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Mail Tribune file photo Kristin Ferris will try to find a niche at Arizona next fall. Volleyball looms in their future Six North players eye college careers By GREG STILES More and more women's major college volleyball has become the domain of female Goliaths. North Medford High coach Ron Beick is quick to point out that Volleyball Monthly's prep Fab 50 lists just two players standing less than 6 feet. Thanks to a recent substitution rule change, a little more room has been carved out for players of less than towering stature. That's good news for the likes of North Medford senior Kristin Ferris. At a shade under 5-foot-7 it didn't matter that Ferris was a second-team all-state player. It didn't matter how good anyone under 5-10 was until now. But with the NCAA moving toward the international rules that put more emphasis on back-row players, Ferris decision to walk-on at the University of Arizona might payoff. Ferris is one of six North players from last year's third-place state tournament team that intend to play collegiately next fall. "It was a matter of finding a place I could prove myself," Ferris says. "I've been looking forward to this for a long, long time." Beick and Arizona coach Dave Rubio are longtime friends. Beick steered Ferris toward a camp in Arizona last summer and Rubio was impressed enough to give Ferris a chance. Arizona placed fourth in the Pac-10 last fall and lost to eventual national champion Long Beach State in the second round of the playoffs. NCAA rules forbid coaches from commenting on unsigned players until they enroll in school. But Rubio addressed the opportunity created when substitutions went from 12 to 15 per game (colleges play 3-games-out-of-5 matches) as well as the end of the three-entries by a player per game. "It really opens up the door for players, who are very skilled in the back row," Rubio says. "Eventually those players become every bit as valuable as a front row player." It's also possible that the current limit of 12 scholarships for volleyball will be bumped to 13 in a year or two and Rubio thinks that schools like Arizona will use the extra ride on a defensive specialist. "Defensive specialists become that more valuable when you're not losing them half-way through a game," Beick says. Ali Mostue, a first-team all-state selection and Southern Oregon Conference player of the year, will attend Wellesley Colle in Boston. Wellesley placed third in the NCAA Division III tournament. Mostue turned down Division I offers from Denver and Portland State. Two other North players have elected to continue their careers at Division III schools. Middle hitter Ali Piff visited campuses from Oklahoma to Western Oregon before choosing California Lutheran, a national runner-up two years ago. Piff's speed and quickness could put her in the lineup by September. Ashley Olson made the best of a second chance after an ankle injury all but wiped out her senior season. Olson had an impressive run at the January Arizona Fiesta Classic during the USVBA club season. Olson's collegiate stock took a turn for the worse when she sprained her right ankle in North Medford's only SOC loss to Roseburg ... "It was a bad enough sprain that she didn't even try it for a couple of weeks," Beick says. "It was sore for most of the season and she didn't have a chance to completely recover.." When Olson went down Anna Happel moved from the middle to outside hitter and Ali Piff took over at middle. "The team clicks and from there we go on to finish third at state," Beick says. "It was a domino effect. She was a great team player all season and never complained once. She was able to play a little by the end of the season, but at that point, the team make-up was set." But Olson got a break in January when Ali Mostue came down with the flu the night before the team went to Arizona. "We put her on the outside along with Kristin and she had a phenomenal time to prove herself," Beick says. Setter Mandie Horn is headed for Cascade College in Portland, a relative-newcomer to collegiate sports and a member of the Cascade Conference along with Southern Oregon University. "Mandie will bring considerable experience and leadership to a program that is building to become an NAIA power in the Northwest," Beick says. Happel made her intentions to play at Lewis & Clark State in Idaho earlier in the year. The sixth starter for North's state tournament team was Lacey Dalton, who attracted interest from Portland State and Iowa State. She will attend Brigham Young and not play volleyball. Beick has now had 96 players extend their careers to the collegiate level with 82 receiving full or partial financial rides. "I'm proud of that," Beick says. "Almost of all of them would say that it's been a positive life experience. We want to make sure they're happy with their schools and academics and not just there strictly for volleyball. It's a matter balancing priorities." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.