Baylee Johnson is no longer on the USC volleyball team. “She rendered herself academically ineligible,” USC coach Mick Haley said Wednesday. “And that’s about all I can share with you.” Johnson, a 6-footer from Dayton, Ohio, enrolled early at USC in 2015 and was a standout freshman last season, part of a 6-2 offense in which she played every one of USC’s 130 sets. The Women of Troy, ranked No. 1 much of the season, finished 33-3, losing to Kansas in the NCAA regional final, 15-13 in the fifth. In that match Johnson had her 19th double-double of the season with a career-high 45 assists to go with 15 digs and six blocks (one solo). Johnson, who played all the way around, had 936 assists last season, 110 kills and 67 blocks (four solo) The surprising turn of events leaves USC with one returning setter in Alice Pizzasegola, who ran a 6-2 with Johnson, and transfer Nikki Leonard. Pizzasegola, a 5-10 senior from Italy, played in all 36 matches and had 651 assists. Leonard, a 5-8 junior from Bakersfield, Calif., played two seasons at Gonzaga. Last year she played in in 18 matches and 56 sets and had a career high 3.98 assists per set. Haley put a positive spin on the situation. “Because of the uncertainty of her, though, our team is much more comfortable because they know who is going to be here now,” said Haley, who will start his 16th season at USC and 40th overall. “I think Nikki Leonard is a good...
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