But the MPSF's ruling did not appease the Warriors, who are stinging over the NCAA's decision last week to vacate UH's 2002 national championship because outside hitter Costas Theocharidis was a member of a professional team in Greece before enrolling at UH in August 1999.

Theocharidis, who was raised in Greece, said he did not receive pay, did not have an agent and did not sign a contract. The NCAA prohibits a player from being on a pro team, even if he does not receive money.

The NCAA administers the national tournament, but not the regular season or a conference's postseason tournament. UH competes in the MPSF in men's volleyball.

MPSF executive director Al Beaird said conference officials "briefly talked about" UH's situation, but decided "there was no reason to go down that road. ... We don't plan to take any action."

As a result, UH's regular-season and MPSF tournament records during Theocharidis' Warrior career (2000-'03) will stand. Theocharidis will be allowed to keep his four all-MPSF all-star awards and remain in the UH record books as the school's career kill leader.

"That doesn't matter to me," Theocharidis said. "I don't care about kills or awards or anything like that. I care about the championship. We lost that, and that's so unjust. I wish I could take all of the awards and trade it for the championship again."

Theocharidis said he attended UH's graduation ceremony Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center, where the Warriors play their home matches. "The (2002 championship banner) was taken down," he said. "It was heart-breaking."

Meanwhile, Lewis (of Illinois) head coach Dave Deuser yesterday resigned, saying 90 percent of his decision was based on being "fed up with the NCAA."

The NCAA is deciding on a punishment for the Lewis program, which admitted to using an ineligible player — outside hitter Gustavo Meyer — during its 2003 national championship season. Setter Jose "J.R." Martins was held out during the 2004 season.

Deuser said he expects the NCAA to strip Lewis of its 2003 title. "I think the NCAA will not rest until they find a way to incriminate J.R. or Gustavo or me or all of us combined," he said. "My guess is they will find a way to take away the title."