49er men in shadow of women's success

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

UH's Costas Theocharidis went through drills yesterday in preparation for tomorrow's match against Long Beach State. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser UH men's volleyball What: MPSF 1st Round, Hawai'i-Long Beach State. When: Tomorrow, 7 p.m. Where: Stan Sheriff Center. Tickets: $13 adult (lower), UH student-rooter guest; $10 adult (upper); $9 senior citizen (upper, accessible); $7 UH student-rooter, students (age 4-18 yrs. old). For more information call UH ticket office at 956-4482. TV & Radio: Shown live K5. Radio live 1420.

While the 49er men have been good, the 49er women have been one of the best in the country.

"We don't have as many fans, and they've won more national championships," said outside hitter Scott Touzinsky, whose team plays Hawai'i tomorrow in the opening round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs. "We want to work to get to that level."

In the program's 33-year history, the 49er men won one national title, in 1991, and made five appearances in the final four. In the past 17 years, the 49er women won three national championships and competed in seven NCAA final four tournaments. In the past four years, the 49er women are 157-17, reaching the final four three times and winning an NCAA title.

The 49er men average fewer than 1,000 fans per home match. The 49er women often play before capacity crowds in the 5,000-seat Pyramid.

On campus, the 49er women are as recognizable as, well, the Pyramid.

"Unless we wear our team shirts or our sweatshirts, they think we're basketball players," Touzinsky said, laughing. "That happens every time."

Long Beach State coach Alan Knipe acknowledged there is a disparity, but it is in proportion to the gap in popularity between men's and women's volleyball programs across the country, including at UH. Knipe said there are more women's Division I and II teams (300-plus to 41) and more female junior programs.

"Women have a bigger support system," Knipe said, "but I'm very happy with (men's volleyball). I'm a former Long Beach State player from the late '80s and early '90s, and it's amazing to see the growth in our program."

Knipe said the school has sponsored events for high school students. There also is a reading program, administered by Verizon, in which students receive free tickets for finishing a set number of books. This year, the 49ers drew more than 3,000 for a match against UCLA.

But Knipe said a winning team is the best attraction.

"There's no doubt success breeds more success, whether it's at the gate or in recruiting," Knipe said. "It's a saturated sports market in Southern California. You have to lead the pack to generate a crowd. We know there cyclical periods in sports. I hope to avoid great variance. I don't want peaks and valleys."