MALIBU, California – Who are the best Waves ever to wear a particular number on their jersey or cap? This series will aim to identify the most accomplished Pepperdine student-athletes, number by number.
 
Previously, a comprehensive men's volleyball list of the top Waves to wear each number was published. Today, Pepperdine coaching legend Marv Dunphy narrows that down and provides his opinion on the best Wave to wear each number (and in the case of ties where he couldn't decide on just one, the best Waves).
 
1 

• Mike Blanchard (Newport Beach, Calif.) was the NCAA Tournament MVP in 1978 and an All-American and all-conference first team selection in 1978 and 1979.
• Matt West (Seattle, Wash./Shorewood HS) was a three-time All-American (twice on the first team in 2013 and 2015) and was a four-time all-conference selection (three times on the first team). The setter recorded 4,766 career assists (11.24 per set).
• Dunphy says: "We don't win in 1978 unless Mike takes over in the semifinals vs. Ohio State. We were down 2-1 and 13-8 in game 4 when Mike led our comeback win. His teammates have great respect for him and so do I ... Matt had four great years at Pepperdine and is still an exceptional player. He sees and knows the game as well as any player that I have coached."

2 

• Jay Anderson (Waialae Kahala, Hawai'i) was a three-time All-American first team pick between 1977-79.
• Troy Tanner (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) was an All-American first teamer in 1986 and 1987 and second team in 1983. The setter/outside hitter averaged 3.96 kills per set as a junior and 4.16 as a senior. He would go on to win an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. in 1988 and would serve as the head coach of the Pepperdine women's team for the 2014 season. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
• Dunphy says: "From day one, Jay was a winner and as competitive as all get out. Coaches like coaching players like him and I surely did ... Sports Illustrated dubbed Troy the 'Coppertone Kid.' I'm not sure if Coppertone knew how tough Troy was. Troy was a big part of our back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1985 and 1986 and is a big part of our program."

3 

• Rod Wilde (Fort Dodge, Iowa) began his career at #8 but later switched to #3, where he was an All-American first team selection in 1977 and 1978. He would later serve as the Waves' head coach and would lead Pepperdine to the 1986 NCAA title. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
• Dunphy says: "Rod was a great, great setter. He was also a fabulous server and defender. He means a lot to our program, always has and always will."

4 

• Mark Arnold (Costa Mesa, Calif.) was an All-American honorable mention selection in 1984. The middle blocker had 267 kills and 174 blocks that season.
• Dunphy says: "Mark was a very good blocker and attacker and all of his teammates knew, 'he delivered.' He was the steady, yet competitive guy that all successful teams need. He was part-owner of the Malibu Roofing Company."

5 

• Ted Dodd (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) was an All-American in 1975 and 1976. He made the NCAA All-Tournament team in 1976, Pepperdine's first team to make the championships. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.
• Dain Blanton (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach HS) earned All-American honorable mention in 1994. The outside hitter had career totals of 1,190 kills and 707 digs. He holds the school record for career digs per set (2.30). He was a two-time Olympian who won gold on the beach in 2000. He is currently the women's beach volleyball head coach at USC. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
• Dunphy says: "In many ways, Ted set the standard for all future generations of Waves. He was an outstanding player and carried a huge load. He won with class and when he lost, he lost with dignity ... Like most elite athletes, Dain never did anything to hurt his chances of winning. He hit in, served in and basically knew the probability of success for everything he did on the court. He was not afraid to get after teammates when they made unforced errors."

6 

• Craig Buck (Tarzana, Calif.) made the All-American second team in 1980 before switching to #12 and earning All-American honors again. He went on to be a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. in 1984 and 1988. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 1985.
• Brad Keenan (Westminster, Calif./Fountain Valley HS) was the National Player of the Year in 2002 and 2003 and a four-time All-American. He is Pepperdine's all-time leader in aces (187) and blocks (745) and had 1,198 career kills. He is currently the women's beach volleyball coach at Arizona State. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
• Dunphy says: "Craig was very good in college and developed into the best middle blocker in the world. He had great volleyball instincts and man, did he enjoy beating the Russians on the world stage ... It was difficult for an opponent to hit clean when Brad was blocking. I have often said that three-fourths of the world is covered with water and the other one-fourth by Brad Keenan! He was that good."

