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Post by gouci on Aug 30, 2019 0:25:26 GMT -5
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UC Irvine
Aug 30, 2019 0:56:56 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by raian13 on Aug 30, 2019 0:56:56 GMT -5
Was that Akpakpa with the yellow headband?
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Post by vup on Aug 30, 2019 0:58:58 GMT -5
Go Anteaters. Turn it up! 👊
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Post by gouci on Aug 30, 2019 3:24:31 GMT -5
Was that Akpakpa with the yellow headband? Yep. Idara akpakpa was not only a 2 time Big West 1st teamer but she may be the best singer in UCI program history. Her singing the national anthem at the Big West Tournament men's hoops championship game.
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Post by gouci on Aug 30, 2019 3:41:43 GMT -5
Shannon Eusey Honored At Lauds & Laurels Banquet May 23, 2019 IRVINE, Calif. -- Former women's volleyball player Shannon (Flint) Eusey was honored as the Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Alumni Athlete at the annual banquet last night at the Paséa Hotel in Huntington Beach. Eusey was a member of the Anteater volleyball program from 1988-90. The defensive specialist was a member of UCI's 1988 team that made the program's first NCAA appearance. For her career, she amassed 467 digs and 41 service aces over 263 sets. "Shannon was not your typical freshman, from day one she displayed the tenacity and leadership skills of a veteran. She demonstrated composure and a never give up spirit regardless of the situation," former head coach Mike Puritz said. "Shannon never was one to back down from a challenge and used her hustle and competitiveness to become a key member of our 1988 NCAA team." Eusey is the co-founder and president of Beacon Pointe Advisors, one of the largest Independent Registered Investment Advisory firms in the U.S. that provides objective and unbiased oversight of assets for a diverse group of clients, including that of high-net-worth individuals, endowments and foundations. She co-authored Your Dollars, Our Sense: A Fun and Simple Guide to Money Matters, an international best-selling book and is also a founding member of "The Sense," a subscription email program that gives practical financial tips. She has been recognized as an Orange County Business Journal OC500 most influential individuals and in 2017 garnered the Orange County Business Journal Women in Business Award. Eusey is a member of the CNBC Digital Financial Advisor Council as well as the Beacon Pointe Women's Advisory Institute. Eusey graduated from UCI with a degree in social sciences in 1992 then went on to earn her MBA in finance from the UCLA Anderson School of Business in 2002. She is currently an adjunct professor for the UCI Merage School of Business, teaching an MBA wealth management course. The Lauds & Laurels is the UCI Alumni Association's highest honor and the university's oldest award ceremony. Eusey becomes the second women's volleyball player to be recognized with a Lauds & Laurels award as UCI head coach Ashlie Hain was honored as the Outstanding Senior Athlete in 2005.
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Post by gouci on Aug 30, 2019 3:44:06 GMT -5
Lauds and laurels, risk and reward
April 16, 2019
Guided by vision and passion, tenacity and grit, UCI’s Outstanding Alumni Athlete Shannon Eusey ’92 is the Anteater spirit personified
Shannon Eusey doesn't do anything halfway. Unless you count half marathons, in which case yes, she’s done a few. But that was before she decided to move on to the full 26.2, of which she’s now completed eight, (six being world marathon majors). And she’s just getting started.
It’s that kind of determination that has led to the success stories in her life, of which there are many. These successes include her family, her academic career, and most notably, her booming investment firm Beacon Pointe, which she co-founded with her father Garth.
Not surprising, therefore, that Eusey ‘92 is one of 22 Anteaters being honored at this year’s Lauds & Laurels awards ceremony, where she will receive the Outstanding Alumni Athlete award which recognizes Anteaters who excelled not only as student athletes, but also their pursuit of excellence in their communities and respective fields.
For Eusey, who played volleyball at UCI from 1988-92, receiving this award is a tremendous honor: “I am grateful and humbled to be honored with this award and to join others who are being awarded. I have a deep connection to UC Irvine and am thrilled to be in the company of incredible people being recognized this year.”
