USC signs two highly touted high school seniors

Two high school seniors who were selected to the USA Volleyball Youth National Training Team have committed to play their college volleyball at USC.

The USC athletics department announced Thursday that it signed Lucas Yoder and Andy Benesh to letters of intent to join the Trojans for the 2014 season.

Yoder, a 6-foot-4-inch outside attacker from San Clemente, Calif., is a two-time member of the USA Volleyball Future Select Team and as a junior last season was named to the Orange County Register All-Orange County Second-Team. He is also the son of the late USC All-American Dave Yoder who helped the Trojans reach three NCAA championship matches in the 1980s.

Benesh, a 6-foot-7-inch middle attacker from Palos Verdes, Calif., has been selected to the USA Volleyball youth national training teams in both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. In addition, he helped his club team win a national championship this summer.

“We’re thrilled to sign both of these student-athletes,” USC Bill Ferguson said in a statement. “Lucas will remind many people of (former USC All-American) Tri Bourne with the way he plays. The game seems to come easy to him. He’s a very fluid passer and a smart attacker. Andy has a real quick arm, he has excellent ball control for a big guy and he is a great blocker. Both of them are fierce competitors and are used to winning, and we feel they will continue that here at USC.”

USC has reached the Final Four in three of the last four years and has won back-to-back MPSF regular season championships.