, but they understand.

“I’m used to it. We’ve lived with it her whole life,” Jay said.

“My daughter could have a seizure at any time, any how.”

Sara is 10 years old now. Jay and Mary adopted her at birth.

Less than two weeks she was born in 2004, Sara was diagnosed with epilepsy.

In May 2014, the Robinson family’s bad luck got even worse.

An MRI revealed a brain tumor behind Sara's left eye.

After Sara endured six months of chemotherapy starting in October of that year, and an additional round of radiation, the tumor behind her left eye is stable, but it is still wrapped around her optic nerve.

Her epilepsy – which is unrelated to the tumor – has caused cognitive delays. Sara’s speech can be delayed, which gives her difficulty making friends her own age.

Sara still suffers from seizures, and is vulnerable to have

another at any second.

“I know what to do when it happens,” Jay said. “I wouldn’t want to put that on another parent.”

So he and his wife Mary were caught off guard when seniors Alex Reid and Crystal Young, two of Sara’s new friends from CSU’s volleyball team, asked if they could take her out for dinner then go back to Moby for a movie and a sleepover.

Jay and Mary met with them beforehand to let them know what to do if Sara has a seizure, what medication she will need, and to explain what they could be getting into.

The players’ response: “No problem.”

The Rams welcomed Sara to the team back in March in a partnership with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. Sara is the second child to be partnered with a Colorado State athletics team, following young Jack Miller, who became an honorary member of the CSU football team two years ago. Sara even has a locker with her name on it and a jersey with her No.30.

“Sports are her escape, without a doubt,” Jay said. “You don’t have to do a lot of conversing, and

she is very active.”

When the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation reached out to the CSU team, they got a response almost immediately.

It turned out some of the players had already been hoping to upgrade the roster.

“I always looked at the football team and Jack Miller, so I always said that I hope we get a Friends with Jaclyn adoptee,” Young said. “Then they came into practice ... I was so excited.”

Sara’s cognitive delays make it hard for her to write good sentences. But, she manages to do it for her new teammates so they can stay in touch when she cannot make it to practice.

Reid messages back and forth with her regularly on Facebook and was quick to point out that Sara is more of a role model and inspiration to every member of the team than they could ever hope be to the 10-year-old.

“She’s one of my favorite people," Reid said. "We always get texts from her parents about everything that we’re doing, but in my mind, she’s doing so much for us."

“A lot of people can complain about having to workout, having to practice, and this little girl has

so much more going on in her life, and she’s so excited every time we see her," Reid added. "You never see her when she’s not smiling. It really puts everything in perspective.”

Of course, there was a feeling out process at first in the relationship. Sara can be a bit shy, but as she got to know all of the players individually, she began to warm up to them. Everyone on the team knew they had something special with Sara by the end of the first day they met.

“She jumped across their laps and we took pictures. It absolutely just blossomed from there,” Jay said.

“That first night, they told her, ‘we’re your sisters from now on’.”

Donations to fight Sara’s cancer can be made at www.gofundme.com/ killsarascancer.

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

MEET THE RAMS Crystal Young Senior Setter #9

Alex Reid Senior Outside Hitter #5

Jessica Jackson Freshman Outside Hitter/ Middle Blocker #21

Alexandra Poletto Sophomore Middle Blocker #14

Kirstie Hillyer Freshman Middle Blocker/ Opposite Hitter #13

Jasmine Hanna Sophomore Outside Hitter #6

Julia Cubbedge Freshman Opposite Hitter/ Setter #15

Mariah Green Sophomore Defensive Specialist #17

Katie Craig Freshman Defensive Specialist #7

Grace Gordon RS Junior Defensive Specialist/ Setter #4

Jaime Colaizzi Senior Libero #1

Cassidy Denny Junior Defensive Specialist #2

Sanja Cizmic Sophomore Outside Hitter #10

Adrianna Culbert Senior Opposite Hitter/ Outside Hitter #3

Acacia Andrews RS Junior Middle Blocker #11

| 6 | Jasmine Hanna | Soph. | Outside Hitter |

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, August 28, 2015

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12 Friday, August 28, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

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By the Numbers 6 1,293 23 468

Consecutive MW Titles won by Rams

Amount of sets Rams have to replace without Foss

Amount of times CSU swept opponent in 3 sets last year Digs recorded by Jaime Colaizzi in 2014

3,231

8

Double-Doubles by Culbert in 2014

100

20 31-3

Average attendance in 2014 at Moby for volleyball games

Sets by Culbert in 2014

Consecutive berths in the NCAA Tournament Rams’ record in 2014

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, August 28, 2015

SEASON IN PHOTOS

2014

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14 Friday, August 28, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

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bers UNLV and Wyoming also finished at 58 and 61, respectively, in RPI. The Rams face UNI in their third match of the season-opening Rams Volleyball Classic tournament Aug. 29 at home.

The Panthers finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference last season with a 21-11 overall record.

CSU plays Arizona State and UNC in the CSU/UNC Tournament on Sept. 4 and Sept. 8, respectively.

A surprise visit from a professional team from overseas that was announced Tuesday night will also challenge the Rams before MW play begins Sept. 24 against Utah State.

The Shanghai Eastbest & Lensheng will scrimmage CSU at home Sept. 21. The match against the Chinese Volleyball League team will not count toward CSU's stats or record.

