No matter how this season plays out, 2004 will go down as an historic year for South Jersey girls' volleyball.

The Olympic Conference, which started out 12 years ago with six teams and had just 15 teams and three divisions a season ago, is now a super conference, boasting 24 teams in four divisions.

"This is the largest increase of teams in our conference in one season," said Eastern coach Tom Armour, whose 2001 Vikings team won the only girls' state title in South Jersey history. "Volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in the state. In our area, the Olympic Conference is growing by nine teams, plus all three of the high schools in Toms River are adding volleyball programs this year."

The new Olympic Freedom Division joins the American, Patriot and National.

The American Division now includes Cherry Hill East, Eastern, Washington Township, Southern and first-year programs Lenape and Cherokee.

"The interest in girls' volleyball at Cherokee is very high," said Cherokee coach Patrick Senft, who also coached Winslow Township's first squad four years ago. "The girls are very excited about being the school's first team."

"It's great seeing the growth of our sport," said ninth-year Washington Township coach Barbara McBrearty. "More and more kids are playing volleyball in the offseason. That can only help the talent level in our league."

The National Division is comprised of Camden, Camden County Tech, Moorestown, Sterling, Woodrow Wilson and Clearview, a second-year program that played an independent schedule last season.

The Patriot Division includes Cherry Hill West, Pennsauken, Williamstown, Winslow Township and first-year programs Seneca and Shawnee.

"When I started here 21 years ago, I was asked what sport I wanted to coach. I said volleyball," said Shawnee coach Margaret Fanourgakis, who played volleyball collegiately. "It's a dream come true for me."

The new Freedom Division is comprised of Pennsauken Tech, St. Joseph, first-year program Cinnaminson and second-year independent programs GCIT, Our Lady of Mercy and Pleasantville.

"We're very excited about being the school's first team," Cinnaminson coach Rob Spier said. "We've improved so much since our first practice. I think that we'll be able to contend and not get blown out of of too many matches."

Because of a new rule change, underdog teams like first-year Cinnaminson will have an easier time pulling off an upset.

Over the summer, the NJSIAA's Executive Committee voted to shorten matches from best-of-five games to best of three.

"I think the rule change is going to hurt high school volleyball in South Jersey," said Cherry Hill East senior Sam Foss, last season's Courier-Post Player of the Year. "Best-of-three doesn't give players the match experience they need. The starters will have to play the entire match. Younger players won't get to play as much now because there is no room for error."

"Like with all sports, if there are proposed changes, we poll our member schools. The result was overwhelming to go to three games," NJSIAA Executive Director Boyd Sands said. "Volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports throughout the state, but there were concerns from principals and athletic directors about the time length of matches. This matter will be looked at again this year."