When the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA in the 1990s, they had the tandem of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen leading the way. The same went for the Oakland Athletics and their “Bash Brothers” of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. Heck, even the Seattle Mariners have Jamie Moyer and Ichiro Suzuki.
Now, the Oregon Ducks have Closs and Martin. Lindsay Closs and Stephanie Martin, that is.
Martin, a junior transfer from the College of Southern Idaho, is a middle blocker with a soft side. Listed as 6-foot-3, but plays much bigger, Martin is the prototypical volleyball player. Her arm swing produces shots upward of 100 miles per hour, forcing those below to cringe and hope for the best, and her vertical jump is rivaled by very few in the Pacific-10 Conference.
Closs, on the other hand, is almost the exact opposite. Her demeanor is vicious on the court, and her play this season has elevated her to the top of the conference. While she is not as intimidating as Martin, the 6-foot-1 transfer from Fresno State sneaks up on opponents at their worst moments.

Together, these two make up the core of the Oregon offense, but more important, they are the future of Oregon volleyball. And both are ready to take on No. 7 Arizona when the Wildcats visit McArthur Court at 7 p.m. tonight.
While both are juniors and just beginning their Oregon careers, they have already made their marks. Martin has led the Ducks in kills in the last four matches, and her 26 kills Sunday against Idaho State represent the second-most kills by a Pac-10 player in a match this season.
Closs, while not posting the type of numbers that Martin has, is also crucial to the Oregon offense. But it might be her defense that is her strongest suit.
At 1.25 blocks per game, she is ranked sixth in the Pac-10. Her nine total blocks against Idaho State also tied her season best. And after each successful block, Closs fills the court with a scream that deafens the ear and makes her opponent uneasy.
“They’ve been phenomenal,” head coach Carl Ferreira said. “I don’t know if their shoulders are sore or not — because they’ve been carrying the load. I’ve been extremely impressed with them. I’m extremely impressed with their consistency, their physicality and their resiliency.”
But it wasn’t always going to be this way for the duo.
Martin was a highly celebrated player coming out of Westwood High School in Mesa, Ariz. She earned all-East Valley and all-state accolades following her senior season, but because of academic reasons, she decided to spend two years at the College of Southern Idaho.
After an outstanding sophomore year for the Golden Eagles, Martin received national honors after taking the squad to the NJCAA National Championship. She was named National Junior College Player of the Year, the MVP of the West Athletic Conference, as well as regional and national tournament MVP for the championship tournament.
When it came time to leave, Martin narrowed her choices to Oregon and Arizona. She had originally signed on to play for the Wildcats, but now is glad to call Oregon a “second home.”
“After junior college, not many universities knew where I was or what I was going to do,” she said. “University of Arizona, where I signed originally, was one, but when I went and visited both places, I didn’t get the same kind of feeling there.”
In high school, Closs also ruled her school and conference. In addition to volleyball, she also lettered in track and field and basketball, but fortunately for the Ducks, she chose to stay on the volleyball court and terrorize her opponents.
At Fresno State, the Spokane, Wash., native spent two successful seasons as an offensive force for the Bulldogs. She finished the 2000 season with 2.58 kills per game, enough to place her third on the squad. But more importantly, she led the team in blocks with 125 on the season, something she has continued this season. In 60 games and 17 matches, she has 75 total blocks for the Ducks, including 12 solo, good for second-best in the conference.
“(Oregon) wanted me here,” Closs said. “It’s an opportunity and it’s a great place and a great program. Everybody is here to work and it doesn’t matter how tired we are. Everyone comes to work, and they stay until we leave the gym.”
Normally, as a season wears on, players have a tendency to wear down and become more complacent with their play. These two, however, have gotten better with time. Their ability to feed-off each other has certainly helped.
“When I’m out watching (Martin) there, and I’m freaking out saying, ‘Come on,’ I want to do better,” Closs said. “It’s a back and forth thing but it’s not a competition to see who can do better, as long as we get the job done.”
Said Ferreira of his newest phenoms: “They get better every time they’re out there. (They’re) everything you’d want them to be, and they’re a pleasure to coach every day. Their personality, their character (is great) and yet they’re so different. It’s been a pleasure to have them here.
“I don’t know what I’d do without them.”