Future Gaucho rides Harbor’s success

No one does 180 cut-backs in University Park, Penn.

You can’t. The nearest bit of ocean is more than 250 miles away, and for Mark Liebermann, that was not a good thing.

When Liebermann, a senior outside hitter on the Newport Harbor High volleyball team, saw the Penn State men’s volleyball team claim its second national title last week in the Bren Events Center, he didn’t know what to think.

“It was weird,” Liebermann said.

Just months ago, he’d stood in Coach Mark Pavlik’s office on an official recruiting visit, surrounded by trophies. Now the Nittany Lions were adding another one after defeating Pepperdine for the NCAA national title in four games.

They had wanted him.

But Liebermann was convinced he’d made the right choice. He’d already signed a letter of intent, and anyhow, the waves — and the girls — of Santa Barbara were calling his name.

At least at UCSB Liebermann would be able to indulge his first love — surfing — when he wasn’t busy with his second, volleyball.

He’s sure to be plenty busy during the postseason. The Sailors, the top seed in CIF Southern Section Division I, open the playoffs against JSerra tonight at 7 at Newport Harbor.

“I liked the guys a lot up there,” Liebermann said of UCSB. “I liked the girls a lot up there. I liked the location. You can’t beat the beach ... my dad went there. It’s far enough away from home but yet and still, close enough.”

When he’s not helping the 27-3 Sailors stay atop their division rankings, Liebermann is finding some way to tear up a wave, skimboarding, surfing, or wakeboarding.

His choice came as no surprise to Newport Harbor Coach and former Gaucho Dan Glenn.

“I always knew,” Glenn said. “I’ve known from Day One that he would love it up there. He’s a Santa Barbara guy.”

Liebermann’s hitting and his powerful jump serve caught the eye of outgoing Santa Barbara Coach Ken Preston, who recruited Liebermann after the senior sent him an e-mail that UCSB was his first choice.

Liebermann led the Sailors with 13 kills against Los Alamitos to help Newport Harbor clinch the Sunset League title last week.

He struggled a bit in the Battle of the Bay, held at the Bren Center for the first time, but turned in seven kills, five digs and two saves, helping lead the Sailors to their 16th straight win.

A feisty competitor, Liebermann feels the lows of his mistakes as much as he rides the highs of his successes.

Friday night against the Sea Kings, he stumbled a bit with his hitting. Nerves, he said.

“We’re trying to get him to be a little more consistent,” Glenn said. “He’s gotten better with that. Before, it used to be night and day.”

Like any other sport, volleyball depends on momentum. As easily as the pendulum swings in your favor, one missed set, or a towering block from an opponent can send it swinging the other way. Liebermann had his best match, and found the equilibrium, at the Santa Barbara tournament, which the Sailors won.

“If you beat him in a game, he wants to keep going until he wins,” said Harbor junior Michael Maddox, who grew up one back-yard fence away from Liebermann. “What gets him the most is losing. He hates losing.”

Liebermann will miss Preston’s tutelage. He retired at the end of the season, his 30th with the Gauchos.

The Gauchos haven’t named a new head coach yet, but assistant Ricardo doMonte and Lee Nelson, who was named associate head coach in January, are expected to remain.

“It’s not a huge deal to me that [Preston’s] leaving but I wish I could have had a year or two with him just to see how he coaches,” Liebermann said. “The times I went up there he seemed like a really good guy.”

The biggest adjustment in college for Liebermann, Glenn said, would be the speed of the game. Liebermann has a tendency to glide across the court, so lately he’s worked on speed drills and ply metrics.

“To play at that next level, he’s got to turn up his speed a notch,” Glenn said. “I think physically, he can do it. He’s strong. He’s got all the tools. But he’s just got to kind of grow up and learn to do that. There’s no doubt in my mind he can do it. It’s just when.

“He’s one of those kids who will see much better days after he leaves here.”