Beyond The Box Score

Former Newport Harbor High libero Sean Grubbs has committed to Pepperdine, where he will play volleyball in the upcoming season.

Grubbs, who graduated from Newport Harbor in 2006, spent one year at Irvine Valley College, where he played in all 79 games and averaged 2.54 digs per game in the Lasers' championship season this year.

Irvine Valley won the Pacific Coast Conference title and the state championship, in which Grubbs had a team-high 10 digs. He finished with a season-high 18 digs in IVC's five-game state tournament semifinal win over Pierce. Irvine Valley defeated defending state champion Long Beach City in the five-game final at Santa Monica College.

Grubbs, who finished second on the team in aces with 28, was named first-team all-Pacific Coast Conference. The Lasers finished the season 17-2, and won their last eight matches.

"It was really cool winning state," Grubbs said. "I've never won anything that big."

Grubbs briefly considered UCLA, but only visited Pepperdine, where he will study economics.

Pepperdine advanced to its 14th NCAA Championship tournament last season, and accumulated a 25-1 regular-season record before ending the year at 26-3.

— From staff reports