Everybody Is Trying to Break Up Bruins

The NCAA men’s volleyball championships start tonight in Columbus, Ohio, a fine occasion for other schools to meet their old pals at UCLA.

By winning titles in 16 of the last 19 appearances, three of the last four and two consecutively, UCLA has become college volleyball’s dynasty.

So much so, that last week’s three-game loss to Stanford in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation final has not stopped anyone--including the Bruins--from thinking they are the favorite to win another title.

“It’s a lot easier when you have players who have been there,” UCLA Coach Al Scates said. “If you win, it becomes easier to win it the next time.”

Five members of last year’s championship team are back for the Bruins: Paul Nihipali, the Bruins’ career leader in kills and a two-time All-American; Trong Nguyen, Fred Robins, Ben Moselle and Tom Stillwell. UCLA also had significant help from freshmen Adam Naeve and Brandon Taliaferro.

Scates’ teams have won 16 national championships, one more and he will have the most NCAA titles by a college coach in any sport. His 917 victories in 35 seasons are the most by any volleyball coach.

The Bruins (23-4) are seeded third because of the loss to Stanford, and play second-seeded Penn State (29-1) in tonight’s semifinal. The other semifinal will feature top-seeded Stanford (25-3) against Ball State (27-7).

That probably will lead to a rematch in the final between UCLA and Stanford on Saturday.

It has been said that any team east of the 605 Freeway should not be the top-ranked volleyball school, but Penn State has changed that by winning a title in 1993 and consistently being at the top of the polls.

Penn State beat the Bruins earlier this season and has a 24-match winning streak. Its top player is outside hitter Ivan Contreras, selected player of the year by the coaches’ association. Contreras, from Tampico, Mexico, is the first player from a non-West Coast school to win the award.

Penn State’s other top player, Jason Kepner, has a broken little finger on his right hand that has been set with metal pins. He will try to play with a plastic cast wrapped in an elastic bandage.

Stanford is led by Matt Fuerbringer, Mike Hoefer and Mike Lambert, who each have kill averages over 4.0.

“We might be the No. 1 seed, but [the Bruins] have to be the favorite,” Fuerbringer said. “Until we knock them off when it counts, that’s the way it is. I would never count UCLA out, but I’m not counting us out either.”

Said Stanford Coach Ruben Nieves: “I think we’re the favorite. If the other team plays well and we play well--I think we’ll win. I understand what Matt’s saying, but I think we’re the team to beat.”