The NCAA has declared BYU opposite hitter Joe Hillman eligible,
but also asked the school early Thursday to hold middle blocker
Victor Batista out of action while it investigates his questionable
eligibility. Batista, a sophomore who leads the Cougars in blocking
and also hits .452, was not in uniform as he sat on the bench
during his team’s 3-1 victory over UCLA. “We held
(Batista) out as a precaution while the NCAA reviews his
case,” said BYU associate athletic director Brian Santiago,
declining to comment on the investigation. UCLA coach Al Scates,
who said UC Santa Barbara coach Ken Preston was the one who turned
over information to the NCAA, speculated that the amateur status of
Batista, a native of the Dominican Republic, was an issue. “I
had heard a lot of Dominicans had been playing abroad
professionally under assumed names,” Scates said. Preston
also had turned over information on Hillman that appeared to show
he is currently playing in his sixth year of eligibility when the
NCAA allows for four. But the NCAA found that only two of the years
Hillman played at a club team at Utah Valley State College before
transferring to BYU counted against him because they came after he
had reached 21 years of age. Any other years Hillman might have
played at UVSC do not count since the school does not offer
men’s volleyball as a varsity sport. “The NCAA says he
is 100 percent eligible,” said Santiago, adding that
UCLA’s compliance department was in agreement. “The
accusations were unfounded.” Hillman, who had 16 kills and 10
digs Thursday while being subjected to chants of “six more
years” and “27,” referring to his age, declined
comment.
ACOSTA RETURNS: Outside hitter Jonathan Acosta
returned to action Thursday and made a strong case for a return to
UCLA’s starting lineup. Acosta, a junior, replaced struggling
senior J.T. Wenger in the middle of Game 2 and tied a season-high
of 15 kills for a .448 hitting percentage. He recorded a
season-high eight digs. “I’m overjoyed,” Scates
said. “He played brilliantly.” Acosta had not played
since the team suffered a sweep to Long Beach State on March 12. He
felt his return was bittersweet. “It would have felt a lot
better if we had come out with a win.”
BYU BIT: Half of BYU’s starting lineup
Thursday ““ Hillman, Jonathan Alleman, Shawn Olmstead and
Fernando Pessoa ““ is married.