Sophomore setter Beau Peters is enrolled at UCLA after
transferring from Long Beach State. He adds much-needed depth to
the position after the Bruins lost three-year starter Rich Nelson
to graduation.
“We’re excited to get him,” UCLA head coach Al
Scates said. “I’m confident we’ll have a great
setter with whoever is starting.”
Peters will not have to sit out a year because he was released
from his scholarship agreement, making him eligible for
recruitment. Long Beach State apparently pulled his scholarship
upon the emergence of 2003 MPSF Freshman of the Year Tyler
Hildebrand.
Before losing his position, Peters was able to set the 49ers to
a five-game victory over the Bruins in January.
“The only time I’ve seen him play was against
us,” Scates said. “And he beat us. That impressed
me.”
Although Peters comes to UCLA having the most collegiate setting
experience on the team, he will compete with highly touted freshman
Julio Acevedo, who is currently setting for the Puerto Rican
national team at the NORCECA Zone Championships in Mexico.
Redshirt sophomores Dennis Gonzalez and Aaron Dodd are also in
the mix, having played limited minutes last season.
The last time UCLA got a transfer from Long Beach, things worked
out well. Opposite hitter Ed Ratledge came to UCLA in 1999 and
ended up starting on the 2000 NCAA championship team.
Ңbull;Ӣbull;Ӣbull;
The MPSF coaches did not come any closer to deciding on the
format for the conference tournament after a teleconference
Tuesday.
Hawai’i, in an apparent miscommunication with its own
coach, Mike Wilton, recently submitted a proposal to just host the
semifinals and final rather than the entire tournament, Scates
said.
The coaches, however, had shown support for a plan that would
hold the entire tournament at Hawai’i, featuring all 12 teams
in the conference. The current format allows only the top eight
teams to participate, with the highest seed remaining after the
first round hosting the semifinals and final.
An MPSF committee will decide on the final format for this
season by January 2004.
Things did get done regarding Scates’ proposal that BYU
rearrange its seating at Smith Fieldhouse. The MPSF coaches voted
to give 17 feet of space between the seats and the service
line.
“It occurred to me that it would be a good idea after the
fans were standing and shouting at my servers,” said Scates,
whose team was swept twice in Provo last season. “I thought
it would be nice if they could be removed from the playing
floor.”
Ңbull;Ӣbull;Ӣbull;
UCLA will unexpectedly open fall practice on Oct. 13 in the
Wooden Center.
The team was hoping to be back on its legendary practice floor
in the newly renovated Student Activities Center (formerly
Men’s Gym) after two seasons in the Wooden Center. Scates had
already delayed the start of practice two weeks so as to
accommodate a delay in the renovation, but a floor has still yet to
be installed because of electrical problems.
Players complained of the small confines and hard floor in
Wooden, hinting that the facility was the cause of the team’s
injury problems. Scates said it was possible the team could be
practicing in the Student Activities Center by the end of that
week.