7 

• Mark Rigg (Waialae Kahala, Hawai'i/Punahou School) was an All-American third teamer in 1977 and a three-time all-conference selection.
• Matt Rigg (Honolulu, Hawai'i) was a three-time All-American, including the first team in 1985. He was once Pepperdine's all-time kill leader with 1,539 (he's now seventh). He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
• Fred Winters (North Vancouver, B.C./Carson Graham HS) made the All-American first team in 2004 and the second team in 2003. The outside hitter had four-year totals of 1,525 kills, 602 digs and 367 blocks. He was a 2016 Olympian with Canada.
• Dunphy says: "Mark hit a heavy ball and was at his best when his best was required. To this day, I can still hear the ball coming off his hand when he hit the ball. The Rigg family gave our program heart ... No player could have been a better teammate than Matt Rigg. Players like Matt are a joy to coach and to go through life with. His enthusiasm was contagious ... Probably the best athlete that I ever coached, Fred is still playing at the highest level. He is one of those individuals that does well at whatever he does."

8 

• Mike Fitzgerald (Goleta, Calif.) was an All-American honorable mention selection in 1984. He had 245 kills and 110 blocks that season.
• Dunphy says: "Mike has the heart and the spirit of a champion. The neat thing is all the people around him also get caught up in his positive way of looking at things. The great ones learn from both their successes and their failures. It was awesome to see how Mike reframed his failures. He still needs work on sports trivia!"

9 

• Larry Vocke (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Torrance HS) is considered Pepperdine's first great player, as he competed on the inaugural 1971 team and again in 1972. He played in the Winston League and the International Volleyball League and was a many-time USVBA All-American.
• Tom Sorensen (Racine, Wis./Racine Case HS) earned four All-American awards at three different numbers, including #6 and #7. He wore #9 as a 1991 sophomore and made the second team. The outside hitter had 2,207 career kills (#2 all-time at Pepperdine), plus 464 blocks, 429 digs and 155 aces. He was a 1996 U.S. Olympian. Sorensen was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
• Dunphy says: "Larry was our first truly outstanding player. Larry got more sets than all of his teammates combined and if another player by chance did not kill a ball, coach Moo Park was famous for saying to the setter, "Why don't you set Larry?" One of the best players from his generation ... Tom hit high balls, sets with speed to the outside, quick sets, fast or slow sets on the right side, D's and Bics, all with great timing and success. One of the greats to play for the Waves."

10 

• Jeff Stork (Topanga, Calif.) made the All-American first team three consecutive years between 1982-84. He was a three-time Olympian with the U.S. and won gold in 1988. He is currently the women's head coach at CSUN. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
• Chip McCaw (Tulsa, Okla./Bishop Kelley HS) was a four-time All-American, making the first team in 1994. The setter had 3,674 career assists and averaged 16.94 per set as a senior. He was also a 2000 U.S. Olympian.
• George Roumain (Parkland, Fla./Santa Ynez HS) was the National Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999 and a three-time All-American first teamer. He is Pepperdine's all-time leader in kills (2,394). The outside hitter averaged 6.84 per set for his career and 8.55 per set as a senior. He was also a 2000 U.S. Olympian. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
• Dunphy says: "Jeff was the key to our success in the 1980s and obviously had great success as an Olympian. He has all the qualities of a great Wave ... If someone wants to see what a volleyball player looks like, they should watch film of Chip performing any volleyball skill. He had great form for every skill. He was also one tough cookie ... People came to Firestone Fieldhouse just to watch George play. Need I say more? He was that special."

11 

• Doug Rigg (Honolulu, Hawai'i) made the All-American second team in 1988.
• John Mayer (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Pierce College) was a key part of the Waves' 2005 national champions. The opposite averaged 2.70 kills and 1.87 digs that season.
• Dunphy says: "Doug set with deception and great location. Harlan and Rod taught him both, and to his credit Doug prioritized locating a hittable ball. It was wonderful to see Matt and Doug play together and have so much success together ... John was a fine all-around player. He had great success at Pepperdine and maybe even more success on the pro beach tour. I still believe that there is not a nicer person in our sport."

12 

• Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton South HS) was the National Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, the 2005 NCAA Tournament MVP and a four-time All-American, three times on the first team. The outside hitter had 2,007 career kills and averaged 5.35 per set as a senior. He was a two-time Olympian who won gold with the U.S. in 2008. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
• Paul Carroll (Forster, Australia) was the National Player of the Year in 2009 and a three-time All-American first team pick. The opposite had 2,101 career kills and averaged 6.36 per set as a senior. He is currently the Waves' associate head coach.
• Dunphy says: "Here is what a good coach sounds like: 'Set Rooney.' What a gift to have Sean as a friend for life ... The first thing that comes to mind is Paul's great feel for attacking. The second would be his incredible range. One of the best to ever play at Pepperdine, and a fine addition to David Hunt's staff."

13 

• Geoff Hart (Sydney, Australia) made the all-conference third team in 1989. The outside hitter had 1,391 career kills and averaged 5.04 per set for his three seasons.
• Dunphy says: "He put up incredible numbers and whether passing, attacking or serving, he shouldered a big load. He demanded a lot of himself and his teammates."

