Former Waves, Colleagues Congratulate Dunphy on Win #500
March 3, 2010
Click on the above video for highlights of win #500 vs. Cal State Northridge.
MALIBU, Calif. -- It was a great evening at Firestone Fieldhouse on Friday, Feb. 26, as Pepperdine's men's volleyball head coach Marv Dunphy won his 500th career match. The #1 Waves defeated then-#5 Cal State Northridge in four games (39-37, 30-27, 26-30, 30-28) in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play.
Now in his 27th season at Pepperdine, Dunphy is believed to have become the fifth head coach in NCAA men's volleyball history to reach the milestone of 500 wins. The NCAA does not keep official stats of all-time wins, though an unofficial list has Al Scates of UCLA as the leader with 1,194, followed by Don Shondell (Ball State, 769; retired), Ken Preston (UCSB, 516; retired), Pete Hanson (Ohio State, 503; active) and Dunphy.
Widely recognized as one of the game's premier coaches, Dunphy has directed Pepperdine to four NCAA men's volleyball titles, seven conference regular-season championships and four conference tournament championships. He was the 2005 National Coach of the Year and is a three-time MPSF Coach of the Year.
Dunphy, who holds a career record of 500-193 (.722), is noted for his highly technical approach to the game and diligent training methods. As a result of his training, 18 different Waves have earned 33 All-American first team accolades. Pepperdine players have been named All-Americans 49 times under Dunphy's direction. Six different athletes have gone on to earn National Player of the Year honors in Bob Ctvrtlik (1985), George Roumain (1998, 1999), Brad Keenan (2002, 2003), Sean Rooney (2005), Jonathan Winder (2007) and Paul Carroll (2009). No other men's program has had more POTY recipients than Pepperdine since the American Coaches Volleyball Association began issuing the awards in 1991.
What is so special about Dunphy's achievement is the fact that he has accomplished all of his success at one place, Pepperdine. Honors, accolades and national recognition adorn the career of Dunphy. As a result, he has created an iconic identity that is synonymous with the sport of men's volleyball.
His career started here at Pepperdine as a student-athlete competing as a middle blocker under the direction of Coach Burt DeGroot in 1972-73. After receiving his bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 1974, Dunphy began his coaching career by assisting DeGroot and Coach Harlan Cohen before assuming the head coaching duties in 1977.
Success came quickly to the eight-year old program as Dunphy led Pepperdine to its first-ever NCAA team championship in 1978 as the Waves upended perennial power UCLA in five games to win the national crown. Since then, he has led the Waves to NCAA titles in 1985, 1992 and 2005. Dunphy is one of just three coaches in any sport to win an NCAA title in four different decades.
Dunphy's career became even more inspirational as he began to devote his time to his country as the head coach of the United States National Team. He took a leave of absence following the 1985 season and focused his energy and commitment to bringing the United States a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. Behind the excellent play of former Pepperdine standouts Craig Buck, Bob Ctvrtlik, Jeff Stork, Troy Tanner and assistant coach Gary Sato, Dunphy led the USA to the gold medal in an unforgettable victory over the USSR in four sets.
From 1985 to 1988, the Dunphy-led U.S. men's volleyball squad won almost all the major international titles. They won the 1985 FIVB World Cup, the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1986 World Championships and the 1988 Olympic Games. Dunphy has remained a consultant for the U.S. National Olympic team since 1996, including being a part of the 2008 Olympic gold medal team in Beijing, China.
Whether it is at Pepperdine or representing the United States as head coach, Dunphy has been a positive example for all young coaches to follow. He is a pillar of strength and trust in the Pepperdine Athletic Department and a source of wisdom and knowledge for past, current and future Wave student-athletes.
"We all extend our congratulations to Marv on his 500th win," said Dr. John Watson, Pepperdine's Athletic Director. "While this win is significant, I think more about all the young men Marv has helped as they have matured into responsible men of character. He is a remarkable volleyball coach who relates the required dedication, hard-work, passion and teamwork required in the sport to the lessons of life. If you talk with his former players you know his message helped shape the men they became. We are proud of Marv for the success on the court and the positive influence he has on those around him."
