By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Do the math:
There are 4.5 scholarships for 15 University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball players.
"It makes for some interesting decisions," UH coach Mike Wilton said.
In determining a spending limit for men’s volleyball teams, the NCAA has a formula in which residency and housing costs and other factors are considered.
In short, the Warriors are limited to offering their players financial aid that is roughly equivalent to the cost of 4.5 football scholarships, or between $50,000 and $72,495 a year.
"We try to take care of the guys who are going to be on the court," said Wilton, noting he is allowed to parcel the money any which way as long as he does not exceed the total.
Still, with limited money and a team policy of not cutting a player who meets requirements such as academic progress, sportsmanship and on-court development, Wilton must spend extra time evaluating players.
"When you recruit a player, unless he holds up a bank, (the financial aid is) renewed," Wilton said.
Wilton said he usually bases the amount of financial aid on performance and need. All-America outside hitter Costas Theocharidis is the only Warrior to receive a full scholarship (valued at $16,110 annually for a non-resident).
Seniors Torry Tukuafu and Brenton Davis receive free tuition, books and some financial help with meals and lodging.
Outside hitter Eyal Zimet receives tuition and lodging. Outside hitter Tony Ching and middle blocker Geronimo Chala receive tuition waivers.
The players also have found a way to defray costs. Freshman setter Kimo Tuyay receives a tuition waiver as part of a Filipino American scholarship program. Middle blocker Dejan Miladinovic, who has a 3.7 cumulative grade-point average, receives an academic tuition waiver. The Warriors help Tuyay and Miladinovic with books, meals and lodging.
Zimet, who has dual citizenship in the United States and Israel, receives a Pell Grant that helps pay for his meals.
Also, UH is a partner in the Western Undergraduate Education program, in which students from California, Washington, Nevada and Utah are charged only 150 percent — $2,268 per semester — of the residential tuition rate, compared to the $4,752 tuition a non-resident must pay each semester at UH. Tukuafu, of Utah, and Davis, of Nevada, save the program thousands of dollars.
Of the seven starters, only libero Vernon Podlewski, who joined the team in January, does not receive any financial support. But that should change soon. "I’ll do everything I can to help," said Wilton, who has helped most walk-ons by the end of their careers.
Past All-America players Erik Pichel and Aaron Wilton, former UH standout Rick Tune and Davis and Ching joined UH as walk-ons. In two seasons, Pichel’s total compensation was one semester of free tuition.
"I would like to be able to do something for everybody," said Wilton, who said a preferred situation would be to have seven scholarships. "But that’s not the way it is, so you have to approach (dispersing financial aid) from a business standpoint."
Notes: UH (11-3) plays host to Pepperdine (12-3) Friday and Saturday. ... The 10,000th fan at each remaining UH home match will receive a free surfboard from Local Motion. UH averages 4,509.
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