AVCA names Theocharidis national Player of Year
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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For the second time in his recently completed University of Hawai'i men's volleyball career, outside hitter Costas Theocharidis was named as the American Volleyball Coaches Association's national Player of the Year.
UH’s Costas Theocharidis repeats as Player of Year.
The 6-foot-3 Theocharidis, of Greece, became the first Warrior named to the All-America first team for four years.
Theocharidis and Pepperdine middle blocker Brad Keenan, last year's top national player, became the fifth and sixth male volleyball players to earn AVCA first-team honors for four years. They follow Penn State's Ivan Contreras (1994-97), Stanford's Matt Fuerbringer, and UCLA's Adam Naeve (1997-99, 2001) and Brandon Taliafero (1997-2000).
But Theocharidis, whose season ended with last week's semifinal loss to Brigham Young in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament, was not in a celebratory mood.
"No matter what award I get," he said, "it doesn't come close to alleviating my pain and emotional disappointment from being eliminated last week."
Outside hitter Tony Ching, a 1999 Kamehameha Schools graduate, and middle blocker Delano Thomas, a sophomore from Sacramento, also were named to the first team.
CHING
THOMAS
"I'm happy for the guys who made first-team All-American," Theocharidis said. "They worked their butts off."
The 6-foot-2 Ching used a 40-inch vertical leap and powerful swing to emerge as the Warriors' go-to hitter late in the season. He also assumed the role of perimeter passer.
Thomas, who is 6 feet 7, has told UH officials he will compete in both football and volleyball next academic year. Thomas, who worked out briefly with the football team, is projected as a short-yardage receiver and kick blocker. He can touch a spot nearly 12 feet high.
Thomas will work out with both teams in the fall, and rejoin the volleyball team on a full-time basis for the start of the 2004 season. UH coach Mike Wilton said Thomas has the potential to play for the national volleyball team.
"I'm real happy for the three guys," Wilton said. "They deserve the recognition they're getting."
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