Standing Tall : UCSB’s Gehlke Had Talent to Overcome Lack of Height

Roberta Gehlke is nearing the end of her highly successful college volleyball career at UC Santa Barbara.

As a tribute, the school retired her jersey Saturday night at the Gauchos’ final regular-season home match against Long Beach State.

“It’s only the second time we’ve done that here in women’s volleyball, but she’s flat-out the best player we’ve had in my 24 years of coaching here,” Santa Barbara Coach Kathy Gregory said.

Not bad for an outside hitter who came out of Mater Dei High with some college recruiters questioning her potential because of her height.

“Some of the big schools thought she was too small at 5-10, but I think they all realize now that they made a mistake,” Gregory said. “She can hit over blockers who are 6-2 because of her speed and quickness. She plays a lot bigger than her size, and she can hit out of the back row as well as the front.”

Gehlke said she also considered playing at Hawaii, but UCSB won out, mainly because of its proximity to her home in Huntington Beach.

“Family and friends are really important to me, and I knew my parents could come to a lot more games in Santa Barbara,” Gehlke said. “They never miss a game.”

Her older sister, Becki, who played at Mater Dei, Golden West College and St. Mary’s, also has been supportive. “She’s the one who really got me into volleyball,” said Gehlke. “She’s four years older, so she taught me all the things she had learned to help me get started.”

Gregory says one of Gehlke’s chief assets is her passion for the game.

“She wants to play every ball, and she comes to play in every game,” Gregory said. “She looks like a Barbie doll with her blond hair, but she sure doesn’t play like that. She has a great enthusiasm for the game.”

Gehlke said she wants to continue playing after college, probably on the pro beach volleyball circuit.

But she also is considering trying out for the national team with an eye on the Olympics. “I know my size might be a factor again on the national team, but I’m going to look into it anyway,” Gehlke said.

Gehlke said her focus now, however, is on team success.

“I think we have a shot to win the national championship,” Gehlke said. “Any of the teams that are ranked in the top 10 could do it. It’s a matter of how things go once the playoffs begin.”

Santa Barbara (20-5) is ranked eighth in the most recent coaches’ poll, behind Big West Conference rivals Pacific (fifth) and Long Beach (sixth). Penn State, Stanford and Hawaii are ranked Nos. 1-3.

“We beat UOP when they were ranked No. 1, and I think we’re one of the best teams in the country on defense,” Gehlke said.

On Saturday night, Gehlke became only the second player in the Big West to record more than 2,000 career kills. She had 32 kills in UCSB’s 11-15, 15-13, 15-11, 15-4 loss to Long Beach, giving her 2,019 in her career. Tara Cross-Battle of Long Beach State holds the conference record with 2,767. Gehlke is tied for ninth in the nation in kills this season with an average of 5.36.

“I’m just sad all this will end soon,” Gehlke said.

BODEN CLOSING IN

Villanova quarterback Chris Boden is closing in on his third consecutive season of passing for more than 3,000 yards.

Boden, who played at San Clemente High, has passed for 2,540 yards through nine games. The Wildcats have games remaining against Youngstown State and Delaware. Villanova had a bye Saturday.

Boden has completed 240 of 391 passes (61.4%) with 11 interceptions this season. He set another Atlantic 10 Conference record a week ago with 814 career completions. He was 24 of 31 for 300 yards in Villanova’s 31-28 victory over New Hampshire.

NOTEWORTHY

A shoulder injury Saturday ended Pittsburgh quarterback David Priestley’s run of good games. Priestley, who played at Brethren Christian, injured his right rotator cuff late in the first quarter of the Panthers’ 33-3 loss to Miami. Priestley, who had passed for 785 yards and five touchdowns in his previous two games, completed six of 13 passes for 67 yards before he was hurt. He had been honored as one of the Big East’s players of the week for the second consecutive week after throwing for 407 yards and one touchdown against Virginia Tech a week ago.

David Vickers, who played at Rancho Alamitos, has moved into the starting lineup at outside linebacker for Colorado State. A redshirt freshman, Vickers made his first start in the sixth game of the season against San Diego State and has started the last four games. He has 43 tackles--25 of them unassisted--which ranks eighth on the team. He also has forced one fumble and deflected a pass.