Each time the Waves are victorious, it is added to the win column for the team and the career totals of Dunphy. But his 500th win is special in its own unique way. It signifies his dedication, passion and commitment to this fine university. Dunphy represents the fortitude and longevity of success of the Waves men's volleyball program. Ironically, the Waves' women's volleyball head coach, Nina Matthies, won her 500th career match this year as well.
John Wooden, former UCLA Hall of Fame Basketball Coach, had this to say about Dunphy a few years ago. His comments were powerful back then and still resonate today throughout the volleyball world and in the Pepperdine community when speaking of Dunphy.
""Not only is Marv Dunphy one of the finest coaches of the sport of volleyball, but he is the kind of person any parent would love to have their youngster in his program," Wooden said. "He is more interested in his player's life after volleyball than he is in their success in the sport itself."
Pepperdine is proud to have two of volleyball's finest coaches residing here in Malibu. Dunphy, like Matthies, has impacted the lives of many young people in a way that is much more significant than wins and losses or NCAA titles. He has developed strong character skills, reinforced the university's ideals and values and created life-long relationships with his peers, coaching staff, players, alumni, parents, family and the surrounding Pepperdine community.
Congratulations to Coach Marv Dunphy, his wife Su, daughters Karen and Alexandra, and son Dijon, on a well-deserved accomplishment! Here are some thoughts and reflections of many colleagues and former players on this special achievement by their mentor, coach and friend:
Doug Beal
CEO, USA Volleyball
"I want to offer my warmest and most sincere congratulations to Marv on this terrific achievement. No one represents consistent excellence any better than Marv. As he likes to say, 'performance and being good over time is the true mark of greatness.' Marv, it has always been my pleasure and honor to count you as a friend and colleague. You and Pepperdine have been great over time! I'm looking to you to start immediately on the next 500. Congratulations again."
*****
Hugh McCutcheon
Head Coach, USA Women's National Team
Head Coach of 2008 USA Men's National Team, Olympic Gold Medalists
"While we all recognize the magnitude of this career result it, to me, is more representative of Marv's commitment to hard work and great process. Every year the Waves are in the hunt because of the way he coaches and teaches the talented athletes who wisely choose to work under his tutelage. Congratulations to Marv, the program, and to Pepperdine University."
*****
Rob Browning
Head Women's Volleyball Coach
Saint Mary's College
2000, 2004 USA Men's Volleyball Assistant Coach
2008 USA Men's Volleyball Head of Delegation
"Marv is a beacon in the volleyball coaching world. He has been a mentor to me for a long time and has helped me tremendously along the way in my career. As good as Marv is as a volleyball coach, he is an even better person. His character is an example to me of how to be as a coach, father and husband."
*****
Terry Danyluk
Head Men's Volleyball Coach
University of Alberta
"Wow, '500'. I guess it doesn't surprise me that Marv has reached this incredible milestone as he is likely the hardest working and most committed person I have met in our sport. I feel honored to be one of the many people he has influenced in his storied career and wish him and his teams all the best on the road to '1000'."
*****
Craig Choate
Head Women's Volleyball Coach
Northern Arizona University
Former Assistant Coach
"Marv, Congratulations on one more great milestone to one of the best coaches ever in the sport of volleyball. I'll always be a fan of the Waves!"
****
Jim McLaughlin
Head Women's Volleyball Coach
University of Washington, 2005 National Champions
Former Assistant Coach
"When I think about Marv and all he has accomplished as a coach, it goes much deeper than all the wins. He has influenced so many people not only in the volleyball community but outside as well. He certainly has had a strong influence on me and my coaching career. There are those few coaches that have made that great impact and Marv is one of them. So many of us coaches and people have learned from him and become better coaches because of him. 500 wins is a lot of wins, but I'm sure this was not high on Marv's list. However, it is another one of his many great accomplishments."
