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Plenty of diversity for rivals in final

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PROVO, Utah — Opposite is more than a position on the floor today, when top-seeded UC Irvine (26-5) faces No. 3-seeded USC (21-10) in the final of the NCAA Championship at 4 p.m. at BYU’s Smith Fieldhouse.

Opposite also refers to the divergent dynamic players and coaches operate under for the two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation rivals, who have already met three times this season.

UCI, which topped USC in both regular-season conference matches to run its winning streak against the Trojans to 10 matches, is cool and, all have agreed, classy. Its coach, seventh-year head man John Speraw promotes calm in his players and relishes their ability to remain composed in the most difficult competitive environs.

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USC Coach Bill Ferguson is more apt to pump his fist and allow his players to cavort, some would suggest too wildly, after the Trojans make a big play. There was plenty of cavorting, including some vocal interaction between the USC bench and UCI student rooters, during USC’s upset sweep in the quarterfinals of the MPSF Tournament on April 30 at UCI.

“We’re having fun and embracing the moment and that’s just kind of the culture of our school,” Ferguson said. “If you’re being successful, I think you should absolutely enjoy it. And I don’t think anything is over the line.”

It has not, however, gone unnoticed, helping prompt what Anteaters players described as a rivalry that is definitely intense.

“They get pretty excited on the court and a few times there are words exchanged at the net,” UCI senior Taylor Wilson said. “It’s nothing too serious. I just think that’s the way they fire themselves up.

“We respond by keeping our words on our side of the net and trying to fire each other up, Because of that, you’ll see a rivalry.”

Speraw said he was ready to play the Trojans Friday, but would have to wait until today.

“The more videotape I watch [of USC], the more excited I am to be out there,” Speraw said.

Ferguson in his third season at the USC helm and with whom Speraw has a friendship, had his own take on the differences between the two coaches.

“It’s kind of funny, but John and I were roommates at Lake Placid in 2000 or 2001 as assistants on a youth national team,” Ferguson said. “If you look at us, we’re probably compete polar opposites. He’s in shape and a good-looking dude. I’m a little chubbier, but I’ve got hair [Speraw shaves his head to disguise baldness]. I’m probably a little more animated than he is. He looks like a scientist out there.

“But we’re both going for the same thing, which is a national championship. I’ve been pretty close friends with him for a while now. He was at my wedding [last year].”

For his part, Speraw, who spent most of his volleyball life with USC’s cross-town rival, UCLA, said he has a high degree of respect for the Trojans.

“There are some programs in our conference that I find annoying,” Speraw said. “I don’t like playing [those programs] and I like beating them. But USC really isn’t one of those teams.

“Fergie and I go way back. I actually coached for his club team when I was an assistant at UCLA,” Speraw said. “I don’t think it’s one of those things where there is some sort of hatred here.”

UCI-USC CROSSOVER

The connection between head coaches is one of several areas in which the orbits of both programs intersect.

Ferguson noted that UCI assistant Dave Kniffin played at Loyola Marymount with USC assistant Brad Keller.

Ferguson also revealed that he and UCI assistant Mark Presho played together on the 1988 Reebok Palisades Club team that finished fourth at the Junior Olympics that year.

Presho also attended Ferguson’s wedding, Ferguson said.

Further, Ferguson said former USC Coach Bob Yoder, who guided USC to five Final Four appearances and one national title (1988) in eight seasons at the helm, was a hero of his growing up.

Yoder, who also played at USC, has a son, Cory, who is a sophomore reserve outside hitter for UCI.

“I’m proud to show off my team in front of [Bob Yoder],” Ferguson said. “At the same time, I’ve got to go to battle with his kid and I’ve got to watch [Bob Yoder] in the stands wearing navy blue.”

The connections between the programs include another parental coaching crossover. USC freshman Tony Ciarelli’s mother Cammy, formerly Cammy Chalmers, was an assistant for the UCI women’s team several years ago.

EAGLE EYE OF HAWKS

Yet another common thread between the two programs is Long Beach State assistant coach John Hawks, who helped recruit both of today’s finalists.

During a three-year tenure at UCI, Hawks helped recruit the current UCI crop of seniors.

He then spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons at USC, where he helped Ferguson stockpile much of the talent that makes up a starting seven that boasts only one senior.

“John Hawks leaves UCI and the next season, we win a national championship,” said Speraw, who remains very complimentary of Hawks’ talent as a coach and recruiter. “Then, he leaves USC after two seasons and the next year, they’re playing for an NCAA title.”

Speraw, who said he spoke to Hawks this week, does not know for whom Hawks will be rooting today.

“He’s in a tough spot,” Speraw said.


BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].

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