Tuesday, January 4, 2000

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Written at the top of the chalkboard being checked
out by Hawaii coach Mike Wilton are the words,
"NCAA Champions."

’Bows set
a high goal

The UH men's volleyball team
thinks this is the year it will return
to the NCAA championships

Schedule
Roster

By Cindy Luis
Star-Bulletin

The chalkboard says it all.

Even ahead of the daily workout regimen, before the list of drills, at the top of the board two words are written: NCAA Champions.

It's the first thing the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team members read when coming into the practice gym. It's the last thing they read before heading out the door.

The trip to Fort Wayne, Ind., may be five months away, but the itinerary has been planned since fall camp. Despite nine newcomers, including a new setter, the Rainbows are expecting to be on the road come early May, in search of their first national title.

"I think we're going to be really good and I'm really excited about this year,'' said Russell Lockwood, the only senior on this year's team. "We have awesome go-to guys on the outside and more options all around.''

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Russell Lockwood will see a lot of time
as a back-row specialist.

The biggest option this year should put the 6-foot Lockwood on the court more often. This season, collegiate men's volleyball will employ a libero, a backrow specialist with unlimited substitutions that has been used at the international level .

"It's our choice whether we use it or not,'' said Hawaii coach Mike Wilton, beginning his eighth season. "You weigh passing and defense against backrow firepower. Russell made it a pretty easy decision for us.''

Wilton's choices get harder when it comes to putting the rest of the starting lineup on the court, beginning with this Friday's alumni match. Getting the early nod are juniors Torry Tukuafu and Brenton Davis in the middle, junior Clayton Stanley and freshmen Eyal Zimet and Costas Theocharidis on the outside, and first-year setter Stefan Krejci.

"Torry and Brenton have been amazing and Clayton is a year better,'' said Wilton. "We knew Eyal was a real talent and Costas is proving to be better than we thought.

"We have some other guys, too, who want to be out on the floor and are working hard at being out there, such as (freshman hitter) Tony Ching. From an attitudinal standpoint, this team reminds me a lot of the 1996 team.''

That Rainbow squad was the first and only one to reach the NCAA final, losing to UCLA in five. A dividend of that team is a pipeline that has brought Zimet, the fourth in a line of outstanding Israeli players.

"I had heard so many good things about the team and the university from the other Israelis, it is the main reason I came,'' said Zimet, who has followed Yuval Katz, Sivan Leoni and Naveh Milo to Manoa. "I can't wait to start playing and I can't wait to play in the arena.

"The NCAA championship is definitely a goal for us. What we need is playing time together, to work on the little things that connect a team. The tools are here for us to be good.''

Junior Dejan Miladinovic has seen enough of the team that he has stepped up his rehab in hopes of playing this season. He had offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and may be forced to redshirt.

"I have to wait to see what the doctor says,'' said Miladinovic, an all-MPSF pick last season at middle blocker. "If things work out, I'm hoping to join the team at some point. If it wasn't my hitting shoulder (that is injured), I'd be out there now.

"This is a great bunch of guys and a team capable of doing some amazing things. They are so good, I would hate to miss the opportunity to play with them.''

NOTE: Some 30 Rainbow alumni are expected for this Friday's match, including two players from last year's 19-11 team: Mason Kuo and Chris Kosty.

UH Men's Volleyball What: Alumni vs. alumni, 5 p.m. Alumni vs. varsity, 7 p.m. When: Friday, Stan Sheriff Center Tickets: $5-$12 Radio/TV: None

2000 UH Men's
Volleyball Schedule

January-7: Alumni vs. alumni, 5 p.m.; Alumni vs. varsity, 7 p.m. 13-14: Loyola-Chicago. 21: x-BYU. 26-28: Outrigger Hotels Invitational. 26-UCLA vs. Penn State, 4:30 p.m.; Hawaii vs. IPFW, 7 p.m. 27-UCLA vs. IPFW, 4:30 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Penn State, 7 p.m. 28-Penn State vs. IPFW, 4:30 p.m.; Hawaii vs. UCLA, 7 p.m.

February-4: x-UC Irvine. 8: x-at Loyola Marymount. 9: x-at CSU Northridge. 11: x-at UC Santa Barbara. 16 & 18: x-Long Beach State.

March-3-4: x-at USC. 10-11: x-Pepperdine. 17-18: x-UCLA. 24-25: x-Stanford. 28-29: x-at San Diego State. 30-31: x-at UC San Diego.

April-7-8: Lewis. 14-15: x-Pacific. 22: MPSF first round, TBA. 27 & 29: MPSF Championship, TBA.

May-4&6: NCAA Championship, Fort Wayne, Ind.

x-denotes Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match
All home matches 7 p.m., Stan Sheriff Center.

2000 UH Men's
Volleyball Roster

No. 	Name			Pos.	Ht.	Yr.	Hometown
1	Dejan Miladinovic	MB	6-7	Jr.	Serbia
2	Geronimo Chala		MB	6-5	Fr. 	Miami
3	Rob Drew		MB	6-8	Jr. 	San Diego
5	Imai Karratti		OH 	6-1	Fr.	Kekaha, Kauai
6	Eyal Zimet		OH	6-2	Fr.	Israel
7	Stefan Krejci		S	6-2	So.	Austria
9	Costas Theocharidis	OH	6-2	Fr.	Greece
10	Brenton Davis		MB	6-5	Jr.	Las Vegas
11	Russell Lockwood	Lib	6-0	Sr.	Monterey, CA
13	Clay Stanley		OH	6-9	Jr.	Honolulu
15	Tony Ching		OH	6-2	Fr. 	Honolulu
16	Kyle Denitz		S	6-1	Fr. 	Carpinteria, CA
17 	K.C. Steed		OH	6-4	Fr.	Stephenville, TX
20	Trapper Perkins		Lib	6-0	Fr.	Kaneohe
22	Torry Tukuafu		MB	6-5	Jr.	Heber City, UT

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