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Thursday, July 6, 2000

Bown earns
Olympic volleyball
roster spot

The former Wahine middle
joins ex-UH All-American
Robyn Ah Mow on team

Star-Bulletin staff

It's been a very good week for Heather Bown.

No, make that a great week.

On Monday, the former all-American for the University of Hawaii women's volleyball team helped the U.S. to a three-game sweep of Australia in Louisville, Ky.

Tuesday night, Bown was informed that she had made the Olympic team and will be going to Sydney in September. She has been on the national team's training roster since January.

"We're pretty excited,'' said Bown's father, Skip.

Heather Bown
OLYMPIC VOLLEYBALL
It's been a very good
week for Heather Bown.

"She may be wearing No. 7 when she steps on the floor Sept. 16.''

Heather Bown, who finished her eligibility last December, wore No. 7 during her two seasons as a Wahine.

Sept. 16 is the date of the U.S. team's first pool play match.

Bown had 11 kills and seven blocks in Monday's outing. The U.S. won, 25-19, 25-12, 25-19, completing a four-match sweep of Australia.

"We had good execution, but we need to work on committing fewer errors,'' said Bown.

Although the official roster has not been released, former Wahine all-American setter Robyn Ah Mow will also be headed to Sydney.

Ah Mow, who is scheduled to return to Hawaii today on a break, is one of two setters with the national team and has been splitting time with former Brigham Young player Charlene Johnson Tagaloa.

O'Toole finally going to Games:

The USA Water Polo officially released its roster yesterday.

After two decades of waiting for the opportunity, former UH swimmer Maureen O'Toole will finally get her chance to go to the Olympics.

Regarded by some as the greatest female water polo player of all time, the 39-year-old O'Toole was named to the 13-member team.

The assistant coach for the women's team is Hawaii's Chris Duplanty, a three-time Olympian.

"I didn't think it would ever happen,'' said O'Toole, who has been on the national team since 1978.

O'Toole graduated from UH in 1985.

Women's water polo will debut as an Olympic sport in Sydney.