Legacy comes in many forms, but few people have one that is as personal and physically present as the one belonging to Kupono Kahuanui Fey.

There is no need for the senior hitter for No. 4 Hawaii to glance up 22 rows to the Stan Sheriff Center concourse to be reminded of “Grandpa Nui.” Fey doesn’t need to read the inscription on the UH Sports Circle of Honor plaque to understand the influence that his grandfather, the late Harry “Clown” Kahuanui, had on athletics, both at the university and in the state of Hawaii.

For Fey, it comes down to living up to one of the translations of the family name. “Kahuanui” means “the big fruit” in Hawaiian, but one of the alternate meanings is “the strong foundation,” and that’s what Fey prefers.

It’s what Fey hopes to leave the Rainbow Warrior volleyball program after this season is pau. He feels the pride, as well as the burden, every time he puts on the uniform that has a stylized Hawaiian flag as part of its design.

“I really like the meaning of the name,” Fey said as the Warriors prepared for this week’s final regular-season home matches. “You can’t go anywhere without a strong foundation. I’m very technical about my play, getting the fundamentals, the basics down.

“And wearing the flag is huge. Our jerseys are so cool and it’s representing where I’m from.”

Fey also did his part when waving the flag at last summer’s Olympics in Brazil, where his cousin, Micah Christenson, was the U.S. setter and brothers Kawika and Erik Shoji were part of the bronze-medal-winning squad.

“We had three local boys on the team and I carried it everywhere,” the All-State player at Punahou School said. “The Olympics are about countries coming together and everyone was waving their nation’s flags. It was awesome.

“Not that many people knew what it (the Hawaii flag) was, but it’s where we were from, a little island in the Pacific. No, you didn’t see California flags, which makes it more special.“

That’s the word Warriors coach Charlie Wade uses often and not lightly when describing Fey. His 6-foot-5 team captain is “just a good kid who has worked hard at his game and to improve himself physically,” he said. “The other players view him as an important resource, not just in volleyball.

“Being Hawaiian, wearing the Hawaiian flag on his uniform, representing Hawaii is a very real thing for him. I just know I need more Kupono Feys.”

Staying home was as easy a choice as it was hard. Fey, who has been in the USA Volleyball pipeline almost from the beginning of his volleyball career in intermediate school, had offers to play elsewhere, including following his cousin to USC.

“There are so many reasons to stay home,” the 22-year-old said. “Playing in front of my family and friends, my grandparents, who come to every game.

“When you’re traveling around and playing in other gyms, you realize how special it is to play here. The atmosphere and the tradition. People care about volleyball, they care about the local athletes. That’s all any athlete wants, to be recognized for their hard work and success.”

Junior libero Tui Tuileta was happy to be reunited with Fey, teammates on two state championship teams at Punahou (2012, 2013).

“It’s been fun getting to play with him again,” said Tuileta, who played a season at USC before transferring. “It’s bittersweet. He has his path that he’s going to continue on and I’m proud of him for what he’s done and what he’s left for us.”

Fey has turned what was considered a weakness into a strength, his serve-receive. He ranks No. 1 among all outside hitters in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in reception percentage (.974) with nine errors when being served 344 times, 38 percent of the Warriors’ total receptions.

“I hope people remember me as a hard-working, this team as a hard-working team,” Fey said. “The seniors worked through struggles to build a legacy. We brought the tradition back.”

In a word: foundation.

Part of it hangs on the concourse wall between Lower FF and Upper LL, a plaque usually draped with at least one lei. Harry Kahuanui was a two-sport standout in basketball and football for Hawaii, an honorable mention All-American in the latter, and became the first UH player in the East-West Shrine Game. He also was a territorial heavyweight boxing champion.

Kahuanui died in 2002, when Fey was 7. He doesn’t have a lot of memories of his grandfather, but Fey knows during his four-year career he’s been just 22 rows and a baseline away from them every time “Hawaii Pono’i” is sung prior to the first whistle.