The program is deeply rooted in tradition and watered by anecdotes, some of which have grown into urban legends over the past 50 years.

» Was Hawaii's first shot at the men's intercollegiate volleyball championship tournament derailed because a number of players spent more time playing bridge than going to class and were dismissed from school in 1960?

» Was the first men's volleyball scholarship really split between two players, one receiving a tuition waiver in fall, the other receiving it in spring?

» And did Aaron Wilton actually escape the hoards of autograph-seeking young fans outside the Stan Sheriff Center in a laundry cart, buried under a pile of towels?

For those who never let facts stand in the way of a good story, or a good time, today might be the chance to weed out fact from fiction. Or maybe not.

Regardless, the UH men's volleyball program kicks off its 50th anniversary celebration with two alumni vs. alumni matches and one varsity vs. alumni match starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Its beginnings were very humble. So humble that only two hopefuls showed up when the call to form a men's varsity volleyball team went out in the spring of 1958.

Fifty years later, Hawaii boasts 28 All-America honorees, two national players of the year and an Olympic gold medalist among its alumni. It's arguably the most popular men's college volleyball program in the country, drawing more fans in one night than many teams draw in a season.

“;I think our coach (Jerry Bruhn) would be proud to see this,”; said 75-year-old Manny Relator, who played on that inaugural team. “;He had the vision. There wasn't even high school volleyball back then.

“;He made a presentation at Farrington. It wasn't in the gym, it was on the stage. Two guys held up the net, giving them an idea of what the sport was all about.”;

The first state high school volleyball tournament for boys and girls was held in 1969. It was the same time that UH coach Larry Price—five years away from taking over the football program—offered the first tuition waiver for men's volleyball: It was split between John Mau in fall and Steve Kop in spring, according to Mau.

The program bounced around from club to minor varsity to club status until 1979, when it returned to varsity designation with Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji doubling up as the Rainbows coach. Hawaii played its first all-collegiate schedule that season as an independent, and became a member of the California Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (the forerunner of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) in 1981.

There have been No. 1 rankings, league titles, final four appearances and a national title (2002) that was later vacated for what the NCAA determined was the use of an ineligible player. There's been Klum Gym and the BowZows, and there's been the Stan Sheriff Center and the Yuval Katz Show.

In collegiate competition, Hawaii enters the 2009 season with a 596-265 record (.692).

As the program has changed, so has the sport of volleyball. Relator says the “;old-timers”; who continue to attend matches have yet to accept that a touch on a block is not counted among the three contacts.

Players are specialized, including the addition of a libero. Rally scoring is used instead of sideout scoring, and there's a 'let' serve that is allowed to be played even after hitting the tape at the top of the net.

“;I think the game has gotten more exciting,”; said Relator, a former volleyball coach at Campbell. “;It's gotten better.”;

Sivan Leoni, who played from 1995 to 1998, doesn't quite agree.

“;It's all about playing what they give me,”; Leoni said, “;but, as a middle blocker, it's upsetting to have to come out in the back row every time (for the libero). It feels like you become a one-skill player.

“;But I like coming back every year. It's always fun to have the old guys come back and play. Sad but I'm getting too old for the main event. It's still a big deal. Guys fly in specially for this.”;