This article is from the EMU News Archive. Current EMU new is available at www.emu.edu/news

EMU Has An Ax To Grind

By Aaron Gray, Daily News-Record

Revenge has been on Jason Axford’s mind since 1998.

Axford, the coach for the Eastern Mennonite men's volleyball team, was a senior at EMU when his team played in the ’98 Division III final four.

That team had a No. 3 ranking in the Northeast Collegiate Volleyball Association and started five seniors.

Unfortunately, they came out flat and lost to Juniata College in the semifinal match, ending their run at the crown.

Axford graduated that spring, but has never forgotten that defeat.

Now in his third year at the helm for the Royals, he has been given another crack at a title – and at Juniata.

EMU will host the 2004 Division III championship at University Commons on Friday and Saturday.

In the 7 p.m. Friday semifinal, the No. 4-seeded Royals (13-7) will face an all-too-familiar foe – top-seeded Juniata.

"It’s time for revenge," the 30-year-old Axford said. "I’ve been waiting six years for this chance. I told the guys last night, it’s just one game -- one chance to make a name for ourselves."

After a strong recruiting year, Axford is confident his team has the firepower to compete this time around.

Axford gave the program a huge lift by persuading 6-foot-4 outside hitter Brandon Ratliff to come to the Shenandoah Valley from Phoenix.

Ratliff, the first West Coast product in EMU’s 13-year program, was the Arizona Player of the Year his senior year at Mountain Pointe High School.

Axford traveled to Phoenix to recruit at the Junior Nationals Tournament held last year.

"While recruiting, the NCAA is real strict about not talking to players until their high school season is over," Axford said. "When the buzzer sounded in Brandon’s last game of the tournament, I marched out onto the court and was on him like white on rice."

This season, Ratliff was third in scoring with 223.5 points in 63 games for the Royals.

Axford then was able to lure the New Jersey Player of the Year away from Penn State University, a Division I program.

Jay Sawicki, from Wayne, N.J., wasn’t aware EMU even existed before arriving on campus.

"I had never heard of the school, so Jason was very influential in my decision to come here," Sawicki said.

Since his arrival, the 6-5 outside hitter has been the team-leader in points (5.28 a game) and kills (4.25 a game).

Sawicki, the AVCA Player of the Week for the first week in March, was far from modest when asked about his freshmen teammates.

"Our recruiting class this year was ridiculous," Sawicki said.

Freshmen Mark Halloway, Nate Bontrager, Dominick Porter and Ryan Detweiler also add to EMU’s young arsenal.

"Our freshmen have been instrumental in our success this year," Axford said. "I don’t care if it’s Division I or what, to step up like that as freshmen is very impressive."

Snagging two out-of-state dandies is good, but Axford wasn’t finished just yet.

His next move was personal.

Sophomore Nick Bernardo was originally courted by ex-EMU coach Steve Gaston. Gaston lost the recruiting battle to – who else – Juniata, which signed the 6-4 outside hitter from Lansdale, Pa.

Bernardo suffered a knee injury his freshman year and after his return to the lineup, saw limited playing time.

He left school after one year and Axford found him studying at a community college.

"Bernardo is and always will be my first big recruit," Axford said.

Bernardo said he is equally pleased with his move.

"I’m glad I made the switch," he said.

So Friday night, Bernardo will play against his former team, and Axford will coach against the squad that handed him the toughest loss of his career.

"It’s a match I’ve been looking forward to all season," said Bernardo, who averaged 4.68 points a game this year. " … I still know a lot of guys there [Juniata] … we’ll be gunning for each other."

EMU finished the regular season ranked third in the Western Division of the NECVA. As the host, the Royals received an at-large bid to the tournament and the right to face Juniata, the top-ranked team in Division III.

The Eagles’ 15-6 overall record includes many of Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association games against Division I programs such as George Mason, New York University, Princeton and Penn State.

Juniata claimed its second consecutive EIVA crown with a 3-1 victory over NYU in the championship on April 10.

Right side hitter Brian Dinning who was the EIVA tournament MVP leads the Eagles.

The senior had 15 kills, nine digs and five blocks in the championship match.

But Axford feels his young team is ready for the challenge. Averaging around 350 spectators for home matches this year, the Royals will certainly benefit from the home-court advantage.

"The sky’s the limit for this team," Axford said. "We have a chance to rewrite the history books and it starts this Friday with Juniata."

The other contest slated for 5 p.m. on Friday will feature the No. 2-seeded U.C. Santa Cruz against No. 3 Medaille College from Buffalo, NY.

— posted April 15, 2004