Double days take on a whole new meaning in spring when the Hawaii indoor players double up with beach play. The two most impacted this week are junior middle Emily Maglio and freshman setter Norene Iosia who are part of the competition pairs for the No. 5 Rainbow Wahine beach team as well as scheduled starters for tonight’s indoor exhibition match against NCAA final four finalist Minnesota.
Outrigger Hawaii Invitational at Queen’s Beach
FRIDAY
>> Arizona vs. Nebraska, 8 a.m.; Florida State vs. Utah, 10:15 a.m.; USC vs. Nebraska, 11:30 a.m.; Florida State vs. Arizona, 12:45 p.m.; Nebraska at Hawaii, 2 p.m.; USC vs. Utah, 3:15 p.m.; Florida State at Hawaii, 4:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
>> Utah vs. Nebraska, 8 a.m.; Arizona vs. USC, 9:15 a.m.; Utah at Hawaii, 10:30 a.m.; Florida State vs. USC, 11:45 a.m.; Arizona at Hawaii, 1 p.m.; Florida State vs. Nebraska, 2:15 p.m.; Arizona vs. Utah, 3:30 p.m.; USC at Hawaii, 4:45 p.m.
>> Radio/TV: None
NCAA practice regulations do limit the time that athletes can participate but players also are allowed to voluntarily practice.
“It’s a really busy time, going from indoor practice in the morning and beach in the afternoon,” said Maglio, named the best blocker at last week’s Queen’s Cup as Hawaii went 4-0. “Indoor takes precedent for me but I am trying to split my time evenly.
“It’s a deep (beach) tournament this week and a critical week for us.”
Big West freshman of the year Maglio played at No. 1 and No. 2 during an All-American season last year, teaming mostly with Katie Spieler en route to being named the Big West pairs team of the year. Maglio is 8-0 this year at No. 3 with UCLA transfer Laurel Weaver.
Also 8-0 is Hawaii’s No. 2 pair of All-American Nikki Taylor and Ka’iwi Schucht. Schucht was named most outstanding player of the Queen’s Cup, a surprise to the junior from Escondido, Calif.
“I didn’t think I was getting anything,” Schucht said. “I’m just out there playing.
“I thought it might be Laurel (Weaver) or Mikayla (Tucker), everyone played well. When they called my number and it was, ‘whoa, that’s me.’
“I think what’s working for us as a team is that everyone brings something different to the team. It’s a large team (28 players) but with so many good players, you are always being pushed.”
Schucht is playing at No. 2 with Taylor, an All-American indoor and on the beach. Schucht usually plays at a lower flight but said it doesn’t matter where she plays.
“I know that I could go up or down (in flight),” Schucht said. “I hope I stay at No. 2 but whatever it takes to win, I’ll do, play wherever they put me.”
This week’s Outrigger Hawaii Invitational is loaded, a field that includes No. 1 and defending national champion USC (4-0), No. 4 Florida State (4-2), the No. 5 SandBows (8-0) and No. 7 Arizona (4-2). Also playing at Queen’s Beach are unranked Nebraska (1-0) and Utah (1-4).
SandBows head coach Jeff Hall again is doing double duty this spring. The associate head coach of the indoor team is running that program during the transition from retired coach Dave Shoji to new head coach Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, the latter who is expected to arrive April 1.
Despite the long days — indoor practice is from 6 to 8 a.m. and beach from 4 to 6 p.m. — Hall said he is handling both.
“I think the hardest thing is not having mornings with my kids,” said Hall, a single father of two young daughters. “But they understand that this is what daddy does and they are getting ready on their own and walk to school.”
As for the beach season, “It’s great,” he said. “Any time you’re undefeated, it’s a great beginning. But we’re taking it with a grain of salt. We’ll be challenged this week.
“We probably won’t go undefeated this season but you keep charging until you do. Then, when you get your first loss, you re-evaluate and get back to the winning ways.”
