The Legacy of Al Scates: UCLA Volleyball Wizard of Westwood

[EDITOR’S NOTE: With UCLA coach Al Scates retiring at the end of the 2012 season, Off the Block is encouraging members of the volleyball community to send us their recollections and thoughts about what the Hall of Fame coach has meant to the sport. Below is an article written by Alfred Agcaoili]

For all the national championship banners that adorn the rafters of venerable Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA, it can be said that one of its noteworthy alums made quite a contribution.
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Projected preseason top 10 national rankings: No. 3 UCLA

UCLA is projected by Off the Block to be No. 3 in the preseason national rankings.

Off the Block throughout December will reveal its projected men’s volleyball preseason top 10 national rankings and will profile a top-10 team each day. The Off the Block projected preseason rankings were created independently of the AVCA Coaches Poll and the Volleyball Magazine Top 10 Media Poll.

The college men’s volleyball season begins on Jan. 3 and concludes with the Final Four in May.
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Thanksgiving 2011: 11 things to be thankful about in college volleyball

It is the week of giving thanks and college men’s volleyball followers and fans can be thankful about plenty of things in the sport.

Whether it is a playoff format to determine a champion or the individuals returning for the upcoming season, there are many good things happening in the sport right now. It’s now time to give thanks to some of those things in college men’s volleyball.

Here’s the list of the 11 things in college men’s volleyball to be thankful about for Thanksgiving 2011.
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Hall of Famer Scates reveals his final UCLA recruiting class

An all-state player and two all-area players will be in the final recruiting class for Hall of Fame UCLA coach Al Scates.

Scates, who will retire following the upcoming season, announced Tuesday that high school seniors Jack Hughson, Steven O’Dell and John Zappia have signed National Letters of Intent to play the Bruins starting for the 2013 season.
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Pepperdine releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

A rematch between two Hall of Fame coaches and non-conference matches against Lewis and Penn State highlights the 2012 Pepperdine regular season schedule that the team released Saturday.

Pepperdine finished last season in ninth place in the MPSF and missed the conference tournament for the first time in its program history. The Waves have five returning starters, including outside attacker Maurice Torres who ended 2011 in the nation’s top 10 for kills per game average.

Check out the five things to take away from Pepperdine’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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UCLA releases 2012 schedule: 5 things to know about this schedule

The final regular season schedule in Hall of Fame coach Al Scates’ 50-year tenure at UCLA was released Wednesday.

The only coach in UCLA men’s volleyball history announced in May that he would retire at the end the 2012 season. Sactes and the Bruins enter the upcoming season with six returning starters after finishing last season in eighth place in the MPSF and losing in the conference tournament quarterfinals.

Check out the five things to take away from UCLA’s schedule for the 2012 season.
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Q&A with UCLA coach Al Scates about his upcoming retirement

Fifty years as UCLA’s head coach is long enough for Hall of Famer Al Scates.

Scates, the winningest coach in NCAA volleyball history, announced Tuesday that he would retire following the 2012 season.

As the only men’s volleyball head coach in UCLA history, Scates won a college volleyball record 19 NCAA championships and more than 1,200 matches. The Bruins have also had 52 First-Team All-Americnas, 27 Olympians and seven National Player of the Year awards during the head coach’s tenure.

Off the Block conducted an interview with Scates on Thursday to discuss why he decided to retire, the affect his retirement could have on the upcoming season and who could replace him as the next Bruins’ head coach.
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Hall of Fame UCLA coach Scates will retire at end of 2012 season

The most successful coach in NCAA men’s volleyball history will retire following the 2012 season.

The UCLA athletics department announced Tuesday that Hall of Fame coach Al Scates will retire on June 30, 2012 after 50 years with the the Bruins.

“It is a privilege to coach the fine men that have participated and continue to compete for UCLA volleyball,” Scates said in a statement. “I have enjoyed being a continuous member of UCLA volleyball since I walked onto the team as a junior in 1959. … And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
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