Outside hitter
By Joann Groff
Assistant Sports Editor
Junior standout Fred Winters started playing volleyball to kill time until basketball season started up again. Growing up in British Columbia, Canada, Winters didn’t realize until high school that volleyball was what would dominate his future in sports.
“I was always a basketball player first,” Winters said. “Then in high school I started to get recognized a little bit. I started playing club volleyball, made some junior national teams and it just kind of went on from there.”
Winters was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team in 1999 and 2000, and was a three-time Provincial All-Star. He was “Athlete of the Year” at Carson Graham High School twice. He shifted between attending Pepperdine and University of Alberta, but ultimately chose Pepperdine because of the coaching staff.
“I got a really good deal,” Winters said. “The coaches, the scholarship — and Pepperdine is a really good school. I decided basically because of the coaches. There just didn’t seem like there was anyone better to be playing for.”
Now the outside hitter will be a key player in Pepperdine’s quest for a national championship. He recorded a team-high total of 12 kills against the University of Southern California last Friday and boasted a match-high 25 kills in the Waves’ comeback victory over Cal Baptist University the week prior.
Winters had a solid sophomore year, and is considered by Head Coach Marv Dunphy as an underrated player.
“I think that Fred, even last year, had a great season,” Dunphy said. “Keegan and Rooney got a lot of attention last year, but I also think Fred Winters was one of the many keys. I think he was somewhat overlooked.”
Winters said that although he took great strides as a dominant player last year, he strives for constant improvement.
“Last year was my breakout year,” Winters said. “I want to keep climbing, I don’t want to have the same year. I was called the most improved player last season. I want to be the most improved player again this year. I don’t want to drop off, reach my plateau — I want to keep going.”
January 23, 2003