Liu Dies
Former USC volleyball player Jen-Kai Liu, who led USC to the 1988 national title and was the NCAA Tournament MVP, died June 1 of heart failure after being in a coma for 44 days. He was 42.
Release after the jump.
LOS ANGELES-Former USC men's volleyball All-American Jen-Kai Liu, who helped lead the Trojans to the 1988 NCAA title while earning NCAA All-Tournament MVP honors, died on June 1 in Shanghai, China. He was 42.
Liu died of heart failure after being in a coma for 44 days, the result of a viral infection that caused seizures.
In 1988 as a sophomore, Liu earned All-American first team honors while topping the NCAA champion Trojans in digs and aces. A 3-year (1988, 1990-91) letterman, he also was a member of USC's 1990 NCAA championship squad and 1991 NCAA runners-up. A knee injury forced him to redshirt in 1989, then limited him to just 4 late-season matches in 1990 and 16 matches in 1991.
Nicknamed "The Hammer" because of his hard hitting, he came to USC from Taiwan, where he was a member of that country's national team in 1986 and 1987 and its junior national team the previous 2 years. He also served in the Taiwanese army in 1985 and 1986.
In 1987, Liu came to the United States to rejoin his family, which had immigrated to Monterey Park, Calif., several years earlier.
"Jen-Kai was a phenomenal athlete and a great teammate, student and person," said Bob Yoder, who was Liu's head coach at USC. "His personality and enthusiasm reflected his playing style: explosive, aggressive, fun. He was a true joy to coach and watch play the game."
After graduating from USC in 1992, Liu worked in the real estate industry. He returned to Taiwan in 1995 and worked with his brother, Eddie, in the field of after-school children's education. In 2002, he and his wife, Karen, moved to Beijing, China, to start their own after-school program (called "Mad Science Family"), focusing on science. They then moved to Shanghai in 2005 to expand the business, which now has 6 locations in Shanghai and Beijing.
He is survived by his wife, Karen, and a 5-year-old son, Walter, and 1-year-old daughter, Melinda, as well as his parents, Hsiang-Chen and Crystal Ma, a sister, Ching, and a brother, Eddie. His wife and children reside in Shanghai, while his parents and sister live in Diamond Bar, Calif.
No local services are planned.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Fight On!
Jeez, a virus in your early 40s. Michael Jackson was on to something with his masks.
I remember the guy. He was quite an athlete. Remember reading Daily Trojan about him. Sad to hear his departure. Fight ON!