Jim Polster Long Beach State University Laguna Niguel, Calif. 6'6" - Outside Hitter Joined Team: June 2001

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2003 – Colorado/Nebraska Tour… Canada Tour…Pan American Games ( Fourth Place)…NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)…World Cup ( Fourth Place). 2002 – Dallas Tour…Six-Nation Tournament (Italy)…Louisville Tour…Bulgaria Tour…Greece Tour…Florida Tour…World Championships. 2001 – Jeep America’s Cup…World University Games.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2003 – Member of the team that played in the NORCECA Zone Championships in Mexico as Team USA captured the gold medal and a berth in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier. 2002 – Saw extensive action during the season, playing in 104-of-141 total sets…Ranks second on the team in kills (196), totals points (247) and digs (125)…He was tied for third in service aces (23), fourth in blocks (28) and eighth in points per set (2.38)...Scored a team-season-high 23 points in a five-set loss to Italy on June 11 (18 kills, three blocks, two service aces)...Played libero for final three matches of the Dallas Tour against the Czech Republic after an injury sidelined Chris Seiffert. 2001 – Won a gold medal at the World University Games in Beijing, China…Saw limited action for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team in the 2001 season, competing at the Jeep America’s Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina…Finished the season with 12 kills in 21 attempts and posted a hitting percentage of .381.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2001 – Earned second-team All-America honors by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)…Named to the All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation third team…Averaged 3.53 kills, 0.89 blocks and 1.62 digs per game for the fourth-ranked 49ers, who finished the year 18-7 and tied for first-place with Hawaii in the Pacific Division of the MPSF. 2000 – Earned All-MPSF honorable mention…Appeared in 75 games on the season…Averaged 3.89 kills per game…Posted an average of 1.81 digs per game…Had a .318 hitting percentage on the season…Recorded 19 double-figure kill matches. 1999 – Earned All-MPSF honorable mention …Led the team in total digs with 223 and in digs per game with 2.42…Was ranked fifth nationally in digs per game…Had a hitting percentage of .272…Posted 24 kills in back-to-back matches at USC (February 20) and at Stanford (February 26)…Had a season-high 25 kills on March 12 vs. Hawaii. 1998 – Earned All-MPSF honorable mention…Finished second on the team in kills with 370 and in kills per game average at 4.02…Led the team in digs with 185 and in digs per game average at 2.01. Posted 27 kills vs. Hawaii on February 20.

PERSONAL: Born James Andrew Polster on Feb. 8, 1979 in St. Paul, Minn….Now calls Laguna Niguel, Calif., home…Parents are Jeff and Ella Polster…Has two sisters, Becky (25) and Michelle (15)…Graduated in 1997 from Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, California…Played volleyball for two years in high school…Named all-South Coast League as a junior and senior…Named second team all-CIF as a senior…Also enjoys playing beach volleyball.