Pepperdine to name home court after retired coach Dunphy

The legacy of Hall of Fame retired coach Marv Dunphy will be on full display at every future Pepperdine home match.

The Pepperdine athletics department announced during the weekend that it will dedicate the court at the team’s home arena Firestone Fieldhouse in honor of Dunphy.

Dunphy retired following the 2017 season as one of the winningest coaches in college men’s volleyball history. In his 34 seasons as the team’s head coach, Dunphy had a 612-277 career record and led the Waves to four NCAA championship — with each title occurring in a different decade.

The Waves under Dunphy also ended 16 of the last 17 seasons in the top 10 of the national rankings.

Along with his college coaching accomplishments, Dunphy took a sabbatical from Pepperdine to serve as the head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team from 1985-88. The United States in those four years won the 1985 World Cup, 1986 World Championship, the 1987 Pan American Games and won the gold medal a 1988 Olympics.

That Olympics was the first of seven Olympics featuring Dunphy on a coaching staff for USA Volleyball.

The Waves’ athletics department unveiled its decision to create the Marv Dunphy Volleyball Court at a Pepperdine men’s volleyball ceremony that had about 70 former and current players in attendance.

The newly named volleyball court will be commemorated with a display in the Firestone Fieldhouse. Pepperdine also announced it will have a public acknowledgement of Dunphy’s Hall of Fame career that will take place during a Waves’ home match in the upcoming season.

Dunphy is the second college men’s volleyball coach in recent years to have a court named in his honor. Fort Wayne renamed its court after Hall of Fame coach Annie Ball in his final season before retiring in 2015.

Q&A with Pepperdine coach Dunphy on 2015 season, non-conference scheduling

Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy isn’t putting any value in preseason expectations — even if they are high for his Pepperdine team.

Dunphy said in a recent interview with Off the Block that he is more focused on replacing player from last year’s Co-MPSF regular season championship team than preseason discussions about the possibility of Pepperdine winning the NCAA title.

Continue reading “Q&A with Pepperdine coach Dunphy on 2015 season, non-conference scheduling”

Video: Pepperdine coach Dunphy reacts to win vs. No. 8 USC

Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy had one big concern following his team’s five-game conference victory: getting his players healthy in time for the postseason.

With potential All-American opposite Parker Kalmbach out of the line up because of an injury, No. 3 Pepperdine defeated No. 8 USC on Saturday in Malibu, Calif., to keep its second-place lead in the MPSF.
Continue reading “Video: Pepperdine coach Dunphy reacts to win vs. No. 8 USC”

Video: Pepperdine coach Dunphy discusses victory against No. 6 UCLA

No. 5 Pepperdine earned a road conference victory to move into third place in the MPSF as it defeated No. 6 UCLA 25-18, 28-30, 25-23, 25-22 on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Check out Off the Block special contributor Jonathan Bates’ interview with Pepperdine coach Marv Dunphy as the Hall of Fame coaches breaks down his team’s win and the importance of winning on the road in the MPSF. Continue reading “Video: Pepperdine coach Dunphy discusses victory against No. 6 UCLA”

Taylor clutch late to help No. 3 Pepperdine close-out No. 4 BYU

Outside attacker Josh Taylor came through when No. 3 Pepperdine need him the most and helped the team knock-off No. 4 BYU.

Taylor in the decisive fifth game led all players with five kills and added two blocks and an ace as Pepperdine defeated BYU 25-19, 17-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-11 on Friday in Malibu, Calif.
Continue reading “Taylor clutch late to help No. 3 Pepperdine close-out No. 4 BYU”

Q&A with Pepperdine men’s volleyball coach Marv Dunphy

Being ranked No. 1 in the nation just isn’t that big of a deal for Pepperdine.

Pepperdine coach Marv Dunphy said in an interview with Off the Block earlier this week that while his team is happy to be atop the national rankings for the first time in four years it’s more focused on the big picture and being the best team at the end of the season.

Continue reading “Q&A with Pepperdine men’s volleyball coach Marv Dunphy”