14 

• Kevin Barnett (Naperville, Ill./Pierce College) made the All-American second team in both 1996 and 1997. The outside hitter had 1,145 kills in his two seasons, averaging 5.87 kills per set. He was a two-time Olympian with the U.S.
• Josh Taylor (Honolulu, Hawai'i/Punahou School) made the All-American first team in 2014 and 2015. The outside hitter had 1,433 career kills, including 4.01 kills per set in 2014. He is currently the women's volleyball head coach at Missouri.
• Dunphy says: "As I have said many times. Kevin made himself into an All-American and Olympian. He knew what he wanted to do and he did it. Young players would benefit by speaking with him about his journey ... Josh had major hand surgery just prior to coming to Pepperdine and significant shoulder surgery prior to his senior year. Those injuries did not prevent him from four wonderful seasons. It's great to see that he is so into coaching."

15 

• Bob Ctvrtlik (Long Beach, Calif.) was the National Player of the Year, the NCAA Tournament MVP and an All-American first teamer in 1985. The outside hitter had 424 kills in his only season with the Waves. He went on to be a three-time Olympian with the U.S. and won gold in 1988. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
• Jonathan Winder (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) was the National Player of the Year in 2007 and a four-time All-American, twice on the first team. The setter is Pepperdine's all-time leader in assists (5,118) and averaged 13.16 per set over four years. He was a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2008. He is currently the head coach of the Fresno State women's volleyball team.
• Dunphy says: "One of Coach Wooden's favorite words was balance. In my opinion, Bob always demonstrated great balance. He was great in the gym and classroom. Now he is great at his profession, with his family and his faith ... Jonathan was mature beyond his years. That helped him and our team because as a setter he not only ran the offense, he ran the show! He is the proud father of four and as solid as they come."

16 

• John Parfitt (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon HS) was all-conference honorable mention in 2006. The middle blocker/outside hitter had 1,015 career kills and averaged 4.16 kills per set that season.
• Dunphy says: "We would not have won in 2005 without John. Winder went to him throughout the match and he came through big-time. He was fearless."

17 

• Joshua Stewart (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine College Prep/Pacific) saw more action than any other Wave who's worn #17, appearing in 57 matches and 185 sets from 2015-17. The setter had 1,287 career assists.
• Dunphy says: "Josh was competitive and always positive. His teammates enjoyed playing with him. His mom made the best cookies!"

18 

• Brennan Anderson (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar HS/Ohio State) was All-American honorable mention in 2015. The libero had 467 digs in his two seasons with the Waves.
• Rob Mullahey (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) was All-American honorable mention in 2019. The setter had 2,194 career assists.
• Dunphy says: "Brennan played libero for us, but he could have played outside or setter if needed. He probably could not have played middle blocker, but that did not stop him from telling the middles how to block! ... I always enjoyed how confident and competitive Rob was at everything. He had four great years for the Waves. Don't play him in ping pong."

19 

• David Wieczorek (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) was a three-time All-American between 2016-19 and a two-time MPSF Player of the Year. The outside hitter had 1,300 career kills, including 417 as a senior, and 413 digs.
• Dunphy says: "David was an absolute hitting machine. In four years he may have tipped five or six balls ... maybe. I'm excited for his future in our sport."

20 

• Austin Wilmot (Valley Village, Calif./Crespi Carmelite HS/UC Irvine) earned All-American honorable mention status in 2020. The middle blocker hit .405 and averaged 1.90 kills and 1.12 blocks in his first season with the Waves.
• Dunphy says: "Austin has a good arm, a good feel for blocking and a good head. Thus, he can take the sport a long way. He is in control of his own destiny."

21 

• Brent Schirripa (Los Angeles, Calif./Crespi Carmelite HS) has seen more action than any other Wave who's worn #21, appearing in 56 matches and 141 sets between 2006-10. The outside hitter recorded 100 kills as a senior.
• Dunphy says: "Brent did what he had to do to get in our program and then to impact our team. He is the most proactive person I know."

22 

• Alex Harthaller (Innsbruck, Austria/IPFW) was All-American honorable mention and a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2018. The outside hitter averaged 3.07 kills per set that season.
• Dunphy says: "Alex was a super addition to our program. Man, was he sharp. Straight A's for four years, every class, every year. A wonderful player and the best-ever in the classroom."

24 

• JT Ardell (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West HS) became the first Wave to wear #24 during the 2020 season and the middle blocker led the MPSF in blocking (1.31) last season.
• Dunphy says: "JT is one those rare players who gets better every practice. Improvement usually comes in clumps with gaps, but to his credit, he gets a little better every day."