UC Irvine’s Brande collects his 100th win

MISSOULA, Mont. — UC Irvine Coach Charlie Brande collected his 100th win with the Anteaters women’s volleyball team Saturday, when his squad won the Ruby’s Montana Invitational.

With two wins from the Anteaters, Brande’s overall record improved to 100-111. He’s in his eighth year with the program, but he has ties to the school that go further back.

He’s a 1969 graduate of UC Irvine and a member of the Anteaters’ first basketball team. He also has a strong connection to the Newport-Mesa area. He coached at Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar high schools.

The Newport Beach resident and former columnist of the Daily Pilot has also remained a prominent figure in the club arena, serving as the Orange County Volleyball Club’s director since 1982.

In his time with OCVBC, he has administered 28 national championship teams and produced over 300 collegiate women’s volleyball players, including 16 NCAA All-Americans. Former national team players Bev Oden and Jenny Evans, the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals’ Rachel Wacholder and April Ross, also a former Newport Harbor and USC standout, all competed under Brande during their club years.

In seven seasons with UCI, Brande has produced 22 All-Big West Conference selections, including two-time all-conference honoree Lauren Kellerman. Under his tutelage, former Anteaters Kelly Wing and Amanda Vazquez were named AVCA All-Americans while Wing became UCI’s first Big West Player of the Year in the sport of women’s volleyball in 2004.

On Saturday, freshman Larissa Nordyke helped Brande get to 100. She had a team-high 11 kills to help the ’Eaters to a 30-20, 30-19, 30-25 win over Canisius.

Christa Conom had 24 assists for UCI (3-0), Chelsea Ellis had one solo block and three block assists and Devon Sutherland added nine digs.

Kristin Kelley had a team-high 17 kills to lead UCI to a 31-29, 30-27, 25-30, 30-28 win over Gonzaga.

Kellerman and Kari Pestolesi had 13 and 10 kills, respectively, for UCI. Taryn Robertson had 52 assists and five block assists and Sutherland led UCI with 16 digs.

— From staff reports