Tenacity and grit
Volleyball brought Eusey to UC Irvine. Recruited out of club ball by coach Mike Puritz, Eusey joined the team in 1988, where she excelled as a defensive specialist. At only 5 feet 5 inches, she didn’t have the benefit of height in a game where every inch is a distinct advantage. Eusey says that what she lacked in stature, she made up for in tenacity and grit: “I had to outplay my size.”
Puritz, who coached volleyball at UCI for 16 years, fondly recalls Eusey (then Flint) as a “fiery, fierce competitor” who had the determination to prove her worth on the court day after day.
“It’s definitely no surprise to me that she’s successful,” he says. “She had that competitiveness, she had that grit - that fighting spirit when she was an 18-year-old.”
Being a student athlete at UCI shaped not only her collegiate experience, but “one hundred percent” helped her create valuable habits that have benefited her to this day. Needing to balance the demands of schoolwork along with athletics, she learned the value of focus, prioritization and discipline. It was these qualities, reinforced and honed during her time at UCI, that laid the foundation for Eusey’s future successes.
She has shared her love of athletics and team sports with her own four children, all of whose soccer teams she has coached at one point or another, despite her packed work schedule.
Being an athlete has also helped her find talent for her firm: many of her employees at Beacon Pointe were D-1 athletes in college. When asked why she’s drawn to hiring athletes, she says commitment and determination are common character traits, and “they know how to play nice on a team.”
The social sciences
Eusey majored in social sciences at UC Irvine. Though her primary interest was in business, she feels that the enterprising, evolving nature of the social sciences program helped shape her overall outlook on business and gave her a broader perspective. She credits UCI with being “more entrepreneurial in their thinking” when it came to course offerings and syllabi.
This “out of the box” thinking helped her identify a different path in a traditional industry - financial services. Eusey notes that much of her business is based on human behavior, and that having a broader understanding of social sciences in the business world has helped shape the mission for her company. She’s incredibly grateful for her time at UCI, which was “a really great starting point for both academics and athletics…. the experience was incredible.”
Vision and passion
Passion and determination have driven much of Eusey’s life, and it’s something that she learned around the dinner table growing up. Listening to her dad, Garth Flint, describe his dedication to helping people meet their investment goals, Shannon, as well as three of her siblings, were inspired to follow in his footsteps in the financial services industry.
In 2002, she and her dad joined forces and went into business together with the founding of Beacon Pointe Advisors, which now has over 140 employees in 12 states, and $9.6 billion in assets under their advisement. Dad, Shannon, and siblings Mollie and Mark all now work there together.
Of his daughter's many successes, Flint is not the least bit surprised.
“Shannon has always been very focused and driven to succeed which was certainly the case when she played volleyball at UCI. She brought these attributes to Beacon Pointe Advisors.”
The firm’s focus on the total picture, along with a passion for personal finance, is what drives her company to this day. With a desire to look at investment management from a 360° perspective, addressing motivators, fears and personal goals for all clients, the business has thrived, even during the financial downturn of 2008. Evaluating each client’s total financial picture and personal goals is critical, says Eusey.
“Understanding every piece of the puzzle helps frame and answer the question of how to invest their wealth and how to make strategic decisions in their portfolio,” she says.
On running
Having built a successful enterprise, Eusey was eager to challenge herself once again. When she was in her mid-forties, Eusey decided to give running “a try.” Though at first she struggled to run even a mile, Eusey trained with the same dedication she had shown in her volleyball and business pursuits.
When she ran her first marathon in 2016, her time qualified her for the famed Boston Marathon. Not satisfied with stopping there, Eusey has now completed the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a prestigious series of six marathons held around the world. She did this alongside four female friends, who inspired each other and kept each other going. They now have a goal to run one-to- two marathons a year together.
Running provides “peace and calmness... and strategic thinking,” and gives her a different perspective on a situation, whether it be business, family or otherwise. She does some of her best thinking while running, and often sends herself texts and notes to follow up on later.
Knowledge sharing
In addition to all of the above, Eusey sees it as her responsibility to pass financial knowledge onto future generations. She lectures on wealth management at UCI at the Center for Investment and Wealth Management in The Paul Merage School of Business.