*****
Rod Wilde; '76, '77, '78, '79
1978 NCAA Champions
Three-time All-American First Team
Interim Head Coach '86-'88
U.S. National Team Member
"Marv can make you believe in yourself and attain things that you never thought you could. He has been my mentor and friend for over 30 years. He is a great leader and teacher who commands so much respect that you never want to let him down. This is a big reason why he has been such a successful coach. Marv has unique ability to build a team into a cohesive unit that far exceeds their individual talents. We all know that Marv will want to downplay his accomplishment because that is the way he is, but it is something to be celebrated. Marv, congratulations on your 500th win."
*****
Mike Blanchard; '77, '78, '79
1978 NCAA Champions
MVP 1978 NCAA Tournament
Two-time All-American 1st Team
U.S. National Team Member
"Marv's winning record is no surprise to any of us who have had the honor of playing for him. I played for Marv during his first two full seasons as head coach at Pepperdine. It was an experience that continues to be a positive influence in my life. The success of Marv's program is a reflection of the man himself. It has from the very beginning been built on a foundation steeped in character, integrity and accountability. However, what really sets Marv apart is his God-given ability to weave those foundational components into the fabric of his player's lives, so that regardless of the outcome on the court, they are winners in the game of life."
*****
Peter Balding; '78, '79, '80, '81
1978 NCAA Champions
"Marv, congratulations on 500 victories. People will acknowledge you for this milestone achievement, but the truth of who you are is not in the victories, but in the quality of the experience you have provided for those who have come to be known simply as 'Waves.' Thank you for all you have done to enhance my life and the rest of the 'Waves.' The journey is and continues to be a significant event in my life."
*****
Mike Fitzgerald; '82, '83, '84, '85
1985 NCAA Champions
"I will never forget the time Bob Ctvrtlik and I beat Marv at Sports Trivia. There seemed to be a small discrepancy about the plural 's' needing to be added for the answer to be correct. Of course we were right, but I doubt Marv will ever admit to that. Success Breeds Success. I have had the opportunity to coach with, or play for, a number of great coaches through the years. Marv took that to a new level - and added Great Person to that as well. If you look at all of the lives that Marv has touched in one way or another, it is truly amazing. The coaches that are successful now (in either women's or men's volleyball) have Marv's stamp all over their programs. I feel truly blessed to have had such a great coach and person in my life both for sports reasons as well as life issues. Continued success with Pepperdine Volleyball as well as life. Thanks for your dedication and the excellence you have provided in so many lives."
*****
Troy Tanner; '83, '85, '86, '87
1985 NCAA Champions
Three-time All-American
1988 Olympian
1988 Olympic Gold Medalist
"When I was around Marv I always felt special. Whether it was hanging out in his office, walking around campus or entering a hostile gymnasium -- the other players and I carried a huge sense of pride to be one of his guys. Marv had a way of making us feel invincible. We were confident and anxious to get into the big matches. His pre-match talks were full of good information on opponents, but much of the discussion centered on why Pepperdine was better. We just had to believe and execute and things would go our way. I'm extremely proud to have played a small role in Marv's distinguished coaching career."
*****
Rob Scott; '84, '85, '86, '87
1985 NCAA Champions
Two-time All-American
"Marv, you have had a profound effect on my life. One of my favorite quotes you used to tell us is that 'giving anything but your absolute best effort is the ultimate risk because if you come up short, you have no excuses. But, it is the only way to achieve greatness.' Very profound and something that I use in my day to day life."
*****
Bob Ctvrtlik; '85
1985 NCAA Champions
1985 NCAA Player of the Year
MVP 1985 NCAA Tournament
First Team All-American
Three-time Olympian; '88, '92, '96
1988 Olympic Gold Medalist
"Marv has been a tremendous teacher, coach and friend. His success speaks for itself, but his qualities as a man and a leader are what separate him from other great coaches. He has been a tremendous role model for the hundred of players who have been touched by him. My decision to attend Pepperdine has profoundly affected the course of my life and Marv Dunphy has been a major part of that growth."
