An Introduction Letter from Head Coach Nabil Mardini

A New Challenge

Six years ago, I made a promise to myself and the athletic staff at Pierce College, who put their trust in me, that I will put all my effort and heart into the sport that I love so much, to turn the women's volleyball program around and take it to a state level of competitiveness. Once again this season, we reached another milestone by going 18-4 overall and 9-1 in our conference and clinched the Western State Conference Championship for the fourth straight year. We made it to the Elite Eight Tournament for the first time in school history. We finished the season ranked 5th in the State of California. This is the best finish in Pierce College history. Six out of the eight sophomores received scholarships to play at universities such as CSUN, Lipscomb University in Nashville, UCSD, and Cal State LA.

This season is going to be another exciting one for the women's volleyball program. With only one sophomore returning to the lineup, a new challenge arises. However, this is not the first time that the Lady Brahmas are facing that challenge. The 2001 squad had two returning players from the year before and helped the program go from last place in the conference the previous season to an amazing first place finish in the conference. Once again, I worked very hard to recruit the best athletes out there and I believe we have the talent and the potential to contend for the conference title once again.
We added seventeen Freshmen on our roster with only one sophomore, Ashley Boss (Benicia High School). This team has the most versatility of any team I've had in the past six seasons. We are deep, athletic, and very talented volleyball players. The key to our success is going to be on how fast we come together as a team and become a cohesive unit and finding the right mix of players on the court. With the addition of our talented seventeen new comers, Setters Kristen Gorman (Hart High School) and Jackie Tomas (Chatsworth High School), Opposites Sandra Posada (Birmingham High School), Luisa Umana (Valley Alternative Magnet), and Melanie Lazovich (Chatsworth High School), Outside Hitters Ashley Murray (Grant High School), Katie O'Connell (Louisville High School), Allison Reiser (LA Baptist), Haylee Hickman (Canyon High School), and Meredith Rice (Notre Dame High School), Defensive Specialists/Liberos Bea Ramos (Chatsworth High School), Carmen Lopez (Birmingham High School), Shannon Adams-Clarke (Birmingham High School), and Erin Lani (Canyon High School), Middle Hitters Ebony Tidwell (Chatsworth High School), Kathleen Corcoran (Faith Baptist), and Allie Tosch (Quartz Hill High School), I truly believe that the sky is the limit for our new 2005 squad. I am looking forward to the 2005 season with great anticipation and excitement.

Thank you for your interest and support of the women's volleyball program and I hope to see you at the games.

Best Wishes,

Nabil Mardini
Head Coach, Women's Volleyball