"I was wrong about him," Reyes admitted. "He developed into a very good player. We're hoping other players will turn out to be as good."

Bender said: "I feel blessed."

Bender's volleyball career has been a series of fortunate events. As an ignored high school player in Arizona, Bender sent please-let-me-play letters to college programs across the country. Only Reyes responded.

After watching Bender play at the Junior Olympic tournament, Reyes extended a walk-on opportunity. In simple terms, Bender could join the Warriors if he paid for his tuition, room and board, and travel. Bender quickly accepted.

A month into the 2001 fall semester, his first at UH, "I was so homesick," Bender recalled. "It was right after 9/11. I was all shaky. I went into (UH coach Mike Wilton's) office, and I told him I wanted to transfer. He told me to stick around until the next semester. It seemed so convincing at the time. I'm glad I did."

Bender's struggles were only beginning. "He was very one-dimensional when he first got here," Wilton said.

Bender could hit shots down the line or to the middle. But at 6 feet 2, he needed a greater offensive range.

"He could not hit the ball cross-court," Reyes said. "He needed to move the ball around."

Bender said: "I hadn't been coached much (in high school). Arizona volleyball is not the best volleyball."

Bender also was limited to playing opposite hitter — which attacks mostly on the right side and rarely passes — because of a medical condition in which his right arm cannot straighten. That creates a crooked platform when he extends his arms to pass.

Bender studied the technique of former UH outside hitter Costas Theocharidis, who used a variety of motions to attack taller blocks. UH setter Brian Beckwith said Bender now is effective from the front and back rows, and can make contact while ascending or at the top of his jump.

"He can get on the quick sets or he uses his hang time for a real high set," Beckwith said.

Bender, who now receives a tuition waiver, has improved enough as a passer to move to left-side hitter this season. In UH's system, the libero and left-side hitters receive the majority of serves.

"He's really improved his all-around game," Wilton said. "He's a very good blocker, and he's leading us in serving."

In Saturday's match against UCLA, UH scored points on 57 percent (8 of 14) of the plays that started with Bender's serves. UH's goal is 35 percent.