*****
Dain Blanton; '91, '92, '93, '94
1992 NCAA Champions
Two-time Olympian; '00, '04
2000 Olympic Gold Medalist
"Marv Dunphy was no question the most influential coach that I have had throughout my many years in playing volleyball. Marv was a major reason for me deciding to attend Pepperdine University in 1990 as he was just coming off of winning an Olympic Gold Medal as head coach of the U.S. National Team in the 1988 Olympics.
"Marv taught how to focus, train, compete and win all at the same time while being classy, sportsmanlike and respectful of your opponents and the game. Marv's presence demanded respect and he always got the most out of his players that wanted and aspired to be the best. His winning ways won us a title in the 1992 National Championships and he instilled in me those qualities that I tried to play with throughout my beach volleyball career culminating in a Gold Medal victory in the 2000 Olympic Games on Bondi Beach in Australia attended by Marv himself.
"I have always been proud to be a product of Marv Dunphy. It is no surprise that he is eclipsing the 500 victories. For Marv I am sure it is just the beginning. Congratulations!!"
*****
George Roumain; '96, '97, '98, '99
1998 and 1999 NCAA Player of the Year
Three-time All-American First Team
2000 U.S. Olympian
"Marv is the most influential person in the sport of volleyball. He taught me to be a great person first and a volleyball player second. It takes a great leader and person to make the impact that Marv has had on my life and every other athlete that has ever played for him. Marv is an exceptional role model for anybody and can remember a name and a face any time of day. Congratulations on your 500th win and being who you are!"
*****
Kevin Barnett; '96, '97
Two-time All-American
Two-time Olympian; '00, '04
"There is no one's gym I would rather be in than Marv's. His ability to develop young people into great volleyball players and incredible young men is unmatched. I was fortunate to be a part of his teams here at Pepperdine and later in my life with the National Team. He was a big part of my professional and personal development. Five-hundred is merely a number; it's the people that have come out of this program that are the real achievement."
*****
Scott Wong; '98, '99, '00, '01
Three-time All-American
Former Assistant Coach
U.S. National Team Member
Associate Women's Head Coach, University of San Francisco
"Marv is the best in the volleyball business. He's a great teacher, coach, and mentor and I have been blessed to have Marv's voice in my life not only as a young student-athlete, but also as a coach. Scott Rigg and the 1985 national championship team couldn't have said it better when they said that he 'makes men out of boys'. He has deeply touched my life, the lives of all of his 27 teams he has coached at Pepperdine University and the many other people that he has interacted with along the way throughout his career. Congratulations Marv on another wonderful achievement!"
*****
Brad Keenan; '00, '01,'02, '03
2002 and 2003 NCAA Player of the Year
Four-time All-American
"Marv is a man that I will always respect and will always be slightly scared of even though I know I shouldn't be. In four years of playing volleyball, I never heard him yell or even seem too angry, yet every time he spoke all eyes and ears were glued to him because you didn't want to miss a word he was saying. Outside of all the amazing volleyball knowledge I learned from Marv, there are two life lessons that I also learned: 1) You have to be early to be on time. 2) Wash your hands."
*****
Freddie Winters; '01, '02, '03, '04
Two-time All-American
Canadian National Team Member
"There's no way that I could ever pay back Pepperdine University and Marv Dunphy for everything they have given to me. I feel that one of the big reasons I am the player and man I am today is because of Pepperdine University and especially Marv Dunphy. My playing career has taken me all over the world and I have yet to have a coach as knowledgeable, personable and fair as Marv. I'd like to stress that there's no secret to Pepperdine's volleyball success over the years. Boys who want to come to Pepperdine and play volleyball don't do it for economic reasons; don't get me started on the tuition rates, they don't come because of the beach and the ocean, as beautiful as it looks it's still freezing cold, and they most certainly don't do it for the traditional 'college' experience. Everyone I played with and probably most of the players before and after me go to Pepperdine for one reason: Marv.
