This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
This spring, disappointment followed Brigham Young's failure to add a fourth men's volleyball national title to its trophy case. Such is the state of a program that has been so good for so long that it becomes easy to forget just how terrible it once was.
During the past week, with the induction of Ethan Watts into the BYU athletic Hall of Fame, Cougar fans were not only reminded about the nationally recognized program, but also one of the men who helped lift it to great success.
Watts' teams didn't win a national title, but the three-time All-American shares in the success of those who came after.
The Cougars were 2-25 in 1991, Watts' freshman year. Three seasons later, BYU managed a No. 2 national ranking and an overall mark of 21-6, setting the tone for coach Carl McGown, who eventually won two of the school's three titles.
“He came from Tulsa, [Okla.], which isn't a hotbed of men's volleyball, and worked very hard,” said Jason Watson, Watts' teammate and BYU's current women's volleyball coach. “He was physically gifted, and became our first All-American.”
There were plenty of firsts in 1994, including victories over traditional powers Pepperdine and UCLA. Eventually, Watts became the program's first Olympian.
“When you enter the hall, you become a piece of history,” said Watts, who, at 6-foot-7, towered over fellow inductees - former football coach LaVell Edwards, gymnast Darren Elg, track and field athlete Jason Pyrah and women's volleyballer Charlene Johnson. “I don't play competitively anymore, but I definitely watch BYU.
“I'm very proud to be one of the guys who got the program started."
Watts didn't start playing volleyball until joining a club team in Tulsa. Once he arrived in Provo, it didn't take long to develop into one of the sport's most dominant players. As a freshman, Watts had 177 kills and a .337 hitting percentage and led the team in block assists.
Watts was named an honorable mention All-American as a sophomore, while ranking second nationally in blocks per game. He earned second-team All-America honors as a junior while leading the nation in hitting percentage (.493) and was a first-team All-American as a senior, setting personal season highs in hitting percentage (.519), kills (416), blocks (146) and digs (124).
After leaving BYU, Watts played professionally in Italy and, in 1996, was a member of the U.S. Summer Olympic team in Atlanta.
Now, Watts lives in San Diego with his wife, Manuela, and practices law.
Yet, the question begs, why did such a talented athlete choose to play for such a terrible program, one that won five matches the year before?
“Coach McGown offered the opportunity for playing time as a freshman,” he said. “I also loved the mountains and the scholarship offer.”
Watts looks back with satisfaction and appreciation at a team that began as a collection of players from different backgrounds who came together with a coach who had a vision - and won 205 matches in 13 seasons. It was a team that planted the roots for a tradition of excellence.
“During my freshman year, I realized how much I had learned from Coach McGown,” he said. “It was an awesome opportunity.”
Schedule
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday
Eastern Washington at UVSC, 4 p.m.
Friday
Pepperdine at Utah, 7:30 p.m.
Western Illinois at Southern Utah, 4 p.m.
Saturday
Eastern Washington at Utah State, 10 a.m.
San Francisco at BYU, 8 p.m.
Western Illinois vs. Weber State, Cedar City, 3 p.m.
Idaho State at UVSC, 1 p.m.
Monday
San Francisco at Utah State, 3 p.m.
Weber State at Southern Utah, 3 p.m.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Thursday
New Mexico State at Utah State, 7 p.m.
Friday
Utah at BYU, 7 p.m.
Weber State at Idaho State, 7 p.m.
UVSC at Texas-S.A., 6 p.m.
Saturday
Louisiana Tech at Utah State, 7 p.m.
Eastern Washington at Weber State, 7 p.m.
UVSC at Texas-Pan Am, 6 p.m.