FITTING IN AT UCLA MERIWETHER BOLSTERS BRUINS AFTER TRANSFERRING FROM DUKE.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer Nana Meriwether followed in her father's footsteps by choosing Duke out of high school. And those were big shoes to fill. Her dad, Delano, was an accomplished student and sprinter. He also holds the distinction as the first black to graduate from Duke's medical school. Consequently, everyone knew who Meriwether, a middle blocker for the volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. team, was when she arrived. But the situation wasn't a fit for her. She got a full release, meaning she didn't have to sit out a year, and transferred to UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . She already has made a mark with the Bruins. Meriwether is averaging 2.65 kills and a team-best 1.6 blocks per game in helping UCLA reach the Sweet Sixteen. Fifteen-seeded UCLA (20-10) will play No. 2 Penn State (29-2) today in the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament NCAA Tournament can mean: Men's Sports
Meriwether, a sophomore, couldn't be happier. ``It was a very difficult decision because I come from a very academically strong family,'' Meriwether said. ``My dad pushed me to go to Duke, but it wasn't a right fit for me. The program was good. The school wasn't for me. The academics were fine, but I didn't fit. I called UCLA and thankfully, I'm here.'' Bruins coach Andy Banachowski recruited Meriwether out of Maryland but didn't have a scholarship available. A year later, Meriwether called Banachowski and this time he had a scholarship. UCLA has lost 10 matches this season but has won five of its past six. The combination of Meriwether and middle blocker Brynn Murphy has been instrumental in UCLA's success. Murphy averages a team-best 3.26 kills per game. ``I think about a month ago we finally settled in,'' Banachowski said ``I really don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. . It's our best lineup A criminal investigation technique in which the police arrange a number of individuals in a row before a witness to a crime and ask the witness to identify which, if any, of the individuals committed the crime. and best use of personnel. Everybody's kind of fit into a role and is contributing. We've made a lot of progress. It's almost like we're hitting our midseason stride.'' If UCLA wins, it will play either Washington or St. Mary's in the regional final. USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. (21-5) vs. San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. (24-4), 2 p.m. today, Louisville Eighth-seeded USC, the two-time defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del tÃtulo defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre , needs four more wins for a three-peat. The Trojans, playing in their fifth consecutive regional, would play either Nebraska - which it beat at Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament last year - or Louisville at home. USC swept the College of Charleston The College of Charleston (CofC) is a public university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The College was founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, making it the oldest college or university in South Carolina, the 13th oldest institution of higher learning in and Kansas State in the first two rounds. ``I think it's really tough now, but that's the way it should be,'' USC coach Mick Haley said. ``You get to the top 16 teams and you'll have some really good matches. We expect (No. 11) San Diego to give us everything they have. We really have a lot of respect for what they've done with the program. We don't go in there looking beyond them.'' Jill Painter, (818)713-3615 jill.painter(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: NANA MERIWETHER Sophomore middle blocker has helped the Bruins reach the regional semifinals, where they will face Penn State. |
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