Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Alan Walsh Arizona middle blocker Jacy Norton swats the ball past two ASU defenders in a 3-0 loss to the Sun Devils on Nov. 7 in McKale Center. The Wildcats take on New Mexico State in a doubleheader tomorrow in McKale as part of their offseason spring tournament.

After two straight seasons of sub-par performances by the UA volleyball team, the Wildcats will look to turn things in the right direction starting tomorrow as they begin offseason competition against New Mexico State in the Arizona Spring Tournament in McKale Center.

Plagued by injuries in the last two seasons, the team failed to make the NCAA Tournament both years after having made 11 in a row before.

"The last two seasons haven't been what we would have hoped," said junior Brooke Buringrud, "but we have been working really hard this offseason so far to turn things around and bring to the program back to being on the top."

Now, with the team fully healthy, UA head coach Dave Rubio feels there is nothing that should hold the women back as they work toward next season.

"Should everyone be healthy, I feel like this coming year and the years to follow could be the best years we've seen in Arizona since I've been here," said Rubio, who has headed the program for the last 16 years.

"Everything on paper points to the fact that we have all the necessary ingredients to be very successful and a team that will compete in the top 10," he added.

This weekend's tournament will pit the Wildcats against a strong New Mexico State team that finished the 2007 season ranked No. 21 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.

The Wildcats will play two matches against New Mexico State, at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

"It's really an opportunity for the players who are developing to get an opportunity to play in a real match environment without any severe repercussions," Rubio said.

Rubio added that it's difficult to give some of the younger players a chance to play during the regular season where all teams are competing with their top players. The offseason gives some of those developing players a chance to see what the game-time situations are like.

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