[ UH VOLLEYBALL ]
ASSOCIATED PRESS / MAY 2002
Members of Hawaii's volleyball team, including Costas Theocharidis (bottom right) celebrated their semifinal victory over Penn State en route to winning the 2002 NCAA title.
Dunphy feels
for Warriors, fans
Pepperdine men's volleyball coach Marv Dunphy said he was left with an empty feeling when he heard the news yesterday of Hawaii's forfeiture of the 2002 NCAA men's volleyball championship.
Not because his Waves team lost to the Warriors for the championship that season. And not because the title will remain vacated, meaning Pepperdine does not now ascend to the championship.
"I feel so bad for the best volleyball fans in the United States," said Dunphy, whose teams have won three national championships. "The way people support it there is second to none.
"This is not a good feeling for anybody," he added. "It's just unfortunate. It's a lose-lose."
Dunphy said he thinks international players are good for his sport, although the Warriors lost their title (pending appeal) because of Costas Theocharidis' eligibility issues.
"It certainly hasn't hurt men's volleyball. The foreign athletes in our sport have helped some schools in the Midwest and East compete at a higher level, and they've definitely helped UH."
Dunphy said he usually has one or two foreign players on his team.
"We've got one now, Fred Winters from Canada. If anyone asks, we say he's from Northern Washington," Dunphy said. "You know, there's more scrutiny now than the past. But if King Kong were smart enough and had the means to get to Malibu, I'd be looking at him."
Dunphy said he called UH coach Mike Wilton, his longtime friend, when he first heard that the Warriors were being investigated by the NCAA during the summer.
"I told him I hoped he knew Pepperdine and Marv Dunphy had nothing to do with it," he said. "Mike told me he knew that."
Theocharidis' individual awards
2003
>> Jack Bonham Award
>> AVCA National Player of the Year
>> Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year
>> First-team All-American
>> First-team All-MPSF
>> First-team Verizon Academic All-American
2002
>> NCAA Finals MVP
>> First-team All-American
>> First-team All-MPSF
>> Second-team Verizon Academic All-American
2001
>> AVCA National Player of the Year
>> First-team All-MPSF
>> First-team All-American
2000
>> First-team All-American
>> Second-team All-MPSF
>> AVCA Newcomer of the YearSource: Star-Bulletin staff
