Dennis Alshuler

Bryce Alderton

Pick any sport and Dennis Alshuler has probably played it.

The basketball, football and volleyball star at Corona del Mar

High, who earned Sea View League Male Athlete of the Year honors

following his senior season (1999), currently plays opposite on the

Princeton University volleyball team and has been a reserve wide

receiver on the football team for four years as a walk on.

The Tigers (1-2) just finished their West Coast swing with stops

at UC Irvine -- a four-game loss to the nation’s No. 1 volleyball

team entering its battle this weekend against No. 2 Hawaii -- and a

four-game win Thursday against Hope International.

“This year’s team is the most talented group of players we’ve had

since I’ve been here,” said Alshuler, 22, sitting in the backyard of

his parents’ home in Corona del Mar Friday before flying back to

Princeton Saturday to prepare for the second semester that starts

Monday. “We have a lot of guys from Southern California that I either

played with or against and they bring that work ethic and drive to

succeed to (Princeton). They just want to keep on winning.”

Since Princeton doesn’t have enough players to simulate a

match-type scenario in practice, Alshuler said the Tigers concentrate

more on drills to prepare.

“In college, it’s less stressful and you don’t always get the

attitudes,” Alshuler said. “It’s a more laissez-faire philosophy

because there is so much else going on.”

From the time he was young, Alshuler has always kept busy, whether

it be with athletics, academics or extra-curricular activities.

Last year, he was president of the house for his fraternity, Zeta

Psi, and he has helped coach the Sea Kings’ freshman basketball team

and assisted in the Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Football League

during the summers.

Alshuler (6-foot-5) averaged 12.9 points and nearly nine rebounds

when he helped lead the Sea Kings to the CIF Southern Section

Division III-A title game his senior season. He gained first-team

All-CIF honors for his prowess on the hardwood and was an

All-Newport-Mesa District selection. But the honors seeped through to

volleyball and football as well.

In football, Alshuler saw action at quarterback, receiver, tight

end, defensive back, cornerback and safety. In 1998, CdM defeated

Newport Harbor in the Battle of the Bay, 28-18, for the first time in

four years -- one his two highlights from high school -- and advanced

to the CIF Playoffs before losing to Servite in the first round. He

made first-team All-Pacific Coast League and All-Newport-Mesa

District his senior season on the gridiron.

He was a three-time All-CIF honoree in volleyball, playing four

varsity seasons, and made first-team all-league as a sophomore and

junior. CdM faced Newport Harbor in the CIF Division I championship

match in 1999, the first time in history the two schools faced each

other in a boys volleyball CIF championship match. CdM lost in four

games but Alshuler finished with a match-high 23 kills. The year

before, the Sea Kings won the CIF Division III crown, the other

memorable moment from his prep days.

The transition from high school to college has humbled Alshuler,

who only knew success at CdM, both in athletics and academics. He has

faced steeper competition at the university level.

“There are so many bright kids that compete and it has been tough,

at times, both academically and athletically,” Alshuler said. “But I

wouldn’t give up the Princeton experience for anything. I have a

great group of friends and with the fraternity, it has been great.”

Alshuler, a middle blocker in high school, converted to opposite

at Princeton and has transitioned smoothly.

“At middle blocker it’s all about quickness and going

side-to-side,” he said. “At opposite, the set is higher and it’s a

slower approach. I’ve definitely picked up learning to hit the ball

different ways.”

In the last two-and-a-half years, Alshuler said his grades have

improved and he began taking classes he enjoyed, leading to him

choose psychology as a major. He will graduate in the spring.

Alshuler credits athletics with providing a substantial gateway to

Princeton and he always preferred to play a variety of sports rather

than just concentrating on one, even if it put a slight strain on his

recruiting process. Alshuler chose from 10-12 schools and said his

final choice came down to Princeton and UC Berkeley, where his older

brother Rob played on the club volleyball team after enjoying success

at CdM, where he also played football.

Younger brother Charlie, 20, plays for the University of Michigan

club volleyball team and older sister Nettie swam and played

volleyball for CdM.

“I don’t feel just playing one sport is me,” Alshuler said. “I’ve

always been known to play at least two sports. What would I do in the

season I have off? Nothing. But it made the recruiting process a long

story because I didn’t choose just football or just volleyball.

Playing two sports dictated where I wanted to go. Princeton offers

the opportunity to play two sports. I play football in the fall and

don’t miss any time for volleyball.”

He met Erica Hahn, his girlfriend of two years, at Princeton. He

is seeking a job in marketing, either in consumer products or the

entertainment industry.

“Come the end of April, I won’t know what to do with myself,” said

Alshuler about the impending close of his college athletic

experience. “It’s kind of sentimental. I’m so fortunate to have had

the opportunity to play because a lot of my friends haven’t had the

chance. Athletics was one of the things that helped me get into

Princeton and I’ve had a great run in college.”