Rich Nelson Class: Senior Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif. High School: Alemany Height / Weight: 6-3 / 180 Position: Setter R/L: Right

2002 — Earned 3rd-Team All MPSF honors … Played and started in 31 of 32 matches last season … Ranked eighth nationally and sixth in league in assist average … Averaged 13.7 assists per game and ranked second on the team at 1.5 dpg … Tied his career-high of five kills vs. Pepperdine (2/7), and also recorded 66 set assists, eight digs and two block assists … Recorded five kills (.444), 10 digs and two block assists vs. BYU (2/21) … Hit better than .500 in 14 matches … Recorded his season-high of 67 assists vs. UCSB (4/20) … Also had eight digs and three block assists … Recorded his season-high of 12 digs vs. Stanford (2/16) … Blocked six balls and recorded 60 assists vs. UCSB (2/19) … Against LBS ( 1/31), he spiked three kills (.429), dug six balls, recorded five total blocks and 54 set assists … Member of the Director’s Honor Roll for Fall Quarter 2001, and Winter Quarter 2002. 2001 — Earned All-MPSF Honorable Mention honors in his first season as a full-time starter … Ranked among the league leaders in assists per game at 12.62 … Recorded a season-high of 76 assists vs. Stanford in the five-game MPSF playoff victory … Blocked a career-high of eight balls vs. USC (2/7) and recorded 14 digs vs. UCSB (2/14), another career-best… Also blocked six balls vs. Long Beach State (4/26) … Hit .400 or better in 12 matches … Played in 30 matches and 117 games as a sophomore.

2000 — Started five matches from Feb. 11-26, and led the Bruins to a record of 4-1 … Also set the Bruins in Games 3, 4 and 5 of the Long Beach State (1/7) victory as well as their wins against UOP (1/8) and UC Irvine (1/8) … Recorded a career-high of 102 set assists in the loss to CS Northridge … Recorded career-highs of five kills and a season-high of 11 digs, and distributed 97 assists vs. UCSB (2/19) … Recorded his career-high of three aces vs. UCSD (2/11) … Blocked a season-high of six balls vs. SDSU (2/16) and CS Northridge (2/17) … In 30 games, he averaged 16.7 assists per game and 1.3 digs per game.

High School — Earned a total of five varsity letters in volleyball (3) and basketball (2) … In basketball he played guard and forward for coaches Rob Webb and Darryl McDonald … In volleyball he played setter and outside hitter for coach Jamie Quaglino … In volleyball he earned First-Team All-CIF as a senior … Played for the L.A. Athletic Club and earned First-Team All-America honors and MVP of the Junior National Team … Also earned an award as the best setter for the USA Youth National Team … Member of Volleyball Magazine’s Fab 50 recruits list in 1999.

Personal — Plays volleyball because it offers “tough competition” … Biggest thrill was receiving the All-American/MVP award as a member of the Jr. National Team … Admires Bruin great and four-time All-American Brandon Taliaferro … Enjoys drawing, painting and playing all sports, especially ping-pong … Favorite academic class is Astronomy … Full name is Richard Robert Nelson … Art major.

CAREER STATISTICS