Coach Dave Rubio celebrates his 500th win at Arizona in September.
Typical of his understated manner, Dave Rubio’s “celebration” upon coaching his 500th volleyball victory at Arizona on Friday was to embrace his wife and three children, then trade hugs and handshakes from the UA volleyball team and staff.
There was no post-match ceremony at midcourt, no grand presentation, although Rubio’s wife, Amanda, did buy him a new sport coat to mark the victory.
That’s Rubio. His ego does not lead the way.
Here’s what the UA did when five previous coaches won game No. 500:
Longtime volleyball coach Dave Rubio notched his 500th win at UA in his 27th season.
Fred Enke, Dec. 8, 1960: The basketball coach was in his final season. When the Wildcats beat Cal State Los Angeles at Bear Down Gym, there was no celebration. Instead, UA athletic director Dick Clausen was preparing a major announcement for the next day, confirming that Arizona was withdrawing from the Border Conference and in the process of forming the WAC, and that Enke would be retiring because he was about to reach the mandatory retirement age of 65.
Frank Sancet, June 1, 1963: The baseball coach was 55 years old. His 500th victory was greatly overshadowed by a victory over Northern Colorado in the NCAA region finals, qualifying Arizona for the College World Series. When reporters arrived to interview Sancet on the old UA field where the school’s main library now sits, he asked, “Do you mind if I sit down? I’ve been standing on that concrete for nine innings and my dogs are killing me.”
Jerry Kindall, March 19, 1985: The baseball coach beat Colorado State for No. 500 and attendance at Wildcat Field was just 273. Said Kindall: “I’m an emotional man. This is a thrill. A great thrill. A humbling experience.” Kindall was 49.
Mike Candrea, May 12, 1995: The softball coach won No. 500 at Stanford’s softball facility. A day before the game, he told the Star: “I’m turning 40 in August. I have been coaching for almost 20 years. It wears you down a bit. I don’t want to be coaching when I’m 50. That’s not me. There’s another challenge ahead of me somewhere.”
Lute Olson, Nov. 24, 2003: Olson’s 500th win at Arizona was a 107-73 blowout at McKale Center versus NAU. What seemed to make Olson most happy that night was that his grandson, Matt Brase, scored the UA’s last two points. Said Olson, then 69: “I can remember losses more than wins, but that’s the nature of the beast.”
Rubio’s climb to 500 is almost without precedent in the Pac-10/12. That’s what makes it so impressive. It is the NCAA’s most difficult volleyball conference, and he has held his own, and more, since 1991.
Here’s how tough it is to win 500 games as a Pac-12 volleyball coach as seen by the most-winning coaches in league history:
1. Andy Banachowski, UCLA: 619 victories .
2. Rubio, 501 victories.
3. John Dunning, Stanford: 451 victories.
4. Mick Haley, USC: 435 victories.
5. Don Shaw, Stanford: 392 victories.
6. Jim McLaughlin, Washington: 355 victories.
In Rubio’s time at Arizona, rival ASU has employed five volleyball coaches. None have won more than 216 games.
