Oslovsky Driving Force for Bishop Montgomery

Katie Oslovsky played for the U.S. Junior National Team last summer and helped the Americans take sixth place at the World Junior Championships in Portugal.

“It was a great experience--everything from the coaching and playing other countries,” said Oslovsky, a senior at Torrance Bishop Montgomery. “You really get to see what kind of talent is out there.”

Few girls in the nation are as talented as Oslovsky, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker who will play at USC next year.

But before she leaves for college and a possible shot at making an Olympic team, Oslovsky intends to lead Bishop Montgomery to its third state Division III championship in four years.

Oslovsky was a freshman contributor for the 1996 championship team and was a standout last season when Bishop Montgomery defeated Forestville El Molino for the state title.

She is one of several outstanding players for the Knights, who have been ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section’s III-AA division since the start of this season.

“Her height alone puts her above most players, but she also jumps well and reads the hitters very, very well,” Bishop Montgomery Coach Kim Willeman said.

Oslovsky started playing volleyball in the fifth grade and joined a club team a year later.

“My first couple of years were kind of a struggle,” she said. “I was never one of the real good players. I was always a sub.”

Oslovsky grew to 6-foot-1 by the time she was a freshman and had a solid foundation of skills from her club participation.

Her size made her an immediate impact player for the Knights and she has developed into an almost unstoppable force in the ensuing three seasons.

Oslovsky had a career-high 34 kills and six blocks in a five-game victory over second-ranked Harvard-Westlake last month.

She led Bishop Montgomery to a fifth-place finish in the prestigious Tournament of Champions in Santa Barbara last week. The Knights defeated perennial Division I-AA power Manhattan Beach Mira Costa in the fifth-place match.

The Southern Section playoffs begin next week and Bishop Montgomery is favored to repeat as the Division III-AA champion. If the Knights finish first or second, they will earn the opportunity to defend their state championship.