Kansas University’s volleyball team is coming off the finest season in school history.

Coach Ray Bechard’s Jayhawks tied for third place in the Big 12 Conference — the program’s best Big 12 finish ever — and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

Riding loftier expectations than ever before, the Jayhawks will try to take another step and earn a repeat trip to the postseason dance in 2004.

“The only way to top what we did last year is be a better team,” said senior middle blocker Ashley Michaels. “When we played Pepperdine (in NCAAs) we saw the type of team we have to beat and the type of team we have to be to get farther than last year.”

It seems the Jayhawks — who finished the 2003 season ranked No. 27 by the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association — have taken the necessary steps to be in position for another strong showing this season.

Not only does Kansas have postseason experience, but also great depth at every position. Seven players with extensive starting experience return, plus four highly regarded newcomers.

“One of the things that’s a new strength for us is depth,” said seventh-year coach Bechard. “Because of the number of injuries on our B side (in the past) we haven’t been as strong. Now our A and B sides both are very strong which helps a lot because our A side will get to see stiffer competition every day in practice. Now you could see different starting lineups every match depending on who’s having a good week.”

It would be understandable if KU was weak at outside hitter with the loss of all-time kills leader Sarah Rome to graduation, but Bechard said that won’t be the case.

“Losing Sarah Rome is a huge loss, because there’s a kid who wanted the ball in key situations,” Bechard said. “But do we have that now? Yeah, I think we do.”

Sophomore hitter Jana Correa is a candidate for big kills. She was KU’s go-to hitter in 2003 before an anterior cruciate ligament injury cut her sensational first season short.

The return of Josi Lima should buoy Kansas.

She’s healthy now, however, and Bechard said he expects her to be at full strength by the time the season begins. Overland Park senior Lindsey Morris started 19 matches last year and will be a leading candidate to replace Rome on the left side.

Freshmen Emily Brown, a Baldwin native and the Gatorade Kansas High School Player of the Year, also is expected to be in the running for a starting nod. So are sophomore Megan Hill, freshman Tessa Jones, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Barton County Community College transfer Paula Caten, a 6-3 hitter from Canarana, Brazil.

“There are a lot of quality people at that position,” Bechard said of his outside hitters. “That’s only going to help the team because it creates more competition for spots every day in practice.”

Junior Andi Rozum has started 47 of 52 career matches at setter. Meanwhile, senior Ashley Bechard gained valuable experience starting 13 matches last year while Rozum sat with a hip and groin injury.

The return of Jill Dorsey should buoy Kansas.

Both rank in the Top 10 on KU’s career assists chart.

Michaels and junior Josi Lima have been mainstays in the starting lineup at the middle blocker positions for the past two years. As a sophomore and junior, Michaels posted the top two single-season attacking percentages in school history.

Lima, a Sao Paulo, Brazil, native, was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2002 and became the first Jayhawk to be named AVCA All-Region in 2003. Red-shirt freshman Caitlin Mahoney and Kristin Buehler, a 6-2 freshman from Parkville, Mo., are also expected to gain playing time as blockers.

Wellsville senior Jill Dorsey again will start at libero after finishing seventh in the Big 12 with a team-high 3.51 digs per game in 2003. Sophomores Jamie Mathewson and Dani Wittman provide depth to the Jayhawks’ back line.