Club championships get underway today

Ryan A. Mihalyi Arizona Daily Wildcat UA volleyball player Dave Escarcega practices his serve yesterday at Bear Down Gym. The NIRSA Volleyball Sport Club Tournament starts today for 116 teams.

The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Collegiate Volleyball Sport Club Championships begin today and continue through Sunday. As a result, every UA indoor court available plus two at Amphitheater High School will be used to crown a men's Division I, II and women's Division I champion.

"If you like volleyball you are in for a treat, " said Mary O'Mahoney, program coordinator for the Department of Student Recreation. "Teams from all over the country will be checking our university out. It should be a lot of fun for fans and players alike ."

Dave Boos, who arrived Tuesday all the way from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh had an extra spurt in his step in yesterday's practice.

"It's 80 degrees, we have been hanging out by pool, this is great man," said Boos, who was a member of the Titan team that won the Division II title last year. "We're not on the level as a basketball championship, but this is big stuff for us. Everything here is big to us."

The Arizona men's team received one of the 12, No. 1 seeds in its four-team pool and has three matches today. The first begins at 9:15 a.m. against Pudue in Bear Down Gym. At 2:15 the Wildcats play Louisville at Amphitheater High (gym is at back of school past iron gate on right side). The complete pool play at 7:15 against Virginia Tech in McKale Center. There is no UA women's team in the field.

"We have our work cut our for us to win this thing, but playing the best competition is how we like it," UA assistant coach Skip Greenburgh said.

"If we can get is together in our heads, we can whip anybody," siad Keith Robinson, a UA sophomore passer. "I am so excited, I'm so ready to go. It'a all mental for us, we have the size and talent to win."

All matches will be in played in the best of three format with 15 point games with games one and two capped at 17 points. The third game will feature rally scoring and has no cap.

Bear Down Gym, McKale Center, Gittings Gymnasium, and the Rec Center will have action from 8 a.m to 11 p.m. daily. It costs $2 per day or $5 for the entire tournament and tickets can be purchased at each arena. Programs and T-shirts are also available.

"There is not many facilities in the country capabable of holding a tournament this size and our relationhip with the National Intramural Association makes it a good fit," said Campus Recreation Director Brian Carswell.

The tournament will shut down any UA student interested in open basketball until Sunday.

"I can sympathize with people wanting to play basketball, but this opportunity makes more sense for the next few days," Carswell said

Volunteers are still needed and should call 621-4709 for information. No experience is needed and a T-shirt comes with the deal.

Last year's third-place finisher, Sacramento State University, is the favorite with California as the second-ranked seed in the men's field. The women's bracket has Indiana and Colorado as the two favorites.

The top two records from each pool - 48 teams in 12 pools for men's and 20 teams in 5 pools for the women - advance on towards the championship pool. Team's that are third or fourth in the pool after the first day can make the championship pool Friday.