UH could lose conference playoffs
• 2002 Men's Volleyball Schedule
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team knows it will play 27 regular-season matches in 2002, including three consecutive trips to California to play eight matches in March, but it has no clue as to whether it will serve as host to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs.
In May, the 12 MPSF head coaches unanimously approved measures that would give UH a first-round bye and stage the MPSF quarterfinals, semifinals and championship match at the Stan Sheriff Center. Under the proposal, all of the MPSF teams would qualify for the 2002 playoffs.
Previously, only eight teams qualified for the playoffs, with the quarterfinal matches played at the higher seeds' home courts and, after that, the highest remaining seed serving as host to both the semifinals and title match.
Now, MPSF officials said the coaches' playoff proposal will be used only if UH can guarantee the final three rounds will be televised regionally. If not, UH officials were told, last season's playoff format will be used.
"I guess the MPSF wants to show that the coaches are not in charge," UH coach Mike Wilton said, noting it is unlikely a regional television deal can be secured.
Still, Wilton is hopeful that the Warriors will be good enough to serve as host throughout the playoffs, no matter which format is used.
The Warriors recently completed their fall program, going 1-1 against Penn State at State College, Pa., and splitting two matches against Stanford on Maui and Moloka'i. Wilton said it was a good experience to play at Penn State's arena, site of the 2002 NCAA final four.
Middle blocker Brenton Davis and outside hitter Torry Tukuafu completed their NCAA eligibility in May; middle blocker Maulia LaBarre went on a church mission.
If the season were to open today, Wilton said, the lineup would be this: Kimo Tuyay at setter; Costas Theocharidis, Eyal Zimet and Tony Ching at outside hitter; Dejan Miladinovic and Delano Thomas in the middle, and Vernon Podlewski at libero.
Wilton said Thomas, a 6-foot-7 freshman from San Diego, was "impossible to stop" in exhibition matches.
Brian Nordberg, a 6-foot-5 transfer from UC Santa Barbara, also is in the mix at middle blocker. Nordberg was fifth in the MPSF in hitting percentage (.416) last season.
But 6-foot-6 middle blocker Geronimo "JoJo" Chala might not be available until mid-season. He suffered a broken bone in his left leg during a pick-up match in September.
Wilton said setter Daniel Rusay of Kailua-Kona has moved ahead of Kyle Denitz as the top backup to Tuyay. "We decided in the fall to give him some reps and see where that led to," Wilton said of Rusay. "He never gave us a reason to take him out."
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2002 Men's Volleyball Schedule
Jan. 8-9: Loyola-Chicago.
17: *Penn State.
18: *Lewis.
19: *UCLA.
29-30: At Stanford.
Feb. 1-2: At Pacific.
8-9: UC San Diego.
20, 22: Long Beach State.
March 1-2: At Southern California.
12-13: At UC Santa Barbara. 15-16: At Cal State-Northridge. 22-23: At Pepperdine.
29-30: UC Irvine.
April 5-6: UCLA.
12-13: Brigham Young.
*Eighth Outrigger Hotels Invitational
