Stanford on the rise in men's volleyball

Powered by a dominant lineup, Stanford has the chance to win a national title.

Stanford has an opportunity to achieve something no other school has ever done -- win national titles in both men's and women's volleyball in the same year.

The women's contingent has won three of the last five titles, while the men have finished Miss Congeniality in 1989 and 1992.

The Cardinal came in this season as the nation's consensus No. 1. Coach Ruben Nieves said all the hype about his club is deserving, but he is apprehensive of someone giving his team the title right now.

"We're an improving team," Nieves said. "We're a physical team with good potential. I think we will be and need to be better at the end of the season."

Stanford finished 15-8 last year, 12-7 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. All six starters are back, including three-time All-American swing hitter Matt Fuerbringer. The 6-foot-7 senior averaged better than six kills per game last season.

Nieves also returns not only one of the best players in the country but possibly the world. Mike Lambert redshirted 1996 in order to be a key member of the U.S. Olympic team that competed last summer in Atlanta. The senior opposite hitter was one of the few collegiate players to even get a tryout with the team.

"Mike Lambert is the next collegiate that has the tools to be an international star," Penn State coach Mark Pavlik said. "The experience he has from playing in the Olympics is just going to elevate his game."

The Cardinal has rolled over its early opponents, compiling a clean 4-0 record. Nieves expects the usual tough matches against UCLA, Pepperdine and UC-Santa Barbara during the regular season.

"There's a lot of parity," Nieves said. "I don't think we're an exception to that, despite being ranked No. 1. Right now, we're not head and shoulders above the competition."

Stanford's toughest test so far came in the NCAA Preview Tournament at Ohio State. It needed four games to defeat both Indiana-Purdue-Ft. Wayne and the host Buckeyes.

Nieves said it was beneficial for the team to travel a long distance and get used to the tough grind of a long season. He liked the outcome of each match but not necessarily the path to victory.

"We were not dominating. Both matches were very competitive and up for grabs until the fourth game," Nieves said. "We really didn't seem to take control of either match."

Not being able to dominate a match could seemingly end quickly for Stanford. Along with its returning talent, Nieves has added a freshman to the mix who is paying big dividends.

Andy Witt, a 6-foot-6 swing hitter from Santa Ynez, Calif., has seen significant playing time for the Cardinal. He is second on the team in kills and boasts a .453 hitting percentage. Nieves has been happy with Witt's performance, up to a point.

"Despite having some good hitting numbers, at times he plays like a freshman," Nieves said. "There are times when he has helped us and times he didn't. We need him to be more consistent so we know what we're going to get out of him on a day-to-day basis. He has the ability to lighten the load of the players around him."

Like all other coaches, Nieves is using every match to improve his club.

"There's always a favorite," Nieves said. "It's us this year, and it should be us based on the talent and experience we can put on the court."