Enlistment in “Marv’s Army” was easily more than 100 people last Saturday night at Pepperdine University’s “Marv Dunphy Night.” No draft was needed to convince Pepperdine students, alumni and Waves men’s volleyball fans and former players to celebrate the naming of the university’s volleyball court after retired coach Marv Dunphy.
Waves supporters all donned dark blue ball caps with “MARV’S ARMY” emblazed in bold white letters on the front as the hardwood in Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse was deemed Marv Dunphy Volleyball Court during a special ceremony before the Pepperdine men’s volleyball team took on the visiting University of California, Santa Barbara Gauchos.
Dunphy, the winner of 523 games and four NCAA volleyball championships, said the court naming was wonderful. “It’s really all the great players and coaches that made this honor possible,” he said while looking at the stands full of Waves. “It’s like going back in time. This is special.”
The title “Marv’s Army” was how players on one of Dunphy’s past Pepperdine teams referred to themselves, and throughout the years, the name lived on and was taken ahold of by other Waves players. Pepperdine athletics staff gave the “MARV’S ARMY” hats out for free before and during court dedication and the volleyball contest, which Pepperdine lost, 3-1.
Dunphy, officially known as the volleyball program’s head coach emeritus since retiring from coaching in June, was presented with a plaque that signifies the court being named after him. The writing on the commemorative tablet begins with “Dr. Marv Dunphy…” and for three paragraphs describes the impact Dunphy had on his alma mater as a volleyball player and head coach for 34 seasons.
Along with detailing the hundreds of wins, championships and the Olympic gold medal Dunphy won during his volleyball coaching career, the plaque also reads, “Marv created a culture that led his student-athletes to embrace and embody the Pepperdine mission of purpose, service and leadership.”
Pepperdine President Andrew Benton and the school’s director of athletics, Steve Potts, presented the honorary tablet to Dunphy on the now-eponymous court. The plaque is now on display in the Firestone Fieldhouse lobby.
Dunphy thanked Benton and Potts for the dedication, which he called “a wonderful honor.” The coach, a member of multiple volleyball halls of fame, also thanked the players and coaches he worked with during his career.
“It’s really about who you did it with and how you did it,” Dunphy said. “The dedication is an honor, but you don’t really start coaching for some external thing like that. That just happens by working with good people.”
The Pepperdine versus UCSB was an exciting contest that pitted two former members of Dunphy’s coaching staffs against each other—first-year Waves head coach David Hunt and Gauchos 10-year head coach Rick McLaughlin.
After the first set was knotted at 12, the Gauchos took a steady lead before Pepperdine tied the set at 22. However, UCSB pulled away to win the set, 28-26. The Gauchos were up early in the second set before the Waves tied the score by going on an 8-1 run. Pepperdine went on to win the match, 25-21. UCSB won the final two sets, 25-22 and 25-23.
Senior Colby Harriman had 17 kills, six blocks, three digs and one ace for Pepperdine, while redshirt freshman Robert Mullahey registered 35 assists, two aces and seven digs. Jack Cole, a redshirt sophomore, had three kills and seven blocks and redshirt senior Weston Barnes had 10 digs.
Hunt said the Waves, owners of a 1-2 record as of press time, didn’t make a few plays that they would normally make.
“Santa Barbara just out executed us at a few key moments,” he said.
The coach said in response to the loss, the team and coaches will review film from the game and focus on getting better. “The guys embrace that,” Hunt said.
Hunt said the court dedication for Dunphy was something to remember. “He is a great human being that happens to be a great volleyball coach,” the new head coach said of his mentor. “I wish every night was Marv Dunphy Night.”