Pepperdine’s Title Chances Strong

MALIBU — It’s been years since Pepperdine owned Southern California bragging rights, but the Waves may put in a claim as the top team around this season.

Ranked No. 3 in Volleyball magazine’s preseason poll, the Waves have their best chance at a men’s volleyball national title since they won it in 1992.

Top-ranked BYU, UCLA (No. 2) and Long Beach State (No. 4) can’t be overlooked, but the Waves are turning heads.

“I might put Pepperdine No. 1,” USC Coach Pat Powers said. “I think they’re going to be phenomenal.”

All-American outside hitter George Roumain, a junior, was sixth in the nation with 6.32 kills a game last season.

Freshman outside hitter Scott Wong, considered by many to be the top recruit in the nation, fits nicely into the spot of graduated senior Kevin Barnett, a two-time All-American.

“We’re counting on [Wong] right off the bat,” Pepperdine Coach Marv Dunphy said of the 6-foot-6 Wong, who graduated from Punahou High in Hawaii. “We’re just throwing him in there and he’s responded so far.”

The Waves also picked up Rick Tune, a 6-6 transfer who set two school blocking records at Hawaii last season.

Tune, who has one year of eligibility, begins graduate school at Pepperdine this month.

The Waves, who finished 18-9, 13-6 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, even have a minor medical miracle on their side.

Junior setter J.J. Riley missed all of last season with a severe knee injury, but is fully recovered and likely will unseat Kurt Nelson, who transferred from UCLA after Riley got hurt.

“Kids that come back from a catastrophic injury like that have a little something extra within them,” Dunphy said.

Senior Chris Jacobson will start at middle blocker after finishing ninth in the nation with 1.67 blocks per game. Don Killian, a 6-4 freshman from Loyola High, will also see time.

“This will be one of the best years we’ve had for a while,” Jacobson said. “We’ve got a fire that the other teams didn’t have.”

Outside hitter Peter Kodascy improved greatly last year as a sophomore, increasing his hitting percentage to .304 after hitting .215 as a freshman.

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PLAYERS TO WATCH

Here’s a look at 10 players with ties to the region:

PLAYER: Ryan Millar

COLLEGE: BYU

LOCAL TIE: HIGHLAND HIGH

Junior middle blocker was 1997 MPSF player of the year and is big reason why Cougars are preseason No. 1

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PLAYER: Tom Stillwell

COLLEGE: UCLA

LOCAL TIE: Notre Dame

Senior middle blocker led nation in blocks per game each of the past two seasons

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PLAYER: Chad Strickland

COLLEGE: CS Northridge

LOCAL TIE: Hart

Senior outside hitter trying to become three-time All-American.

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PLAYER: Jason Lee

COLLEGE: LMU

LOCAL TIE: Westklake

Sophomore outside hitter started last season for improving Lions

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PLAYER: Matt Prosser

COLLEGE: Long Beach St.

LOCAL TIE: Buena

True freshman will start in the middle for the 49ers, ranked No. 4 in preseason.

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PLAYER: Trevor Julian

COLLEGE: USC

LOCAL TIE: Harvard-Westlake

Another true freshman who will start at opposite hitter for the Trojans

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PLAYER: Rick Rauth

COLLEGE: UCSB

LOCAL TIE: Harvard-Westlake

Sophomore outside hitter started at times last year and will do the same this year

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PLAYER: Keith Barnett

COLLEGE: LMU

LOCAL TIE: Pierce College

Sophomore transfer expected to win starting job at setter

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PLAYER: Jason Morrow

COLLEGE: Princeton

LOCAL TIE: Harvard-Westlake

Sophomore setter finished 12th in the nation last year with 16.9 assists per game

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PLAYER: Dan Fisher

COLLEGE: Pacific

LOCAL TIE: CS Northridge

Junior transfer will start at setter