Above: In an upset victory, teammates Rich Loper (left) and Gabe Brickey (right) help defeat 6th-ranked CSU Sacramento 3-1. Below: Outside hitter Loper (left) discusses game strategy with head coach Brian Tsukimura and teammate Javier Aguilera before playing CSU Sacramento on March 27.
by Mary Lisa Russell
Fresno State's Rich Loper and Gabe Brickey are 6-foot-6-inch "twin towers" on the court, but they don't dribble a basketball -- instead, they spike and block a volleyball.
Loper and Brickey will lead Fresno State -- ranked seventh among 325 men's volleyball club sport teams in the nation -- to the national finals at the University of Maryland April 7-10.
Reaching the top has been a difficult road for the team said Dr. Brian Tsukimura, who has been head coach since coming to Fresno State to teach biology in 1994. "I had no idea who was available to play volleyball on campus and I was pressed for time to find players."
An assistant biology professor, Tsukimura says the team has to practice from 10 p.m. to midnight in the North Gym. "It's the only time slot they have open ... but we're working on getting better practice times."
Tsukimura said the men's volleyball team has received a lot of support from the women's Division 1 volleyball team. "We set up the women's team volleyball floor and call lines [as lines judges] at their matches to fund raise for the team," he said.
Tsukimura does not receive any compensation for his coaching efforts but says he does it because he loves the game. "Each year the team has made significant improvements. We had a Top 10 ranking last year. Hopefully this weekend, we'll come away with a win."
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