CSU also scrimmaged a Chinese professional team in the spring of 2011, Tianjin Bridgestone.

"This team is probably going to be better than that team," Hilbert predicted. "It will be a very entertaining match."

Tickets go on sale Wednesday for the exhibition. Season ticket holders do not have the exhibition included in their ticket package and will have to buy separate tickets to attend the scrimmage. Season ticket holders will have their seats held for the first two weeks tickets are on sale for the exhibition, but after that those seats will be open to be bought by the public.

The Shanghai team will also play a game against Wyoming and another Colorado university, likely Northern Colorado or University of Denver, Hilbert said.

Sam Lounsberry can be reached at sports@collegian.com

9 — Passion’s rising, and the temperature is hot. Achieve your desires with honey and a smile.

Take things slowly, or risk mistakes. Enjoy domestic pleasures and simple fare.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — 7 — Don’t rush! Take your time and get it right. Love, money and beauty tempt you. Do more research before venturing forth.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — 6 — Don’t start until you’re sure where you’re going. Energetic friends stir emotions. Tweak your route. . Defer gratification a little longer.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — 7 — Things may not go as planned. Remember someone who needs you. The odds of misunderstanding are high, so take extra care articulating communications and listening.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — 8 — Use charm and humor to work out a solution. Appeal to the greater good. Avoid gossip and jealousies. Listen, and really hear what gets said.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — 9 — Don’t worry about fault or blame. Tempers could heat up. What matters is what you’re committed to having as a result.

You can work out conflicts. Keep your promises, or change them.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — 6 — A walk in nature or peaceful meditation provides the answers you’ve been seeking. No one needs to know how you feel right now. You don’t always have to say yes. Call if you’re going to be late.

(08/28/15). Your light shines this year. Power and confidence energize you. Careful stewardship of joint resources grows savings (after 10/27). Make a soulful connection after 3/8.

Release worn-out attitudes after 3/23. Follow your heart.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — 7

— Don’t take on more than you can do by the deadline. Notice where the cash flows, and reduce costs. Authority gets questioned.

Avoid jealousies.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — 7 — Tempers could flare.

Postpone an important decision until you’re sure. Share treats and process the situation.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — 8 — You go further behind closed doors. Don’t discuss your private life. Monitor expenses, and keep enough cash on hand Bring your social skills and graciousness to the fore.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — 7 — Schedule carefully to stay the course. Find what you need nearby. Be patient with complainers. Save time by not engaging. Get yourself a little treat and keep in action.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — 8 — Favor slow and methodical over impulsive. Moderate a disagreement or scheduling conflict..

Keep someone in the loop who especially appreciates it. Practice random kindness.

IE

Colorado State's volleyball team continued growing its presence on the national stage last year as it climbed as high as No. 6 nationally and notched pre-season wins against premier teams such as Arizona State and No. 9 BYU. But an even tougher non-conference schedule awaits CSU this season, according to Rams' head coach Tom Hilbert.

Last year, the Rams went 31-2 before the NCAA Tournament, losing just one non-conference game to No. 4 Wisconsin and one in the Mountain West at UNLV. This year, the Rams will face a powerhouse in Texas, the team that ended their season in the Sweet 16, just eight matches into this year's schedule.

The Sept. 13 contest against the Longhorns will take place in Austin, Texas. Furthermore, it will be the back end of a double-header for the Rams as they face Iona in Austin at 9 a.m. MT before the Longhorns match at 2 p.m. MT. "I think that's going to be a test to see how we are against a team that's a Final Four caliber team," Hilbert said. "Those are the kind of games where it's not about saying we have to go in and win this game. We have to go in and compete well, and see what happens against a team of that caliber."

But the game is more than just a test. Beating Texas is totally possible for the Rams, Hilbert explained.

"We're going to score a point against them," he said. "I'm not saying that in a negative way.

If you can score once, you can score 25 times. It's about stringing them together."

Returning CSU starter Adrianna Culbert, a senior hitter

that recorded 15 digs in the tournament game with the Longhorns, thinks the Rams will give Texas a tougher match this time around.

"When we played them in the Sweet 16, we didn't play our best volleyball, and I think we all know that," Culbert said.

Hilbert is considering the Texas match similar to last season's bout at home against Wisconsin when the Badgers were ranked No. 4 and beat the Rams 3-0, in the sense that it can mimic postseason environments.

"It helps you understand when you get to the Round of 16, this is the caliber of team you have to play," Hilbert said.

In each of the 10 seasons the Rams have reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, that's where they have been stopped every time.

Additionally, games against major teams on the national stage helps CSU gain recognition as a team that can dominate more than just the MW. "More than anything, those type of matches are more about an experience for our players," Hilbert said. "I want them to play against the top teams in the country, the top recruits in the country. I want our players to get out there because I believe we are a national caliber team, and I want to test us against the best in the United States, and they are one of the best."

It is not just Texas that makes this year's schedule tougher for the Rams, though.

Hilbert said the teams on this year's schedule will be of a higher average RPI than those from last year.

Four opponents from CSU's non-conference schedule finished in the top 100 in RPI last season (Texas, Northern Iowa, Arizona State and Northern Colorado). Fellow MW mem-

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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