Playoffs possible for men's volleyball team
Campus Times
December 6, 1996
This season, the men's volleyball team will have quite a bit more to
work for than in years past. Aside from the Division I NCAA National Championship
title, the team will also be working towards a berth for the National Small
Colleges Championship sponsored by the Men's National Volleyball Team and
Molten Volleyball.
According to head coach Don Flora, the new championship is a very tangible
goal for the men's volleyball team.
"Our goal is to win the Small Colleges Championship and, yes, it
is a very tangible goal, and it's an exciting option for the future of men's
volleyball as well," said Flora.
The tournament is not officially sanctioned by the NCAA, but it is recognized.
The chance it will one day be sanctioned is promising because of the popularity
of men's volleyball.
"The growth of volleyball for men is huge now all across the nation,"
Flora said, "and many of the smaller colleges like La Verne have trouble
competing with the big schools like Pepperdine and USC. This new championship
gives us the opportunity to build our program and gain experience so that
one day we can win a National Championship."
Unlike the NCAA championship, only four teams get the opportunity to
compete in the National Small Colleges Championship. One is chosen from
the East coast, another from the Midwest region, the West region gets one
berth and one "at-large" bid is awarded, according to Flora.
La Verne, which finished last season with a 5-21 record, was ranked
fourth in the nation for Division III and sees its chances for a berth very
positive.
"We definitely have a chance," said Flora, "but we have
three big games ahead of us that will be a big factor."
Those three big games are two against UC San Diego and one against UC
Santa Cruz. ULV played Santa Cruz once last year and lost in a close five
games. They split with San Diego. Coincidently, these are the only two other
teams in the West besides La Verne that fit into the small college category.
Flora says he had a good recruiting year this year bringing in four
transfers and four freshman to go along with his five returners, including
All-American Rob Sneider. It could come down to who beats who on a good
night.
The first annual National Small Colleges Championship takes place April
4-5 on the East Coast, site TBA. ULV takes on Santa Cruz on Feb. 14 and
San Diego on Feb. 4 at home and Feb. 21 in La Jolla. Tonight the men play
an alumni match in the Supertents at 6:30.