MALIBU, California – As the Pepperdine men's volleyball team celebrates its 50th season in 2020, the Waves will be putting out an All-Decade team and a list of Marv Dunphy's unsung heroes from each decade. Here are the selections for the second decade of Pepperdine volleyball, the 1980s, which featured two NCAA titles.
 
Dunphy has been associated with the program from almost the beginning. He transferred into Pepperdine in 1971-72 and played with the Waves for two seasons – the second and third teams in Pepperdine history. He then became an assistant coach before taking over as head coach ahead of the 1977 season. He was the head coach for a total of 34 seasons before stepping down after the 2017 campaign.
 


All-1980s Team
 
Setter: Jeff Stork (1982-83-84)
Topanga Canyon, Calif. ... 1982, 1983 and 1984 All-American ... 1983 and 1984 NCAA All-Tournament team ... USA Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee ... Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Marv says: "Jeff was a lefty with a great arm and huge, strong paws. In our sport, surface equals control. He had great touch as a setter. He went on to have a fabulous career that included playing in three Olympics and winning gold and bronze medals."
 
Opposite: Rob Scott (1984-85-86-87)
Sunnyvale, Calif. ... 1985 and 1987 All-American ... 1986 NCAA All-Tournament team.
Marv says: "The first thing that comes to mind is that Rob could fly! He got off the ground so fast, he would beat the opponents' block before they were in a terminal position. His best skill was blocking. If the opposition attacked at Rob, they would pay the price. His blocking footwork and armwork were perfect. What a force! Like his 1985 teammates, he was a founding member of the well-documented Malibu Roofing Company."
 
Outside Hitter: Bob Ctvrtlik (1985)
Long Beach, Calif. ... 1985 Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year ... 1985 All-American ... 1985 NCAA Tournament MVP ... International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee ... USA Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee ... Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Marv says: "The epitome of focusing on the task at hand and deliberate, mindful practice and performance. Bob maximized every minute of his time on and off the court. Suffice to say, he made himself into a great player. He was a great passer. He hit in and served in and if a teammate didn't, he let them know. He is great in all aspects of his life."
 
Outside Hitter: Matt Rigg (1984-85-86-87)
Honolulu, Hawai'i ... 1985, 1986 and 1987 All-American ... 1985 and 1986 NCAA All-Tournament team ... Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Marv says: "Matt played with and for his teammates. In the middle of one match, he was standing on the court holding his shoulder, saying, 'Coach, I think you need to sub me out.' He had separated his shoulder while celebrating a great play by his teammate. Like all the Riggs, he had a huge heart. It's neat that all four Rigg boys – Mark, Scott, Matt and Doug – played at Pepperdine and that all four won national championships."
 
Middle Blocker: Mark Arnold (1983-84-85-86)
Costa Mesa, Calif. ... 1984 All-American.
Marv says: "Mark delivered over time. He was steady, he was calm, he was quietly competitive, and we could count on him. When we were down at the end of the fifth set at the 1986 NCAA Championships, Doug Rigg set Mark over and over and he killed every one of them as we came back to win it. That was a great moment in our program's history. He had class and ability and he always delivered. He was a founding member of the Malibu Roofing Company."
 
Middle Blocker: Craig Buck (1977-80-81)
Woodland Hills, Calif. ... 1980 and 1981 All-American ... International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee ... USA Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee ... Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Marv says: "Craig is in multiple Halls of Fame and is widely recognized as the best middle blocker in the history of our sport. Some middle blockers can only do one or two things well, but Craig performed all of the skills at a very high level and read the game exceptionally well. He dominated the net at Pepperdine and at the Olympic Games when he helped the USA win back-to-back gold medals."
 
Utility: Troy Tanner (1983-85-86-87)
Hacienda Heights, Calif. ... 1983, 1986 and 1987 All-American ... 1983 and 1985 NCAA All-Tournament team ... Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Marv says: "Troy could flat-out play and he was flat-out tough. When he was a freshman, he sprained his ankle really bad at practice. No trainer was around at the time so I put his foot and lower leg in a waste can full of ice and a little water. When I brought the trainer to Troy, water and ice was everywhere and Troy was out cold. When he came to, our trainer, TJ Byrne, told Troy that he had fainted. Troy reached up, grabbed my shirt and told me, 'Don't tell the boys!' He played multiple positions and played them well."
 
Utility: Mike Fitzgerald (1982-83-84-85)
Santa Barbara, Calif. ... 1984 All-American ... 1984 and 1985 NCAA All-Tournament team.
Marv says: "I have never been around an athlete or a person who was as positive as Mike. With him, there was always hope. He completed his time at Pepperdine with the Waves finishing second, second and first in the NCAA as a player and first again as an assistant coach. There were several great players on those teams, but Mike was the key. He was a coach's dream. He knew all the right buttons to push to get the guys to train at the standard required to be a champion. Over his career, he played every position."