"So many of the tools that I still use today I learned from Marv while I was at Pepperdine. Most of you would think I'm talking about volleyball tools, but I mean life tools. I could go on and on about the things I learned from Marv but I know he's probably shaking his head and waiting until he can get back to his office and make some PR calls. One of which would be to my mother, Maggie Winters, up in Vancouver who he regularly calls just to say hi. I know Marv doesn't even want this recognition or acknowledgment and would prefer to go about his day to day business trying to make the waves better but he definitely deserves it and I can't think of anyone more deserving...Congratulations on 500 Marv!"
*****
Sean Rooney; '02, '03, '04, '05
2005 NCAA Champions
2005 NCAA Player of the Year
Four-time All-American
2008 Olympic Gold Medalist
"I am so happy for Marv reaching this milestone. I have never had a coach impact my life the way Marv did during my years at Pepperdine. I find it interesting and helpful that I still to this day will be in a situation on or off the court in Japan, Brazil, Siberia or Italy, where I consider how Marv would encourage 'The Waves' to act. It is truly an honor to have been coached by him and also to be a part of some of those 500 wins. Tell him that I am writing this from Northern Siberia where I am playing volleyball near the Arctic Polar Circle...- 45...Brrr!"
*****
Jonathan Winder; '05, '06, '07, '08
2005 National Champions
2007 NCAA Player of the Year
Four-time All-American
"Congratulations Marv on 500 wins! I'm so blessed and honored to have somehow been a part of a few of the wins. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your success. It is one thing to have had some of the best success ever as a coach on the court, but it is another thing to have had such a positive and lasting impact on the hundreds of volleyball players who have come through your program."
*****
Paul Carroll; '06, '07, '08, 09
2009 NCAA Player of the Year
Three-time All-American First Team
"Thank you for everything you have done for my development as a volleyball player, a leader and as a person. Choosing to play volleyball for you is easily the best and most influential decision I have made in my life."
*****
Greg and Mary Keenan
Proud parents of Brad Keenan; '00, '01, '02, '03
2002 and 2003 NCAA Player of the Year
Four-time All-American
"Congratulations on your 500th career win. We wish we could have been there to witness this extraordinary accomplishment. You are a dedicated coach, mentor and ambassador for the sport. There will be many more wins to come in your career and we will always be a fan of Marv Dunphy."
*****
Mike and Carol Rooney
Proud parents of Sean Rooney; '02, '03, '04, '05
2005 NCAA Champions
2005 NCAA Player of the Year
Four-time All-American
2008 Olympic Gold Medalist
"Marv, Congratulations on reaching the 500 win mark! Moreover, we want to thank you for what this accomplishment means with respect to all the boys on all your teams (and one in particular) that you have mentored. You have served as a role model helping to form so many successful young men. Again congrats and we wish you many more!"
*****
Jean Winder
Proud mother of Jonathan Winder: '05, '06, '07, '08
2005 National Champions
2007 NCAA Player of the Year
Four-time All-American
"I am privileged to have had a son coached under Marv Dunphy. Marv has this quiet strength that looks into these young men's lives to make them great team players, great influencers, great men. Marv is well respected not only by the players, but by all the parents as well. What you see is what you get with Marv -- a humble heart, a gentle motivator, a positive encourager, and a care and concern for each player and parent."
*****
Trevor and Mathilde Carroll
Proud parents of Paul Carroll; '06, '07, '08, '09
2009 NCAA Player of the Year
Three-time All-American First Team
"In regards to Marv and his affect on our family, from the first moment that he came into our lives we were convinced that he was a man that could be trusted with our youngest son, Paul. Those initial thoughts were proven correct during the four years that Paul was directed through his college volleyball career by the most gifted volleyball coach, Marv Dunphy. Paul was converted by Marv from a gangly talented young boy to a mature young man and a finely tuned athlete. On the rare occasions that we parents made the pilgrimage to see our boy play, we were always treated as V.I.P.'s by Marv, his staff and his team. Congratulations to Marv and his 500 wins."
-- by Dick Dornan