Additionally, Eusey co-authored the book Your Dollars, Our Sense: A Fun & Simple Guide To Money Matters, which is based on blog posts from The Sense, which offers clear, easy-to-understand financial management tips from women, to women.
Lauds & Laurels
Whether she’s running a marathon or her company, Eusey is all in. With the focus, determination and undeniable ambition she exhibits, one can’t help but wonder what might be next on her goals list. Regardless, it’s clear that Eusey personifies the qualities that are recognized by the esteemed Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Alumni Athlete award.
Lauds & Laurels is the UCI Alumni Association’s highest honor and the university’s oldest award ceremony. Eusey will be recognized in a ceremony on May 23 at 6 p.m. at the Paséa Hotel in Huntington Beach. Proceeds from the awards ceremony benefit the UCI Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Fund.
-Kara Roberts for UCI School of Social Sciences
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Post by gouci on Aug 30, 2019 3:50:03 GMT -5
July 30, 2019
Sophomore Abby Marjama came out of the gates strong for the 'Eaters in her first year with the program. The Sacramento native led the Big West Conference with 44 aces, and was second on the team in kills with a 2.67 average. Abby was named the Big West Freshman of the Year and was selected to the All-Freshman Team, after receiving Freshman of the Week honors four times during the season. With plenty of success in her first campaign, Abby and the 'Eaters have plenty to look forward to in the coming year. Abby took some time during her summer break to share what contributed to her accomplishments in volleyball, and how she plans to take her game to an even higher level next season. Q: You definitely had plenty of success in your first year. What would you say has been your most memorable moment? A: My first year of college was filled with many highs and lows, in which I have had many unforgettable memories. If I had to choose a specific event this past year that I will never forget, it would be the preseason game against St. Mary's in the Utah Classic Tournament. This is the game where I tied the school record for service aces. I still reminisce about the feeling of excitement and energy that overcame my body during that game. Q: What do you think contributed the most to your success? A: This year taught me a lot about myself as a person on and off the court. From learning how to balance schoolwork with a busy schedule, to learning the ins and outs of an entirely new environment and athletics program. Overall it has been very developmental and a big adjustment from what I was used to in high school. This past year I have had to work harder than I ever have before and learn how to play at the next level. I would like to thank my teammates and coaches, who have helped me learn and grow as a player and push me to be better each day. Also, a major thank you to my family. Their support has been a huge part in this past year. Even though my home is in Sacramento, they still managed to come cheer me on and give me a big hug at almost all of my games. Q: After receiving several honors this past year, what are some of your goals for the upcoming season? A: While I have been honored to have received the accolades I did this past year, the main goal for myself is to simply keep improving and becoming the best player I can be. However, another one of my main goals is for my team and me to earn a spot in the NCAA Championships. All of the great players coming into our program, the steady and more experienced foundation of girls, and the culture of our program will hopefully get us ready to accomplish this goal of ours. Q: Your father, Greg, was a member of the UC Irvine track team. Can you share what has been his most influential advice as a former collegiate student athlete? A: My dad has been a huge supporter of mine and has helped me adjust to a whole new lifestyle when being a student-athlete. I very much value his opinions and lessons learned from his own experiences as a college athlete as well. In this past year, the biggest piece of advice that helped me was to keep a healthy balance between academics, athletics and personal care. Time management plays a significant part of having a successful and enjoyable experience. Also, this might not be advice but it was one of the best phrases anyone has ever told me: "Do your best and that is good enough. You never have to apologize for doing your best." This has always helped me through days where I personally struggled on and off the court. He knows the expectations and pressure on athletes and sometimes people can get caught up and overwhelmed, including me. So this statement has been a way to reflect and be more confident in myself. Q: What was it like growing up with two brothers in a sports family? A: I couldn't ask for two better older brothers to grow up with, Michael and Jake. While my older brothers have been hard on me, they are my biggest