MLC's Drew Buck wins 400th volleyball game

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- Twenty years ago, Drew Buck couldn't have envisioned he would still be a college volleyball coach. Even more improbable is that he would be marking his 400th coaching victory.

Friday, on the first day of the Ripon (Wis.) Invitational, the Martin Luther Knights defeated Carroll (Wis.) 30-25, 30-25, 30-27. It was win No. 400 for Buck.

"To be honest, when I did get it, it didn't cross my mind at the time," Buck said. "I had been thinking about it, I knew I was getting close. I personally don't try to get caught up in those types of things even though I appreciate those things happening."

Buck's Knights went on to win the Ripon tournament, dispatching Wisconsin Lutheran 30-20, 30-25, 30-23. The Knights are 12-3 in 2002 and Buck is 403-231 in his 20th season as coach at MLC and its predecessor -- Dr. Martin Luther.

"He was focused on getting through that match and winning the tournament," MLC senior Becky Pate said. "We all just said, 'Congratulations.' He said that he didn't realize that it was his 400th win."

Added senior Missy Hahnke: "He was pretty sedate. He was happy with it and everything, but he was more happy to win the Ripon tournament than just that (match)."

For Buck, who grew up in Michigan and never played volleyball competitively, it's been a long journey. Buck took over as head coach at DMLC in 1982, knowing almost nothing about the sport. Now, he runs camps during the off-season.

It wasn't a storybook start for the former Detroit Tigers minor-league pitching prospect. Buck's first three seasons were losing ones.

But Buck learned quickly.

"I have put a lot of work into it, I will say that," Buck said. "I've attended a lot of camps. I've gone to a lot of clinics. I've talked to a lot of national coaches, high-ranking coaches. I've tried to do what I can to get the program to where I felt it needed to be."

Buck has won six UMAC titles -- in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1999 and 2000. And he has captured five National Small College titles, three in a row from 1985 to 1987, and back-to-back crowns in 1994 and 1995.

This year's Knights were aware the milestone was coming. Before picking up No. 399 with a win over North Central Tuesday, they had already begun to plan.

"We talked about it in practice the week before," Pate said. "We had to decide if we wanted to do something for the 399th while he was here, or if we wanted to just wait till he actually got the 400th at the tournament. ... We thought it would be really cool to do that for him."

As much as it means to Buck, it also means a lot to his players.

"It's a privilege," Hahnke said. "I asked him if he'd be around for his 500th and he said he doubted it unless we'd win about 40 (matches) a season. It's kind of nice to be part of the landmark."

Buck isn't thinking retirement immediately. He said the plan is to coach at least long enough to coach his daughter Emily, who is a senior at Minnesota Valley Lutheran.

For now, though, that's in the future. And No. 400 is now in the past. He's already preparing the Knights for the UMAC preseason conference tournament, which will be in New Ulm Friday and Saturday.

But he's enjoying the milestone, still, just a little.

"It means a lot of years of coaching," laughed Buck. "Obviously, you need to have good kids to do that. ... We've been blessed with a lot of kids coming through the program that have understood what I'm trying to do with it. A lot of credit goes to them."