Pressure? What pressure?
The only pressure preseason All-American candidate and All-ACC forward Svetlana Volnaya feels is the never-ending quest to better herself as a player.
"I'm not trying to think about our rankings right now," Volnaya said. "I'm just trying to work hard and then we'll see what happens afterward. I don't feel that much pressure right now."
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Volnaya is coming off a stellar season that earned her first team All-ACC honors and an honorable mention for the Kodak All-American team. The senior is one of three captains this season for the Cav women's basketball team, which kicks off its exhibition season tonight at 7:30 p.m. at University Hall against Athletes in Action.
Volnaya was second in scoring for the Cavaliers last season, averaging 13.8 points per game, behind only Schuye LaRue (14.4). She led the team and the ACC in three-point shooting, making 42.9 percent of her shots from behind the arc.
Arriving in Charlottesville after a year at Independence Community College in Kansas, Volnaya had a mediocre sophomore season, averaging just 6.4 ppg in 18.6 minutes per game. But last year, the Belarus native - known to teammates and fans as "Sly" - stepped into the spotlight and surprised the opposition.
Virginia coach Debbie Ryan did not start Volnaya regularly last season until early December. The 6-foot-1 forward went on to start every game after that, helping to lead Virginia to a 25-9 season record and a berth in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
Volnaya helped spark the team last season during a 10-game winning streak by averaging 18.0 ppg during the run. The Cavs defeated two top-10 teams in that stretch, ACC rivals North Carolina and N.C. State. Volnaya was called upon to guard the opponents' top scorer during these games and throughout most of the season.
The last game of the 10-game winning streak allowed Volnaya to display a skill that is often overlooked and hard to measure: toughness. Clemson took Virginia into double overtime in that game before succumbing to a 77-74 defeat. Volnaya was the only player in the game to play all 50 minutes and she contributed 15 points and five rebounds in the victory.
Although she did have an exceptional junior season last year, she spent the offseason strengthening her weaknesses.
"I look to improve my mental game this year," Volnaya said. "Last year I got frustrated too much and took it out on myself. I just need to get over it and keep working hard."
Her improved defensive skills and ability to play on the perimeter and in the paint make Volnaya a tough player for opposing defenses to stop. Add to that improved ball control and a sweet pull-up jumper she worked on in the offseason and teams are going to have their hands full with the Cavalier in the No. 15 jersey.
"Sly, she's got a great shot," LaRue said. "We can take her inside and post her up or she can shoot over the top of a small guard. It's just a variety of things that she can do."
Volnaya, LaRue and junior guard Telisha Quarles are the "big three" that teams will be expected to stop if they are to have any success against the Cavaliers this season.
"We're pretty fast and we can shoot," Volnaya said. "To have two shooters outside like Telisha and I and have a forward like Schuye inside, we're going to be pretty good."
Virginia enters the 2000-01 season picked to finish second in the ACC behind Duke and is expected to be a preseason top-15 team. The Cavs finished last season ranked No. 14 in the USA Today-Coaches Poll and No. 19 in The Associated Press Poll after losing to eventual runner-up Tennessee in the third round of the NCAA tournament. But first, Athletes in Action stands in the way.
Athletes in Action is comprised of former collegiate athletes who compete against top Division I schools in a series of exhibition games in the fall. The mission of Athletes in Action is an evangelical one, using sports as a platform to spread the word of the Christian faith.
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