1. What has been the key to turning around the program?
The first thing is that we had a really good spring. The players worked really hard without having to be told what to do. It started with our seniors Anna (Abatzoglou) and Carlie (Price). The second thing is that out last two recruiting classes have been really good. They know what it takes to win and have a winner's mentality .

2. Before the season began did you think that you guys would be this good?
That is always the great unknown. I will say this, in the first hour of our first pre-season practice, I could see that all the returning members were as fit as they have ever been, so they obviously worked hard this summer, and I could tell that the freshman were very very good. From day one, I could see that the program was headed in the right direction.

3. how important is the upcoming game versus Pepperdine?
It is a match we're not supposed to win, and so we can take every chance in the book and if we win great if not it won't effect our season. The pressure is on them.

4. In your opinion who has been the early team MVP?
In volleyball, you can't pass, set and hit to yourself, so it is hard to have an MVP. The leadership from Anna (Abatzoglou), Heather (Denison) and Carlie (Price) has been the most valuable key to our success thus far. If I had to pick an MVP, it would be my two assistant coaches Kellie Scholl and K.T. Lamb.

5. Coach, congratulations on your great start. What will it take to continue it?
The players need to manage the stresses of the semester and we need to continue to make gradual improvements. We want to be consistently better each time we play.

6. What were some of the team goals going into the season?
The short answer is that we've already achieved the team goals we've set in place and the long answer is for the first time since I've been here, we had a meeting this week to spell out what it will take to go to the NCAAs. We have an academic goal on the team which is also just as important as what we accomplish on the court and we won't know the outcome of that until the end of the season.

7. Are you in the running for best-dressed volleyball coach in the WCC? Congratulations on the great season you are having. (Dean Vaillancourt)
Thanks Dean! I have to thank two parties: first is my personal stylist, Amy Singh (who also moonlights as our assistant women's basketball coach) and second: the good people at Nike (its hard to look bad in Nike gear).