The selection process for the U.S. women’s national volleyball team never sleeps. Even though this is the start of the next Olympic quadrennial — the Tokyo Games don’t open until July of 2020 — this weekend is the first step for 243 players hoping to represent their country as early as this summer.
Four Rainbow Wahine were on a plane Wednesday night, headed for the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., looking for a chance to make three collegiate national teams as well as the senior team. Hawaii’s “Gang of Four” are middle Annie Mitchem, who recently competed her indoor eligibility; incoming senior libero Savanah Kahakai; incoming junior hitter McKenna Granato; and incoming sophomore setter Norene Iosia.
For Kahakai, one of 55 liberos at the Friday-Sunday tryouts, it’s a chance to follow in the footsteps of her new head coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos as a “local girl” making it to the next level. Ah Mow-Santos, a McKinley High graduate and UH All-American, was a three-time Olympic setter for the U.S.
“Robyn’s been there,” Kahakai said. “We’ve talked about going to Colorado, she’s given me advice on how to get to where I want to be. And that’s to be on the team.
“I’m really excited to represent my home and my school. It’s just a blessing to go some place a lot of people don’t get invited to go. To have three other teammates with me is amazing, knowing that they’ll have my support and I’ll have theirs.”
Two-time indoor American Nikki Taylor, who made the Pan American Cup roster last year, was invited to the open tryouts but decided to remain with the Wahine beach team. The fifth-ranked SandBows open their season Friday at the Arizona Invitational in Tucson.
“We talked about her going to the tryouts but when she looked at the dates, she said, ‘I can’t miss beach,’” said UH associate indoor head coach Jeff Hall, who also is the head beach coach. “It’s the first time she has said that beach was a priority.
“I’m stoked. It’s our first road trip and she’s a big piece of our team.”
Taylor also is a two-time beach All-American.
Also on the beach team is Iosia, who was “on the bubble” to make the travel roster, Hall said.
“She’ll be in the (beach) mix when she comes back,” Hall said. “If any of our kids make any of the rosters, it will be super beneficial for us when they’re back in the gym this fall, having played at that high level.”
Said Iosia: “I’m nervous. This is probably the biggest tryout anyone collegiate person’s career. You’re not going against just some random people. You’re up against the best. You don’t get a lot of opportunities like this, especially as a freshman.”
Iosia is one of 40 setters invited, Mitchem is one of 63 middles and Granato one of 53 outside hitters.
Players selected to the senior national team will start training at the OTC in Anaheim, Calif., in spring or whenever their school or pro club season has concluded. The rosters of the three U.S. collegiate teams will be announced by the end of March.
On the tryout staff is Kalani High graduate Tamari Miyashiro, an All-American libero at Washington who was part of the U.S. team that took silver at the 2012 Olympics.
