Ernie Suwara (1989) - Hall of Fame

Ernie Suwara

Induction:
1989

Before volleyball became an official NCAA sport, Ernie Suwara was a star who left quite a mark in the Bruins' history books. A four-time All-America selection, he helped UCLA win a pair of USVBA titles (1965 and 1967) and eventually had his uniform number (54) retired by the school. Suwara was the most valuable player on the U.S. Olympic team in 1964, and played in the Olympics again four years later. He went on to a career in finance but also remained an active player who won a gold medal at the World Masters Games in 1994. His nephew Bill played volleyball at UCLA from 1987-1989.