story by
Jason Johnson
photos courtesy of university publications
As the legacy of men’s volleyball coach Marv Dunphy evolves into a legend, the moral of the story is:
"It’s not enough to be good, if you have the ability to be better."
The quote. It’s the first thing you see when you enter coach Marv Dunphy’s office in Firestone Fieldhouse. And the quote says it all—here is a volleyball legend with a simple philosophy: there is always room for improvement.
Not only does the Pepperdine men’s volleyball coach impress it upon his players and students, he lives it out as BESTas he can each day. That’s why he is a living legend among coaches.
Women’s volleyball coach Nina Matthies describes Dunphy as methodical and stoic. His assistant, Jeff Stork, describes him as an EXCELLENT tactical coach. But most of all, Dunphy is known for his leadership qualities, as a coach and as a person.