Terry Albritton, 50, an NCAA shot put champion for the University of Hawai'i in 1976 and the school's strength coach years later, died Sept. 1 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Albritton's death was confirmed by Jim Klaczak, athletic director and football coach at St. Anthony on Maui, where Albritton was a teacher and track and field coach. Klaczak said he received the information from Albritton's son, Shane.

Albritton set the world record with a put of 71 feet, 8 1/3 inches (21.85m) in 1976 in Honolulu. He won the NCAA title with 67-6 1/2.

Ironically, UH dropped the track and field program during Albritton's senior year and he transferred to Stanford.

Albritton was UH's strength coach from 1979 to 1985 and was responsible for boosting the speed and quickness of many UH athletes.

"It's a sad day ... he helped the university and was a good guy," said UH assistant football coach Rich Miano, a defensive back who trained three seasons under Albritton.

Miano said some of the methods Albritton employed then are the basis for some techniques now.

"He was a pioneer. He trained us with techniques that no one else was using," Miano said. "He brought so many things (back) from the Soviet Bloc. He taught us all the plyometrics, power cleans, fast-twitch training."

In a 2002 e-mail to The Advertiser, Albritton said, "Tell Miano that without my strength coaching he'd still be diving (Miano was a diver.) ... I made him."

"I personally owe a lot of credit to him," said Miano, who played 11 seasons in the NFL. "Without him I would have never been a professional athlete because I was never a good enough athlete."

A memorial service for Albritton will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens in Iao Valley on Maui.

Albritton is survived by sons, Shane and Thomas, two sisters and one grandson.