Rachel Morris is accustomed to large gatherings at Thanksgiving.
So this Thursday, it’s natural that Morris will welcome members of the volleyball program to join her and her family in celebrating the holiday.
“It will be good to be with everyone for Thanksgiving,” Morris said.
Morris, who is from Manhattan Beach, Calif., is holding the get-together at the home of a family friend in Mercer Island, Wash., close to Seattle. Morris says she’s used to having more than 30 people at Thanksgiving. She expects to have her parents, brother, grandparents, uncle and cousin join her this week.
The trip starts Wednesday with a match at Washington State. No. 13 Oregon stays the night in Pullman, Wash., and travels on Thanksgiving Day. They will practice once they reach Seattle and celebrate the holiday that night. On Friday, they meet up with No. 6 Washington to close out the regular season.
“I feel very strongly (and) I think many of them do that we are a family and so we obviously have our own families and it would be great to have Thanksgiving like we always have, but you don’t always get to do that,” coach Jim Moore said.
Thanksgiving also allows the volleyball team to share an American tradition with players who have come from outside the United States, namely Gorana Maricic, Nevena Djordjevic and Marija Milosevic – who are all from Serbia.
The highlight for Maricic, who knew little about Thanksgiving before coming to America, is the food, she says.
“I just watched on TV and in movies. Turkey is not the main meat we eat back in Serbia,” Maricic said. “When I got here in the states, I really like that. It’s really good.”
Selection Sunday
After the two Washington matches, Oregon returns home for the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday at 5 p.m.
“I think that’s something special not everybody can experience,” Maricic said. “I’m just thankful we can be a part of it.”
Oregon, which sits at No. 13 in the nation, is 19-9 overall and 8-8 in the Pacific-10 Conference – tied for fifth place with UCLA.
“I’m sure we are getting in,” Maricic said. “I don’t see why not. What I’m looking forward to is that we’re going to go much further this year.”
But is Moore any less anxious this year?
“No,” he paused. “We’re in. Now there’s more at stake. Do we get to host? Do we not get to host? I think we’d be very fortunate to host.”
Moore said that if Portland State wins the Big Sky Conference Tournament it could help Oregon’s chances of holding the first two rounds of the tournament in McArthur Court. Portland State’s inclusion would give Oregon a team within driving distance of Eugene.
More likely Washington will host, Moore said. He emphasized it shouldn’t make a difference either way to the team’s goal of a lengthy run through the tournament.
“I hope not. That’s the one thing I’ve talked about. It doesn’t matter where we go,” Moore said. “Obviously, we want to be at home and it would be nice. I think the biggest for me is it’s for the program. It changes a program. It just changes the way you do things when you host your first NCAA event.”
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