 
Marv Dunphy's Unsung Heroes of the 1980s
 
Dr. David Davenport
Marv says: "He was in attendance when we won back-to-back NCAA championships. In 1986 he gave the team a great pre-match talk that the players loved. On several occasions, he and his wife Sally had the team up for a meal and maybe even moreso to play ping-pong, which he was very good at. One year he coached the alumni when they defeated the current squad. He reminds me of that whenever we cross paths."
 
David Foell (player, 1979-82)
Marv says: "Solid! Solid as a middle blocker, student, husband, father and American. He often thanks his coaches for helping him during his time at Pepperdine and we may have helped some. But his fabulous parents, Ron and Ann Marie Foell, are the reason he turned out so well. I'm proud of him in every way."
 
Steve Friedman (player, 1984-86)
Marv says: "Steve played opposite, but when Rob Scott got injured just prior to the 1985 NCAA Championships, we put Steve in the middle. In 1986 he was the finals MVP. Troy Tanner said it best: 'I could always count on Freedy!'"
 
John Garacochea (player, 1981-83)
Marv says: "John walked on and then played when we were competing for championships. To me, he is a great example of what it means to be a Wave. Character counts and he has a ton of it. He has a bakery now, so if you like sourdough bread, dial 1-800-Garacochea."
 
Jay Iranon (player, 1977-81)
Marv says: "Jay started at Pepperdine in the late 1970s and was on the 1978 team that won it all. When his eligibility was up, he continued at the University in a few roles. He assisted the team in all aspects, mostly with strength and conditioning, before taking a position in admissions. He then earned his MBA. His teammates and I agreed that we had never been around a more caring, loyal, genuine and kind person. His teammates and I love him, because he loves us."
 
Dave Johnson (player, 1980-84)
Marv says: "Dave was a good player, a very good student and a great teammate. He is still looking out for 'his guys.' About once a month he checks in and asks, 'Who needs my help?'  DJ could have graduated in three years, but I talked him into staying for his fourth. He started a bottling corporation in 1989 that has employed well over 1,000 special-needs Americans. Someday I hope to help him as much as he has helped me."
 
Gary Moy
Marv says: "Gary is the ultimate example of an unsung hero. He was a volunteer, a team manager, a travel agent, a director of operations before there were directors of operations. I was never too big on apparel and uniforms, but Gary was and the players loved him for that. Administration and organization came easy to him and therefore it lightened everyone's load. He continues to be a mentor for Waves of all eras."
 
Dr. Ken Perrin
Marv says: "When I first got to Pepperdine, Ken was teaching math. Throughout the 1980s Ken had several volleyball players in his class. As it turns out, many of them were his best students – Zabriskie, Anderson, Arnold, etc. He and Libby became big supporters of those players and men's volleyball. He and Bob Thomas got together and made a full-time position for a young coach. I will be forever grateful for what he did for me."
 
David Trujillo
Marv says: "David was our trainer in the mid-1980s, and for me, all trainers are unsung heroes. The players had great respect for him and the manner in which he cared for their well-being. He met his wife Miki at Pepperdine and their daughter Dani was our director of operations for a couple of years."
 
Dr. Howard White
Marv says: "He was probably our biggest fan. He also made it clear that we had to do things right. He was a brilliant leader and a kind Southern gentleman. You could not open a door for him. The players loved him and they tried to be around him whenever possible. I have great respect for what he stood for."
 
Wayne Wright
Marv says: "Not all great athletes make good coaches. Not all great coaches make good athletic directors. Wayne was a good coach and a great AD. He had a great knack for selecting good coaches who fit at Pepperdine. You knew that he believed in you. We all felt that you could go to him with anything big, small, personal or tough. I know that I sought his advice for all of the above. When we beat UCLA to win the championship at Ohio State, Wayne was the first one to join the dogpile."
 
Mike Zapolski
Marv says: "Our athletic recorded history came of age with Mike. Prior to Mike, record-keeping was random, especially for Olympic sports. He organized and preserved the short history of men's volleyball ... names to photos, pictures to years, individual stats, team stats and year and career records. Whenever I look at archived stuff, I'm thankful for his great work."
 
The Pepperdine men's volleyball program will celebrate the 1980s at this Wednesday's home match against UC Santa Barbara (Wednesday, February 26, 7 p.m.).
 
1980s Highlight Video:

Marv Dunphy on the 1980s: