W. volleyball brings
in recruits for 1995
By Eric Branch
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
In recent years, the UCLA women’s volleyball team has expected
and received immediate impact from their incoming recruiting
classes. In 1991 Annett Buckner was named National Freshman of the
Year, in 1993 Kim Krull duplicated the feat, and last season All
Pac-10 freshman selection Kara Milling was instrumental in helping
the Bruins to the national championship game.
However, as the 1995 recruiting class rolls in, expectations are
slightly different than previous years.
"I don’t expect any of our recruits to step in right away," UCLA
head coach Andy Banachowski said. "I’m not expecting an immediate
impact like we’ve had in previous years."
While Banachowski may seem less than boisterous about his
recruits, others are less reserved. Volleyball Magazine ranked
UCLA’s class second in the nation behind Nebraska, and placed four
of their five recruits on their Fab 50 list. The sheer numbers
should help a team which played with just nine healthy players for
much of last season.
Two of the Bruin’s Fab 50s can be found in the middle. A pair of
6-2 middle blockers in Linda Shudlick (Apple Valley, Minn.) and
Amanda Selby (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) should help shore up a position
vacated by All-American Alyson Randick. Selby and Shudlick were
both honorable mention Mizuno All-Americans and will join Krull and
Michelle Mauney in the middle.
The Bruins also received help on the outside, where they will be
attempting to make up for the loss of Buckner, the 1994 Pac-10
Player of the Year. A pair of Fab 50s in 6-0 Chaska Potter (Aptos,
Calif.) and Lauren Armistead (Agoura, Calif.) Â who has a
30-inch vertical leap  will join Jenny Johnson, Milling and
Tanisha Larkin on the outside. Armistead, will be walking on
without a scholarship.
Similarly, 6-4 outside hitter Mari Burningham (Ogden, Utah) will
be playing without a volleyball scholarship. Burningham comes to
Westwood on a basketball scholarship. However, as a senior at Sky
View High School, Burningham led her volleyball team to the 4A
State Championship while being named 4A MVP.
While the talent is abundant, Banachowski realizes that this
class will be greener than most.
"I’m as excited about this group as any group we’ve had,"
Banachowski said. "Some of them are relatively new to being full
time volleyball players. They’re not very experienced  but
they will develop."