[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 7, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S3974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII WARRIOR MEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM FOR 
              WINNING THE 2002 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 262, submitted 
earlier by Senators Akaka and Inouye.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 262) commending the University of 
     Hawaii Volleyball Team for winning the 2002 National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Volleyball National 
     Championship.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to the consideration 
of the resolution.
  Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, I am pleased to join my distinguished 
colleague, the senior Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Inouye, in 
congratulating the University of Hawaii's Warrior Volleyball team, the 
2002 NCAA National Champions. The Warriors captured the title by 
beating top-ranked Pepperdine University in four games Saturday evening 
in State College, Pennsylvania. The national championship is the first 
for any men's athletic program at the University of Hawaii in over 30 
years of NCAA Division I competition.
  Hawaii finished its championship season with a 24-8 record, and out-
hit and out-blocked a Pepperdine team that had beaten the Warriors in 
their three previous meetings this season. Saturday's victory also 
marked the 200th win for Warrior coach Mike Wilton in his ten-year 
tenure at Hawaii.
  Sports fans in Hawaii love the men's and women's volleyball teams at 
the University of Hawaii. Hawaii has led the nation in attendance for 
seven consecutive seasons. This season the Warriors drew 89,387 fans 
for 16 home matches, an average of 5,587 per match, breaking the record 
set last year. It is not unusual for almost 8,000 fans to pack the Stan 
Sheriff Center on the UH-Manoa campus for a contest against a 
conference rival. When you factor in the fact that all home matches are 
televised, you get an appreciation of the popularity of Hawaii's 
volleyball program.
  The 2002 Volleyball National Champions are an extraordinary team. 
They are also an international team. Three-time All-American and Final 
Four MVP Costas Theocharidis is from Greece; Team captain Eyal Zimet is 
from Israel; senior All-American Dejan Miladinovic is from Serbia. 
Along with Hawaii's best prep players, men from Canada, the mainland 
U.S., Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Guam, are a part of the 2002 Hawaii 
Warrior's championship team this season. It is a credit to the players, 
coaches, trainers and staff, that outstanding teamwork, years of hard 
work and conditioning, and dedication to the sport they love, have 
earned them the national championship.
  The multinational 2002 champions are splendid representatives and 
ambassadors for Hawaii. Hawaii is a multicultural State, where no race 
or ethnicity has a majority. Our Culture reflects the rich mosaic of 
Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Western cultures and traditions which are 
shared, celebrated, and appreciated by Hawaii's people and visitors to 
the islands. Immigrants from nations around the world have shared their 
rich cultures and traditions, which in combination with the indigenous 
Hawaiian culture, have created a special and wonderful place for 
residents and visitors alike.
  So it is with great pride and appreciation that I join my colleague 
from Hawaii and the people of Hawaii in honoring the 2002 National 
Champion University of Hawaii Warrior Volleyball team by offering a 
resolution commending their championship season. I ask unanimous 
consent that a roster of Warrior Volleyball players, coaches, and staff 
be printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See Exhibit 1.)
  Mr. AKAKA. Congratulations to the Warriors players and Coach Mike 
Wilton and his staff for a wonderful and historic season. Hawaii no ka 
oi!

                             Exhibit No. 1

                 2002 HAWAII WARRIORS VOLLEYBALL ROSTER
------------------------------------------------------------------------
        No. and player           Pos.    Ht.     Yr.        Hometown
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. Dejan Miladinovic.........  MB        6-7  Sr.     Kraljevo, Serbia
 2. Geronimo Chala............  OH        6-6  Jr.     Santiago de Cuba,
                                                        Cuba
 3. Rob Drew..................  MB        6-8  Sr.     San Diego, CA
 4. Kimo Yuyay................  S         6-2  So.     San Diego, CA
 5. Jake Muise................  L         6-0  So.     Halifax, Nova
                                                        Scotia
 6. Eyal Zimet................  OH        6-2  Jr.     Kibbutz Ein
                                                        Hamifratz,
                                                        Israel
 7. Vernon Podiewski..........  L         5-8  Sr.     Halimaile, Maui
 8. Jeffrey Gleason...........  OH        6-3  Jr.     Hillsboro, OR
 9. Costas Theocharidis.......  OH        6-3  Jr.     Orestiada, Greece
10. Jose Delgado..............  OH        6-3  Fr.     San Juan, Puerto
                                                        Rico
11. Kyle Denitz...............  DS        6-0  Jr.     Carpineria, CA
12. Marvin Yamada.............  DS        5-8  So.     Barrigada
                                                        Heights, Guam
13. Matt Bender...............  OH        6-3  Fr.     Tucson, AZ
14. Ryan Woodward.............  OH        6-3  Jr.     Mililani, Oahu
15. Tony Ching................  OH        6-2  Jr.     Honolulu
16. Brian Nordberg............  MB        6-5  Jr.     Milwaukee, WI
17. Delano Thomas.............  MB        6-7  Fr.     Sacramento, CA
18. Daniel Rasay..............  S         6-2  Fr.     Kailua-Kona,
                                                        Hawaii
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Mike Wilton (BYU-Hawaii, 1969); Assistant Coaches: Tino
  Beyes (Cal Poly, 1984), Aaron Wilton (Hawaii, 1997); Manager: Marlo
  Torres; Volunteer: Radford Nakamura; and Trainer: Michelle Landis.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution and preamble be 
agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and 
that any statements related thereto be printed in the Record, all 
without any intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 262) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 262

       Whereas on May 4, 2002, the University of Hawaii Warrior 
     Men's Volleyball Team won the national championship for the 
     first time;
       Whereas the University of Hawaii defeated Pepperdine 
     University in 4 games in the championship match, having 
     previously defeated Penn State University in the semifinals;
       Whereas this is the first national championship ever for 
     any men's athletic program at the University of Hawaii in 30 
     years of NCAA Division I competition;
       Whereas the victory in the championship game gave Coach 
     Mike Wilton his first career NCAA title and his 200th victory 
     at the University of Hawaii;
       Whereas the University of Hawaii Warrior Volleyball fans 
     are the best in the Nation, leading the country in attendance 
     for 7 consecutive seasons;
       Whereas 3-time All-American junior outside hitter Costas 
     Theocharidis--
       (1) was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player;
       (2) was the 2001 American Volleyball Coaches Association 
     national Player of the Year; and
       (3) holds a number of men's volleyball school records;
       Whereas 2 University of Hawaii Warrior volleyball players, 
     junior outside hitter Costas Theocharidis and senior middle 
     blocker Dejan Miladinovic, were voted to the American 
     Volleyball Coaches Association All-American first team;
       Whereas the Hawaii team is representative of Hawaii's 
     celebrated cultural diversity, with players from Hawaii, the 
     United States mainland, Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada, Cuba, 
     Greece, Israel, and Serbia; and
       Whereas all of the team's players showed tremendous 
     dedication throughout the season toward the goal of winning 
     the National Championship: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the University of Hawaii Warrior Men's 
     Volleyball Team for winning the 2002 NCAA Men's Volleyball 
     National Championship;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of all the team's players, 
     coaches, and support staff, and invites them to the United 
     States Capitol to be honored;
       (3) requests that the President--
       (A) recognize the achievements of the University of Hawaii 
     men's volleyball team; and
       (B) invite the team to the White House for an appropriate 
     ceremony honoring a national championship team; and
       (4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to--
       (A) make available enrolled copies of this resolution to 
     the University of Hawaii for appropriate display; and
       (B) transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to every 
     coach and member of the 2002 NCAA Men's Volleyball National 
     Championship Team.

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