Hawai'i - Off the Block

November 8, 2011November 8, 2011

Hawai’i releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

A difficult six-week conference stretch and playing host to its annual Outrigger Invitational highlights the 2012 Hawai’i regular season schedule that the team released Monday.

Hawai’i finished last season in fifth place in the MPSF and lost in the first round of the conference tournament. The Warriors return four starters for the upcoming season and also have incoming freshman outside attacker JP Marks, who played for the Germany Junior and Youth National teams.

Check out the five things to take away from Hawai’i’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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November 3, 2011November 3, 2011

Three Hawai’i matches to be nationally televised in upcoming season

Three Hawai’i home matches at the beginning of the 2012 season will be nationally televised.

The Hawai’i athletics department announced Tuesday that its men’s volleyball team’s matches against UC San Diego and UCLA in January will air live on Fox College Sports.

Hawai’i will open its season with a two-match series against UC San Diego on Jan. 5-6 with both matches being televised. In addition, Hawai’i will play UCLA to conclude its home non-conference tournament, the Outrigger Invitational, on Jan. 14.
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October 17, 2011October 17, 2011

Pepperdine hires former All-American Hakala as assistant coach

A former All-American and professional European champion will be part of the Pepperdine coaching staff this upcoming season.

Pepperdine men’s volleyball head coach Marv Dunphy announced Friday that he hired Lauri Hakala to be an assistant coach for the 2012 season.

Hakala, a native of Finland, played outside attacker for Hawai’i from 2005-07 and was named a First-Team All-American outside attacker in 2006. In addition, as a senior Hakala averaged 4.35 kills per game — the fifth best single-season average in the Warriors’ program history.
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September 16, 2011September 22, 2011

Grand Canyon releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

Two matches in Hawaii and coach Jeremy Price returning to his former school highlights the 2012 Grand Canyon regular season schedule that the team released Thursday.

The Antelopes finished last season in last place in the MIVA and lost in the conference tournament quarterfinals. Grand Canyon has all seven starters returning for the upcoming season, including All-MIVA libero Trent Bruns

Check out the five things to know about Grand Canyon’s schedule for the upcoming season.
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September 4, 2011September 22, 2011

Cal State Northridge releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

Non-conference matches against some of the top MIVA teams and an eight-match mid-season homestand highlights Cal State Nothridge’s 2012 regular season schedule.

Cal State Nothridge ended last season tied for last place in the MPSF and missed the conference tournament for the first time since 2001. Matadors coach Jeff Campbell has five starters returning for the upcoming season, including 2011 All-MPSF Freshman Team middle attacker Greg Faulkner.

Check out the five things to take away from Cal State Northridge’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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August 26, 2011September 22, 2011

5 storylines for men’s volleyball fans to follow this NCAA women’s volleyball season

With the start of the NCAA women’s volleyball season today, it means the men’s volleyball season is about four months away from beginning.

It’s still the offseason, but men’s and women’s volleyball do not exist completely separate of each other — and there are plenty of tie-ins for the college men’s volleyball fan to follow during the 2011 women’s volleyball season.

Check out the top five storylines for the college men’s volleyball fan to follow this women’s volleyball season.
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August 13, 2011September 21, 2011

Hawai’i promotes Podlewski to assistant coach for 2012 season

Hawai’i hired from within its men’s volleyball program to fill its assistant coaching void.

The Hawai’i athletics department announced Friday that Vernon Podlewski, a former Warrior and U.S. Men’s National Team member, has been promoted to an assistant coach for the upcoming season.

Podlewski spent the previous season as a volunteer assistant coach and primarily worked with the players on their defense and passing skills.
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August 11, 2011September 23, 2011

NCAA raises APR benchmark, to ban poor academic performing teams from playoffs

The NCAA placing a greater emphasis on academic performance could make some men’s volleyball team in the future ineligible for the postseason.

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors unanimously voted Thursday to raise the Academic Progress Rate benchmark from 900 to 930 and would require teams to meet the new benchmark in order to participate in the postseason.

“This is about the academic performance of all of our students in all of our sports,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. “This is about the academic expectations we have for all of our student-athletes.”
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August 10, 2011September 21, 2011

Former Hawai’i, Cal Poly coach Wilton selected for Cal Poly Hall of Fame

A multiple winner of the AVCA Men’s Volleyball Coach of Year award will be inducted into a college’s athletics hall of fame for his work with women’s volleyball.

Mike Wilton, a former men’s volleyball coach at Hawai’i and women’s volleyball coach at Cal Poly, was selected to the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame, the school’s athletics department announced Tuesday.

Wilton in his 11 years at Cal Poly from 1978-89 guided the Mustangs to nine NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, the coach reached the NCAA Regional Finals three times, and the Mustangs were ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll during the 1985 season.
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August 8, 2011September 21, 2011

Hawai’i All-American Umlauft returns to Germany, undecided for 2012 season

An All-American and national leader in kill per game average is considering not returning to Hawai’i for his junior season.

Hawai’i outside attacker Jonas Umlauft will remain in his native Germany for the fall semester and is undecided on returning to the Warriors for the 2012 season during the spring semester, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Monday.

Umlauft was a 2011 First-Team All-American and led the nation with a 5.57 kills per game average — the only player to average more than five kills per game. He also was named an Academic All-American ending the spring semester with a 3.93 culumative grade point average.
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