As the Wildcat Classic begins this weekend, volleyball head coach Dave Rubio is close to 500 career victories in his 27th year of coaching at the University of Arizona. Currently, Rubio is at 499 wins, and his Wildcats have a chance to get him to the coveted 500th.
The Wildcats will play two more games this weekend after beating Tennessee-Martin Friday morning.
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According to Arizona Athletics, there have only been five other coaches in Arizona history to have 500 wins: Mike Candrea, softball; Jerry Kindall, baseball; Frank Sancet, baseball; Lute Olson and Fred Enke, both basketball. Over of his 27 years of coaching, Rubio has helped the Wildcats appear in 19 NCAA Tournaments.
“I didn’t even realize I was there until like four days ago,” Rubio said. “My statement to that is: If you’re in one place long enough, you’re going to get a pretty large number, and here I am on 27 years. I think, for most coaches, you really don’t think about wins or losses. You’re kind of really in the moment of trying to prepare for the next.”
Prior to the Wildcat Classic, the Wildcats averaged 15.09 kills per set, the fourth most in the country. The Wildcats have not had an average of more than 14 kills per set since the 2007 season, when matches were reduced to 25 points per set, per Arizona Athletics.
The Wildcats will play the rest of the Wildcat Classic against New Mexico State and UC Davis. Arizona just needs to win one of those matches for Rubio to get to 500.
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