ABOUT CEVA

HISTORY

On July 31, 1980 CEVA was incorporated under the Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Act. The first Executive Director of CEVA was Tom Becic. Tom Becic was also the first CEVA member to be elected to a USAV National office as the treasurer at the 1980 meetings.

The first teams to play in the USAV National Adult Championships from Oregon were the Portland downtown YMCA Men and the Northeast Portland YMCA Women in 1949 in Los Angeles. The Portland Men finished tied for 7th in the 1949 Championships. The first Oregon team to win the Open division in the Far West Championships was the Multnomah Athletic Club in 1976. The first CEVA senior players elected as Most Valuable Player in a USAV National Championship were Rich Leong in 1981 and Marlene Piper in 1983. In 1988, the CEVA Viking Volleyball Club brought home the first adult division championship in the USAV National Tournament held in Salt Lake City, Utah, led by their coach Jeff Mozzochi.

In international play within CEVA, Marlene Piper and Tom Swanson coached the first year of the Canadian-American (CAN-AM) Senior and Junior Championships in 1975. Among the teams participating were Alberta, British Columbia, Oregon and Washington. The first Oregon team to win the CAN-AM’s was in 1978, coached by Dick Soderquist and Rod Jones.

In Junior play, the first Junior CEVA Championships were held in 1975 and hosted by the club LOCO’s of Estacada. The first Junior team to win a championship at the Festival in Davis was Carl Neuburger’s Portland Volleyball Club 17 and under team in 1987.

At the first annual USAV Outdoor National Championship in San Jose, California, Keith Phillips and Tonya Fix-Ketcham won the Coed BB Gold Division, Gary Patch and Tamee Allen placed second in the Coed A Gold Division and Curtis Thorne and Russell Davis placed second in the Men’s AA Silver Division.

Portland has also sponsored several USAV National Tournaments. In 1968, the Portland YMCA hosted the National tournament, while the Multnomah Athletic Club in 1975 hosted the National AAU Tournament, co-sponsored the 1980 USAV Nationals with CEVA, and also hosted the 1984 Coed National Championship. The CEVA Region also hosted the Outdoor National Championships in 1995.

OUR MISSION

CEVA (Columbia Empire Volleyball Association) is one of 40 regions of USA Volleyball. CEVA represents the state of Oregon and four counties in SW Washington offering playing opportunities for Junior Girls, Junior Boys and Adults.

Our mission is to promote, foster and teach life-long lessons through volleyball in Oregon and SW Washington. CEVA is dedicated to providing volleyball opportunities through high caliber programs, member services and community involvement.