Ahead of women’s volleyball’s season opener against the University of Denver on Friday at Galen Center, USC Head Coach Brad Keller said he expects the Colorado school to come out with a similar gameplan to the preseason No. 21 Trojans.

That isn’t because the teams have played often — Friday will be only the second time the schools have faced off in women’s volleyball and the first since Denver won in five sets in 2021 — but because it will be Keller’s first time coaching opposite of Denver’s Head Coach Megan Pendergast since she they both served as assistant coaches at UCLA.

“All the systems that we run she knows, and she knows how to run those systems,” Keller said. “We’re going to see a lot of very similar things is what I would guess.”

USC adapting after graduating key pieces

The Denver Pioneers, which are made up of mostly underclassmen, will be without outside hitter Cassie Davis and middle blocker Molly Mirabelli, graduate students who led the team in kills a year prior. They will also be missing their starting setter from last season, redshirt junior Briley Decker, who transferred to Grand Canyon University. 

Similarly, the Trojans will enter their opening match with a new-look roster. The addition of seven freshmen and sophomore middle blocker Mia Tvrdy, a transfer from Oregon, has replenished a Trojan roster that saw the departure of its leading blocker, middle blocker Tyrah Ariail, and the end of the collegiate career of outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, their leader in kills and kills per set. 

“It’s been a pretty easy change. Everyone gets along really well,” redshirt sophomore middle blocker Leah Ford said. “One of our big pillars here is relationships.”

Faumuina headlines returning players

With the loss of long-time starting setter Mia Tuaniga, who held the record for most career assists in program history with 4,529, the Trojans will turn to freshman setter Reese Messer, an American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year finalist in high school, and junior setter Allie Hazelwood. 

“I really like our two setters. They’re both very athletic, very quick,” Keller said. 

Bolstering the Trojans’ attack is redshirt junior outside hitter Adonia Faumuina, who was second in kills last year with 298 and was named to the Big Ten Preseason All-Conference Team. USC may also rely on redshirt sophomore outside hitter London Wijay, who saw limited action last season after a stellar freshman season where she ranked second on the team in kills per set with 2.42. 

“[Wijay] can pass, dig. She’s a complete volleyball player, so just that consistency,” Keller said. “There’s a lot of that stuff that just makes it a lot easier for players around her.”

‘Scrappy’ style key to success

Beyond Faumuina and Wijay, the Trojans have a shortage of experience at outside hitter. The group could be boosted by redshirt junior outside hitter Dani Thomas-Nathan, who missed her junior season due to a shoulder surgery. Meanwhile, freshmen outside hitters Quinn Loper and Presley Kiffin along with redshirt freshman Brooklyn Tealer round out the position. 

Despite the losses they faced, USC can continue to rely on long-time Trojans on the court. Senior libero Gala Trubint, their leader in digs last season, will continue to boost the team defensively. At middle blocker the Trojans will have Ford, last season’s leader in blocks per set, to count on as well.  

The new-look team will also mean a new-look style. The Trojans are smaller this year, meaning they will emphasize playing to their strengths. Players have highlighted a new emphasis on playing a “gritty” or “scrappy” style. 

“I want us to be one of the scrappiest teams in the country,” Keller said. “I want to be a great defensive team, and I want our identity — and our backbone needs to be — defense.” 

The Trojans will be able to test their newfound identity in front of their home crowd at 7 p.m. Friday at Galen Center against Denver before going on the road against Loyola Marymount University for a Sunday afternoon match at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles.