RAINBOW WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL
D-II team visits Warriors
Hawaii faces MPSF doormat UC San Diego this weekend
There are challenges, and then there are the Tritons.
UC San Diego moved up to NCAA Division II status from Division III in 2001, but it didn't change anything when it came to funding scholarships for the program. The Tritons still offer zero money for their athletes, a number matched by UCSD's win total this season in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
The Tritons bring an 0-18 league mark into the Stan Sheriff Center when facing No. 3 Hawaii tomorrow in the opener of a two-match series. They also bring a 17-match losing streak, with only the 3-1 victory over Princeton on Feb. 1 preventing a complete shutout of a season.
MPSF VOLLEYBALL
Who: UC San Diego (1-24, 0-18) at No. 3 Hawaii (19-4, 15-3)
When: Tomorrow and Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Stan Sheriff Center
TV: Live, KFVE (Ch. 5)
Radio: Live, KKEA (1420-AM)
Tickets: $3-$14
Series: UH leads 33-0
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Still, first-year coach Kevin Ring takes it all in stride. He's been with the program since 1989, starting as the manager before playing for three seasons, followed by the past nine years as the Tritons' top assistant.
"We do not use the lack of scholarships as an excuse," Ring said. "We train just as hard as any other team in the MPSF and our goal is to win just like any other team.
"Our goal is to win each match we play, but we also recognize that we can have a goal of playing a competitive match regardless of the outcome. Our record so far this season is not where we want it, but at the same time we can find success in a number of competitive games and matches we've played."
Success is hard to find when looking at mere statistics.
UCSD has been swept in 19 of its 24 losses. Last night's result may have hurt more than losing 0-3; the Tritons lost a heartbreaker to visiting Cal Baptist, the top-ranked NAIA team, in five.
UCSD also threw another scare into UCLA last Saturday by taking Game 1 off the Bruins at the Wooden Center, 30-28; the Tritons fell in four. Last season, UCSD nearly knocked off the then-No. 1 Bruins, winning Games 1 and 3, before losing Game 5 18-16.
Success is also hard to find when looking at history.
In their 14 years in the league, the Tritons are 12-263. Only twice has UCSD won more than one conference match in a season, taking two in 1997 and a school-record four in 2004.
Even in 2000, the year the Tritons won the Division III championship, UCSD finished 1-18 in the MPSF.
Still ...
"Every match is an opportunity to improve and test our skills against the best in the country," Ring said. "Certainly playing in the MPSF without currently offering athletic scholarships makes it difficult to win, considering the level of play and the caliber of athletes in the MPSF."
There has been discussion about across-the-board athletic scholarships, with $500 to be given to each athlete on all of the school's 23 teams.
If it is ever approved, UCSD's $300,000 annual athletic commitment would be less than half of the average NCAA Division II scholarship total of $735,000, and a drop in the bucket when considering neighbor San Diego State's estimated $4.2 million athletic budget.
There is also a commitment to volleyball and the student-athlete experience. The Tritons need only look to their coach for inspiration and a lesson in time management.
Ring holds two degrees from UCSD, a bachelor's in biochemistry and a masters in chemistry. He completed his undergraduate work while the manager and technical advisor for the U.S. men's national team, then based in San Diego, and traveled with Team USA to the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
As for his day job, Ring has been an adjunct faculty member in the chemistry department at the University of San Diego since 2001.
Ring has been to Hawaii a number of times, as a player and an assistant. This time, it's as a head coach.
"I have always enjoyed the hospitality of the University of Hawaii and the men's volleyball program," Ring said. "Playing in front of 3-4 thousand fans will be a great experience for my players."
Hawaii, riding a 15-match winning streak, is averaging just over 3,800 per home match. UCSD has drawn a total of 3,637 in 13 home matches at the RIMAC Arena.
Although the series is extremely lopsided -- Hawaii leads 33-0 and has swept UCSD in 27 of those matches -- both teams know that on any given night ...
"They're not going to self-destruct," said Warrior coach Mike Wilton, whose teams have swept UCSD eight of the past nine meetings. "Few teams do in this conference. They're sound, they play hard. We're going to have to take care of business."
"Mike Wilton always has his teams playing at a high level," Ring said. "The Warriors are very athletic. We've got to get them out of system as much as possible. They put pressure on opposing teams with their tough serving. We've got to pass at a high level.
"This is another great opportunity to challenge ourselves against a top-level program."
Notes: UCSD has gone winless in the conference five times since joining in 1993. ... In last night's loss to the Lancers, Chris Sayers had 19 kills for the Tritons. Corey Spence, a 2004 graduate of Seabury Hall, had 17 digs as the libero for Cal Baptist. ... The series against UCSD has been designated as "Family Weekend." Youth (18 years old and under) will receive a free ticket with each adult ticket purchased. Also, fans with UH Credit Back cards will receive four tickets for the price of two. ... Saturday's pre-match festivities include keiki activities on the concourse, including face painting and balloon artists.