COLLEGES / IRENE GARCIA : Matthies Has a 100 Reasons to Smile

Pepperdine’s Nina Matthies, the most successful women’s volleyball coach in the West Coast Conference, was caught off guard when a reporter asked how it felt to win 100 league games.

Matthies, a Mira Costa High graduate, became the first coach to win 100 WCC games when the Waves defeated Gonzaga in three games on Sept. 30 in Malibu.

“Wow, I didn’t even know that,” Matthies said. “I think it’s a big accomplishment. I’m pretty happy about it.”

In 11 years, Matthies has led Pepperdine to a 102-11 conference record, six league titles and seven NCAA playoff berths. During her tenure, Pepperdine has been ranked among the nation’s top 20 Division I programs five times.

For years, Pepperdine was considered the team to beat in the conference. From 1988 to 1992, the Waves set a WCC record by winning 47 consecutive league matches. This season, Pepperdine is 3-2 in league.

“Our league has grown in leaps and bounds,” Matthies said. “All the teams are really good now.”

Matthies’ goal has been to make Pepperdine one of top collegiate programs. She says local competition has made it difficult.

“I think the L.A. market is really hard,” Matthies said. “At least in women’s volleyball when you think of the top programs you think of UCLA and USC. I would like to see Pepperdine added to that group, but it’s a tough crowd.”

Speaking of tough, Pepperdine has the toughest preseason schedule of any WCC team.

The Waves played defending national champion Stanford on the road and the University of Pacific and Kentucky. All are ranked among the nation’s top 11.

“My (athletic director) thinks I’ve lost my mind, scheduling those teams in the preseason,” Matthies said. “It’s just me. I’m very competitive. I’ve always been on the best teams and I try to be the best I can. I guess sometimes we’re not ready to be there. Sometimes I think I’m crazy.”

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Matthies, 40, played at UCLA and was team captain in 1974 and ‘75, when the Bruins won national titles. She played two years of professional indoor volleyball and in 1987 founded the Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn., the governing body of women’s pro beach volleyball.

Matthies teamed with Elaine Roque to win the 1990 WPVA World Championships in Laughlin, Nev., and competed on the beach through the 1992 season.

Although retired as a player, Matthies helps train some of the tour’s players and serves as an adviser to the WPVA board.

To stay in shape, she jogs on the beach every morning and takes karate classes three times a week with her two sons. Matthies’ next project is to be a beach volleyball TV commentator.

“It’s something that I love and I know the game very well,” Matthies said. “It’s really of great interest to me.”

Matthies spent a week at the Sports Broadcasters Camp of America during the summer.

“It was very interesting,” she said. “It was also really hard. People don’t realize how hard it is to not sound like an idiot when you’re doing color commentary.”

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Kim Blankinship of the Loyola Marymount volleyball team appears to be at full strength after missing two games last week because of a stomach muscle injury.

In her first game back, the freshman outside hitter from Torrance High had 17 digs, 14 kills, three blocks and two aces against Santa Clara.

Blankinship was injured during a Sept. 28 match against UC Santa Barbara.