fans. They have influenced me in so many ways on how to be the best person I can be. Also, they have showed me what genuine work ethic, competitiveness and drive is, and how to battle through life's ups and downs. They both have worked really hard and have had success in both sports and as people. Q: Were you ever interested in playing other sports, or has volleyball always been your number one? A: Like many kids, I tried lots of sports as a kid. I was quite good at swimming and loved gymnastics, however they told me I was a little too tall to be doing flips on a balance beam. I started playing volleyball when I was 10 and was immediately hooked. I distinctly remember the first time I hit a ball really hard to the ground and it felt so good. I loved everything about the game and how it made me feel. The game came very natural to me and I have worked hard for many years to develop my skills to be the best player I can be. Q: Do you have any special rituals or traditions before getting ready to play a match? A: I have always had a problem with OCD, which causes me to be quite particular and meticulous on how or what I do throughout the day. Especially when it's game day, everything before the game needs to be perfect. For example, I have to wear the same shoes, ankle braces, socks, bow for my hair, sports bra and spandex for every single game. Also, I have to eat the same food before every match which is a plain sandwich with just the bread, meat, and cheese. You could say I'm a plain eater when it comes to my food selection. But what helps me the most before a game is to let loose, be happy and goofy, and amp up on skittles or any sort of sugary candy. Q: How do you plan to spend your summer after your first year in college? A: Unlike most programs, we do have the ability to be home for the summer as long as we maintain our workouts and training. So all summer I will be keeping in shape and playing as much volleyball as possible, indoor and sand. However, my biggest thing I want to do this summer is spend quality time with my family and friends. After a year of being away, I appreciate being home, in my own bed, and having home cooked meals. I plan on taking small trips to Tahoe because that is my favorite place to relax and go on trips with friends. |
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Post by gouci on Aug 30, 2019 3:54:29 GMT -5
season preview
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UC Irvine
Aug 30, 2019 4:24:16 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by raian13 on Aug 30, 2019 4:24:16 GMT -5
Was that Akpakpa with the yellow headband? Yep. Idara akpakpa was not only a 2 time Big West 1st teamer but she may be the best singer in UCI program history. Her singing the national anthem at the Big West Tournament men's hoops championship game.
What is her role on the team now that she graduated? |
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Post by gouci on Aug 31, 2019 12:23:13 GMT -5
Two sisters #5 Meghan and #2 Courtney Buzzerio were on the court playing for Iowa as they upset #22 Washington state. Their mom played volleyball for UCI. These are 2 legacies and transfers UCI missed out on.
http://instagram.com/p/B11gyELARfl |
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vballfreak808
Hawaiian Ohana 
2020 All-VolleyTalk 1st Team, All-VolleyTalk 2nd Team (2023, 2022, 2017, 2016), All-VolleyTalk HM (2021, 2019, 2018), 2017 Fantasy League 1st Runner-up, 2016 Fantasy League Champion
#GoBows
Posts: 13,668
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Post by vballfreak808 on Aug 31, 2019 12:26:32 GMT -5
Once Meghan ended up at Iowa and Courtney had to make a change from Indiana, it was hard for her to not be able to play with her sister and be in the Big 10. They have one more sister but she is getting looked at by a lot of big schools
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Post by gouci on Aug 31, 2019 23:06:40 GMT -5
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Post by gouci on Aug 31, 2019 23:14:52 GMT -5
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Post by gouci on Sept 1, 2019 19:58:01 GMT -5
Is Irvine a fully funded program yet? (How many BIG WEST schools are fully funded?) In college athletics probably only the Power 5 Conference schools are fully funded.
In D1 women's volleyball being fully funded means you can offer 12 out of state scholarships.
Excluding Hawaii, no Big West California schools will ever be fully funded nor do they need to be cuz they all primarily recruit California in state players.
My guess is that the best funded (excluding UH) Big West program may have 6 in state and 6 out of state scholarships.
Going from there the other programs have a different combination like maybe 8 in state and 4 out of state scholarships.
The lesser funded programs may have like 10-12 in state and 0-2 out of state scholarships.
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Post by gouci on Sept 7, 2019 16:40:07 GMT -5
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