Out of

Out of

the

shadow

Sophomore setter

Kelly Flannigan has

emerged this season to

fill the All-American

shoes of Julie Bremner

By Eric Branch

Daily Bruin Staff

A Ferrari without a gas pedal. The Lakers without Magic. The
Bruins without Bremner?

During the preseason, the pundits looked at the loss of
Pacific-10 Player of the Year and All-American setter Julie Bremner
as reason enough for the UCLA women’s volleyball team’s national
decline. Both Volleyball Monthly and Volleyball Magazine tabbed the
Bruins, loaded with big hitters, eighth in the nation, citing the
lack of a setter for their blasphemy. Volleyball Monthly wrote,
"UCLA must cope without setter Julie Bremner, who had a lot to do
with last year’s wins."

Now for some programs, such a lofty ranking might be cause to
throw a party. But the UCLA women’s volleyball team? Eighth? It was
like forecasting snow drifts in Honolulu. The Bruins have finished
as low as eighth exactly once in their 23-year existence.

One item the "experts" forgot was that Bremner was not exactly
being replaced by an amorphous blob. In fact, sophomore setter
Kelly Lee Flannigan brought an impressive résumé into the
1994 season.

Before gaining valuable experience backing up Bremner as a
freshman, Flannigan started all four years at setter for four-time
Florida State champion Berkeley Prep in Tampa. During her career,
Flannigan was a Volleyball Monthly, USA Today and Mizuno High
School All-American. She ended her high school career by being
named Florida State Player of the Year in 1992. However, despite
the honor roll, doubts remained as to who could get the ball to the
likes of All-Pac-10 hitters Annett Buckner, Jenny Johnson and Kim
Krull.

"I guess there was a lot of pressure, but I never looked at it
that way," Flannigan said. "I never thought ‘wow, I have all these
great hitters and I better be able to set them’ just because I play
with them every day. But I know it is a big role to fill."

Indeed, after winning a preseason battle with freshman setter
Kim Coleman, Flannigan has not played as if she were battling
nerves. In helping the Bruins to their customary spot in the upper
echelon with a No. 3 ranking and 21-2 record, the 6-foot
sophomore’s 13.15 assists per game rank her 10th in the nation and
2nd in the Pac-10. She has recorded 60-plus assists three
times.

"Kelly has made excellent progress," head coach Andy Banachowski
said. "Earlier in the year when she made mistakes she let it affect
her flow and concentration. Now she has gotten past that."

However, in a program such as UCLA’s, the competition is never
far behind. Despite her impressive numbers and starting in 19 of 23
matches, Flannigan has been taken out in stretches of matches in
favor of the taller block of Coleman.

"It’s hard for me," Flannigan said. "Kim is a really good
blocker, but it makes me mad at myself. It makes me frustrated if
I’m not doing my job."

In starting the last 10 matches, Flannigan has gradually
overcome her inability to take a position of control on the floor.
Banachowski has urged the sophomore to take more control of a team
led by spiritual leaders Johnson and Buckner.

"It’s hard for Kelly because she is younger than most of the
players out there," Johnson said. "But setter is a leadership
position no matter who you are. Kelly is definitely learning to do
that."

While she had to erase the memory of Bremner in the minds of the
pundits, Flannigan concedes that the All-American’s example has
helped her achieve success on the court this year.

"Mentally she worked so hard," Flannigan said. "I mean she
literally gave 100 percent on every ball. It was gnarly. Her work
ethic has definitely rubbed off on me."