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Post by Phaedrus on Jul 9, 2009 15:14:21 GMT -5
www.usatoday.com/sports/college/volleyball/2009-07-09-1239733594_x.htmLOS ANGELES (AP) — Jen-Kai Liu, the MVP of Southern California's 1988 NCAA volleyball championship team, has died. He was 42. Liu died of heart failure on June 1 in Shanghai. He had been in a coma for 1{ months as the result of a viral infection that caused seizures, the university said Thursday. As a sophomore in 1988, Liu led the Trojans in digs and aces. He was forced to redshirt because of a knee injury the following year, and was limited to four matches in 1990 and 16 matches in 1991. The Trojans won the 1990 NCAA tournament and were runners-up the following year. Nicknamed "The Hammer" because of his hard hitting, Liu came to USC from Taiwan, where he was a member of that country's national team in 1986 and 1987. FIND MORE STORIES IN: National Collegiate Athletic Association After graduating from USC in 1992, Liu worked in real estate. In 2002, he and his wife Karen moved to Beijing to start an after-school program that focused on science. They moved to Shanghai in 2005 to expand the business. Besides his wife, Liu is survived by two young children. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Post by asuvolley on Jul 9, 2009 17:18:11 GMT -5
I hope reincarnation treats him as well as it treated me.
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Post by bunnywailer on Jul 10, 2009 0:48:21 GMT -5
Very sad to hear this. Jen-Kai Liu was one of the greatest players during one of the most dominant runs by USC. Under Yoder, they had some great teams and great athletes, and he was certainly one of them before he got injured.
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Post by cyberVBmidwest on Jul 10, 2009 5:50:29 GMT -5
Here is the USC Press Release Version with a little more detail...
EX-USC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL ALL-AMERICAN JEN-KAI LIU DIES
LOS ANGELES–Former USC men’s volleyball All-American Jen-Kai Liu, who helped lead the Trojans to the 1988 NCAA title while earning NCAA All-Tournament MVP honors, died on June 1 in Shanghai, China. He was 42.
Liu died of heart failure after being in a coma for 44 days, the result of a viral infection that caused seizures.
In 1988 as a sophomore, Liu earned All-American first team honors while topping the NCAA champion Trojans in digs and aces. A 3-year (1988, 1990-91) letterman, he also was a member of USC’s 1990 NCAA championship squad and 1991 NCAA runners-up. A knee injury forced him to redshirt in 1989, then limited him to just 4 late-season matches in 1990 and 16 matches in 1991.
Nicknamed “The Hammer” because of his hard hitting, he came to USC from Taiwan, where he was a member of that country’s national team in 1986 and 1987 and its junior national team the previous 2 years. He also served in the Taiwanese army in 1985 and 1986.
In 1987, Liu came to the United States to rejoin his family, which had immigrated to Monterey Park, Calif., several years earlier.
“Jen-Kai was a phenomenal athlete and a great teammate, student and person,” said Bob Yoder, who was Liu’s head coach at USC. “His personality and enthusiasm reflected his playing style: explosive, aggressive, fun. He was a true joy to coach and watch play the game.”
After graduating from USC in 1992, Liu worked in the real estate industry. He returned to Taiwan in 1995 and worked with his brother, Eddie, in the field of after-school children’s education. In 2002, he and his wife, Karen, moved to Beijing, China, to start their own after-school program (called “Mad Science Family”), focusing on science. They then moved to Shanghai in 2005 to expand the business, which now has 6 locations in Shanghai and Beijing.
He is survived by his wife, Karen, and a 5-year-old son, Walter, and 1-year-old daughter, Melinda, as well as his parents, Hsiang-Chen and Crystal Ma, a sister, Ching, and a brother, Eddie. His wife and children reside in Shanghai, while his parents and sister live in Diamond Bar, Calif.
No local services are planned.
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