CSUN’s Price, Volleyball Assn. Point Fingers After Kyman Is Left Off All-American Team

Coley Kyman, a Cal State Northridge junior middle blocker and the only unanimous first-team selection from the strongest conference in the nation, was omitted from the American Volleyball Coaches Assn. All-American team earlier this week, angering Northridge Coach John Price.

Grant Burger, AVCA associate director, said Friday he did not receive a nomination from Northridge, but Price said he did not receive a nomination form from the AVCA. Unless a player is nominated by his school, he is ineligible for consideration.

Last season, Kyman was an AVCA first-team All-American. Pepperdine’s Tom Sorenson, who joined Kyman on the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn. first team, also was left off the AVCA All-American team.

Price and Pepperdine Coach Marv Dunphy became aware of the situation during last week’s WIVA tournament. When they offered to send statistical information on Kyman and Sorenson to the AVCA, they were told it was too late.

“They were absolutely, totally inflexible,” Price said. “I don’t know who they are punishing. Coley and Tom are the ones that are hurt. . . . I feel bad for Coley.”

Said Burger: “This is not something that hasn’t happened before. It happened to Kim Oden when she was at Stanford (1982-86). It is a policy of our board of directors that late nominations are not accepted.”

According to Burger, in February, his office sent a packet containing All-American material to Price, and letters were sent to Athletic Director Bob Hiegert and Barry Smith, the sports information director, alerting them of the April 13 deadline.

“The sad part is that these individuals did process it correctly a year ago,” Burger said. “They knew about the deadline from our hot line and our newsletters. We can’t call back each school. . . . We wouldn’t know about a problem until the 14th.”