Tuesday, April 27, 1999

By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Dejan Miladinovic dinks one over USC Trojan
Omar Rawi in a recent match.

The best and
worst of times for
Miladinovic

While he succeeds in the
classroom and on the court, he
fears for his family
in Serbia

By Cindy Luis
Star-Bulletin

He feels guilty. And sad.

This morning, Dejan Miladinovic was feted as one of the University of Hawaii's top scholar-athletes at the school's annual awards banquet. The sophomore middle blocker for the men's volleyball team carries a 3.93 GPA in business - as well as the burden of a war a half a world away.

Miladinovic is from Kraljevo, Serbia, a town not far from a military airport. The bombings are close enough that his family has often spent the night in an air raid shelter.

What is difficult for Miladinovic is his inability to share his good news with any immediacy. Things such as his academic award. Or his school-record 22 block assists Saturday in the upset of UCLA.

"The phone lines are not always reliable," the 22-year-old said. "I tried all night (Sunday) to reach them and couldn't. I have to admit, I was really worried and concerned. It is hard because I am here, all safe and secure.

"But I talked to them this morning and was relieved to hear that my mom had been at her job. I wanted to share all the news with them. I knew the academic award would make my mom happy. They are concerned how their younger son is doing, more about school than my sport."

The Miladinovics need not worry about either. Dejan is doing just fine, both on and off the court.

The fourth-ranked Rainbows were scheduled to leave tonight to face top-ranked Brigham Young in Thursday's second Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament semifinal; No. 2 Long Beach State and seventh-ranked Southern Cal meet in the other match.

"The road has been hard for us," said Miladinovic. "But we also played tough teams (going 3-7), the top four teams at the time: Long Beach, Pepperdine, UCLA and BYU.

"But all the matches in the past do not matter. It is what is ahead. Saturday gave us confidence and awareness of what we are capable of doing. Now we have to remember how we did it and do it again."

DEJAN MILADINOVIC Height: 6-7 Position: Middle blocker Class: Sophomore Age: 22 Career watch: Broke an 18-year-old school record - as well as the MPSF record - with 22 assist blocks in Saturday's win over UCLA. Second on the all-time list with 318 block assists and needs 73 to pass Jason Olive as the UH career leader. Ranked eighth in career aces with 55 and needs 4 to pass Bill Via for the No. 7 spot. Quote: "When we played at BYU the last time, it was our best performance of the year on the road. Mentally, we are way stronger than the last time. They should be concerned about us."

Few gave Hawaii any kind of a chance last Saturday against UCLA. Now, anything seems possible.

The 6-foot-7 Miladinovic played a key role in slowing down the Bruins' vaunted middle attack. He also had a team-high 18 digs to go along with his 14 kills and five setting assists.

"Dejan has a great all-around game, that's why we recruited him," said Hawaii coach Mike Wilton. "He had a heck of a match Saturday. Sometimes I wished he would realize how good he is.

"If anything, I would like him to assume more leadership and to accept the mantle that comes with being a good player."

Miladinovic discovered volleyball as a freshman in high school. He had played basketball but "I had the talent but not the desire," he said. "With volleyball, I had the desire."

And more than enough talent. Thanks to Doris Bikar, a former player at Brigham Young-Hawaii and Chaminade, tapes of Miladinovic found their way to Wilton.

Bikar, also from Serbia, had dated a former teammate of Miladinovic's. Miladinovic knew that Bikar was playing and going to school in Hawaii, something that sounded appealing.

"I like Hawaii and all aspects of life here," he said. "The biggest change was the weather. It is tropical here and my hometown is in a valley with high mountains. It is definitely cooler and it snows a lot.

"As for food, I'm not very picky. It's the quantity that matters."

Miladinovic is expecting to be accepted into the UH School of Business next semester and will major in international business and finance. He plans on graduating in two years then work on a master's degree, hoping older brother Nehad joins him for graduate school.

That's the plan. Unless the Serbian military calls him for duty.

"It is mandatory for all males older than 18 to serve at some time," Miladinovic said. "As long as I'm in school and doing well, I don't have to go back. But if you fail or take 10 years in school, they won't tolerate that.

"I feel an obligation to my country and family. I'm missing something right now that I'll never be able to make it up My friends and family are all living through terrible things that will be a part of them forever. I feel guilty in a way that I am here, I am safe, enjoying my time, playing volleyball."

Miladinovic said he tries not to watch television coverage of the war. He and fellow Serb national, Rainbow redshirt basketball player Pedrag Savovic, often talk of the situation in their homeland.

"I wish things were better back home and I hope that it will be better by the time I finish school," said Miladinovic. "It's definitely an option to go home after I graduate. If I can prosper there, I want to go back home and help support my family."

There is incentive for Hawaii to prolong their season. The day after the final match comes the traditional grueling 1-mile race that the players are required to finish in six minutes or less.

"We don't want the season to end and have to run that mile," said Miladinovic. "I think if we win it all, we'll have to talk to Coach about it. Maybe we should make a deal."

The deal is Miladinovic gets to make the first telephone call home.