Lost in the excitement over the volleyball team’s resurgence is Oregon’s hidden weapon in practices.
Outside hitter Gorana Maricic, a transfer from Northwood University, is helping Oregon prepare for some of the toughest hitters in the Pacific-10 Conference.
In a perfect situation, Maricic would be helping the Ducks on the court, her 6-foot-3-inch frame and powerful kills boosting Oregon’s already potent attack. Maricic’s aspirations of contributing this season fell through when Northwood University declined to grant Maricic a one-time transfer release and as a result, she had to sit out and watch.
“When I found out that I’m going to redshirt this year, it was really really hard, but the girls were just amazing,” Maricic said. “They helped me through it.”
Although she attends home matches, she is unable to travel with the team. Teammates call her often during their trips and keep her up to date.
When the team returns home, watching them at McArthur Court can be difficult.
“It’s been really hard,” Maricic said. “I just want to jump in and just want to hit the ball. I just want to serve the ball. I just want to do anything. It seems like they have so much fun, and I just want to be part of it.”
That Maricic can help Oregon in practice makes her feel a part of the team.
“She’s an awesome player,” libero Katie Swoboda said. “She puts a lot of pressure on our side, especially for me playing defense and our blockers. She’s a great player and she only benefits us and gets us better so we’re so thankful for her.”
Maricic takes solace in the fact she’s going to have two years of eligibility left, starting in the 2007 season. Her veteran presence is going to smooth Oregon’s transition with the Ducks losing seniors Kristen Bitter, Erin Little and Heather Madison.
“That definitely helps me thinking about the long run,” Maricic said. “It’s kind of an extra year. I still get to practice with them, but then when I think I have two more years, I’m so excited. I just cannot wait.”
“It may be the best thing that ever happened to her. It gives her a chance to know what this level’s like. She gets to see everybody. She gets to understand. She gets to get herself prepared.
“With Erin (Little) on the floor, her role would have been a little more limited than it can be next year,” Moore said of her extra year.
Maricic looked at a variety of Pac-10 schools, including Washington, at the urging of fellow Serbian Sonja Tomasevic. Maricic had overwhelmed the competition at Northwood, earning 2005 AVCA second team All-American, GLIAC Regional Player of the Year and first team All-Conference honors.
“Volleyball was OK,” Maricic said. “It was high level for Division II, but still, I wanted to switch majors and I definitely wanted a challenge and I knew the Pac-10 is one of the best conferences in the States. It was kind of my dream to come and see where I’m at.”
Maricic remembered Moore from a match-up between Northwood University and Northern Michigan, where Moore coached before coming to Oregon.
“My freshman year was more like confusing and everything was new,” Maricic said. “I knew him as a good coach, but I didn’t know a lot of things about them before I came here. I didn’t know how good he actually was.”
Maricic, who already knew Oregon’s Mira Djuric from a brief stint together on the Serbian National Team, contacted her via Facebook and asked her about Oregon’s program.
The competitor in Maricic wanted to go to a successful program and Oregon had struggled for years.
“It was kind of scary to come here because I knew the past,” Maricic said. “But I knew that Jim is going to change it definitely, and I didn’t really think about it that much.”
Heading south
Oregon visits Arizona and Arizona State this weekend, with both schools trying to break losing streaks.
The Ducks first go to Tucson. Oregon freshman middle blocker Sonja Newcombe considered the school during the recruiting process, taking an official visit to the program close to her family in California.
This week, she expects a challenge, and no hangover from Oregon’s five-game loss last Friday to No. 4 Washington.
“Obviously, emotionally that was tough but it’s a new week, new goal, new focus,” Newcombe said.
Arizona (10-15, 1-12 Pac-10) pushed USC to four games last week and lost to UCLA in three. Arizona State (11-13, 3-10 Pac-10) did the opposite, losing to UCLA in four games and falling to USC in three.
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