S P O RT S
PAGE 16
TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017
MEN’S CLUB VOLLEYBALL
Fundraising gives opportunity for national competition The Owls will head to Kansas City, Missouri on April 13. By DEMETRIUS MASON For The Temple News Like most club sports, the men’s volleyball team doesn’t have a head coach. Responsibilities a Division I coach handles like running practices, setting lineups and budgeting are handled by the club president, junior setter Jake Reynolds. “All the players are there to play in a competitive environment and have a passion for the sport, which makes a student-run organization easier to handle,” Reynolds said. Even with the players all working together, there are still struggles they have to overcome. The funding to head to the conference tournament is usually completely covered, but not the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation championships. Junior outside hitter and club treasurer Alex Androkites said planning the trip can be “very expensive” because of hotel, travel and round-trip flight costs. Last year, the Owls tied for 41st at the national tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. This year’s event is in Kansas City, Missouri from April 13-15. The Owls hold a fundraising tournament, which is a good source of revenue and practice for the team, at the beginning of each season. Temple invited 20 schools, double last season’s total, to this season’s tournament on Nov. 4. The club raised $2,000, a new high, and reached the quarterfinals. Former NCAA athletes participated, Reynolds said. “It was a huge fundraiser for us because you can’t accept money,” said Tyler Phifer, a junior middle hitter and the club’s vice president. “So it all went to nationals and affording our plane tickets to go.” The university also gave the team more than $9,000, or an average of about $300 per player, to go to the national tournament. “All things considered, we get pretty good support from the university to
help make it pretty affordable for everyone on the team to go,” Androkites said. Still, the national competition isn’t the Owls’ top priority. Temple wants to make a deep run in this weekend’s conference tournament. Temple clinched its spot in the Middle Atlantic Club Volleyball Conference tournament after a four-set win against Rowan University on March 25 at the Pearson Hall third floor courts. The team lost its second match of the day against Stockton University. It was the Owls’ (7-1, 5-1 MACVC East Division) first divisional loss, but it didn’t affect playoff positioning. Temple will face Penn State Harrisburg in the first round of the day-long tournament on Saturday at Shippensburg University.
All the players are there to play in a competitive environment and have a passion for the sport. Jake Reynolds Junior setter and club president
Last year, Temple’s bid to repeat as conference champion ended with a semifinal loss to Drexel University. Phifer and Reynolds earned all-tournament honors. Messiah College won the tournament by beating Drexel in the finals. Sophomore opposite hitter Liam Ridings said the Owls’ improved defense, led by freshman libero Jared Silverstein and his brother Aaron, will help on Saturday. “Winning the MAC championships has been my standard ever since we won [in 2015],” senior opposite hitter Dan Rodenbach said. “I didn't really play for a good high school team, so I’ve never won anything like that.” d.mason@temple.edu
KAIT MOORE FOR THE TEMPLE NEWS Junior middle hitter and club vice president Tyler Phifer spikes the ball in the Owls’ win against Rowan University in Pearson Hall on March 25.
Temple’s First-round NFL Draft Picks PLAYER
COLLEGE
DRAFT PICK YEAR
JOHN RIENSTRA
1983 – 85
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
9TH
1986
(1986 – 92)
PAUL PALMER
1983 – 86
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
19TH 1987
(1987 – 89)
MUHAMMAD WILKERSON
2008 – 10
NEW YORK JETS
30TH 2011
(2011 –
HAASON REDDICK
2012 – 16
?
? 2017
?
Continued from Page 1
REDDICK was drafted ninth overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1986. Running back Paul Palmer was selected 19th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs the following year. It took 24 years for the Owls to have another first-round draft pick. The New York Jets selected defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson 30th overall in 2011. “He’s rare,” former Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich said of Reddick. “You see all these guys talking about, ‘scouts haven’t seen anything like him in a long time,’ especially out of Temple. Haason’s just a prime example of a kid that’s just worked so hard to get where he is right now.” Reddick recorded 15.5 sacks in the past two seasons, including 10.5 sacks last year. He models his game after Denver Broncos all-pro linebacker Von Miller. During his six-year NFL career, Miller has reached double-digit sack totals five times and won the Super Bowl MVP award sports@temple-news.com
in 2016. Reddick used to wear No. 58, Miller’s number, before he earned a single-digit jersey last year. “He’s one of my favorite NFL athletes,” Reddick said. “Just how hard and aggressive, how physical he is. The athleticism he has. He’s such a great player.” Matakevich, who now plays for the Steelers, said he sees Reddick playing outside linebacker and defensive end in the NFL. One of the comparisons Reddick has garnered during the draft process is Matakevich’s teammate, Pro Bowl linebacker Ryan Shazier. “Some of the stuff he’s able to do on the field, you sort of just scratch your head and you’re like, ‘How the hell did you just do that, dude?’” Matakevich said of Shazier. “I think that’s what Haason’s going to do,” he added. “He’s going to make plays wherever you put him. His athletic ability is just unbelievable. That’s what makes him so special and makes him do these ridiculous things.” Reddick played running back and safety in high school at Haddon Heights. He walked-on to Temple as a cornerback. Then he spent time
at linebacker, and eventually worked his way toward the defensive line, where he played the last two seasons. His athleticism and versatility is what is so attractive to NFL teams.
He’s going to make plays wherever you put him. His athletic ability is just unbelievable. Tyler Matakevich Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker
During the scouting combine, the NFL Network played videos of Reddick rushing the passer, dropping into coverage and stopping the run. He even tried to become one of the Owls’ kick returners during training camp last summer. Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman ranked Reddick as one of the Top 20 ‘Freaks’ in college football in October. The list included “guys who possess some rare physical abilities that wow folks in-
NFL CAREER
)
side their programs.” Reddick displayed why at the NFL combine. He ran a 4.52 40-yard dash and broad-jumped 133 inches, which were both tops among defensive lineman. “Haason has always had the talent,” former defensive coordinator Phil Snow said last season. “He can run, jump and all that, and it finally clicked this year.” Last season, Reddick posted 22.5 tackles for loss, which ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision and was the second-highest total in Temple history. Reddick wasn’t even on scholarship until the start of last year. His mom took out a loan for a meal plan so he wouldn’t feel left out when he ate with scholarship players. “The kid’s journey has been unbelievable,” Matakevich said. “His story and his path is just ridiculous.” owen.mccue@temple.edu @Owen_McCue
temple-news.com @TTN_sports