Rubio quietly taking Arizona to the top

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Volleyball head coach David Rubio serves balls for exercises yesterday during practice at McKale Center. Rubio is in his seventh year as head coach for the Wildcats and has led the team to its best-ever start at 10-0.

Rubio is in his seventh year as head coach of the team, amassing a 111-69 record during his tenure.

Arizona went from 4-26 (0-18 in the Pacific 10 Conference) the season before he arrived to 10-17 (4-14) in 1992. By 1993, the Wildcats went 20-11 and made it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. In the nation's most competitive conference, the Pac-10, Arizona has consistently finished in the upper echelon.

"I don't see changes as being dramatic. What I've seen and experienced firsthand is a continuing success from program to program," Rubio said. "There's been more success because of success at the top in our administration. They've provided the opportunity to be successful by developing an athletic department that balances academics and athletics. They continue to provide larger budgets and better facilities, as well as providing more academic support staff. Their goal is to provide for every program to be competitive at the national level."

Rubio brought in seven new players this season, and despite the expected problems with youth and inexperience, he has guided the team to the school's best-ever start at 10-0.

No. 14 Arizona plays its biggest match of the season against two-time defending national champion No. 6 Stanford tomorrow night at McKale Center.

"As a result, success makes it easier to recruit better players. Each year your goal as head coach is to bring in better players, and that's been evident this year," Rubio said. "For us, our goal is to recruit players who have the drive and are good enough to win the national championship. Problem is, there are only a handful of players that fit into that category."

One of his prized recruits is setter Dana Burkholder, who is already ninth in Arizona history with 428 assists. Another is outside hitter Lesley DuBois, who averages 1.26 kills and 1.65 digs per game.

Rubio, a native of Northridge, Calif., spent most of his time on the beach growing up.

"I surfed in the morning, played volleyball in the afternoon, and I did that through high school and into college," he said.

He was an all-conference and all-state selection in volleyball at Cal-State Northridge and graduated in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.

"The department there was really close, very much like it is at McKale, and it was a neat environment to go to school in," he said. "I loved going to school and learning. That's why I decided to stay in coaching."

In 1987, Rubio took the head coaching job at Cal-State Bakersfield and led the team to a Division II national championship in 1989. He was awarded the ASICS Tiger Coach of the Year Award in 1989.

Rubio, 39, is now one of college volleyball's most respected coaches. He demands success in the classroom before success on the court.

"The ultimate goal as a coach is to provide each player with equal academic and athletic success. After that, my goal is to get to the Final Four and win a national championship," he said. "Teaching players what it takes to be successful is a journey you take every year. Every year, it's a new challenge."

Rubio is blessed with a talented staff that works hard for him, but also takes the time to have fun with him.

"It's interesting working for Dave," assistant coach Charita Johnson said. "He's a stickler for what he does. It's almost like an acquired taste. There's a time for fun and a time to be serious. He gives us flexibility."

Johnson is one of Arizona's greatest players of all time and is in her third year as an assistant at the school. She graduated from UA in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in political science.

"We have a good time and work hard," assistant coach Chris Lamb said.

Lamb, who graduated from Sonoma State in California in 1998, is new to the staff this season.

"A reason we've been successful is because of my staff," Rubio said. "These people really share in the success here."

Bryan Rosenbaum can be reached via e-mail at Bryan.Rosenbaum@wildcat.arizona.edu.