UH’s Wade borrows a page from ‘Moneyball’

The new insignia for Hawaii volleyball should be the $ sign.

The Warriors have embraced their version of moneyball, using statistical analysis to aid in strategy.

"I read ‘Moneyball’ a few years ago," UH coach Charlie Wade said of the best-selling book on Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s success using computer-generated data. "I’ve always questioned statistical (interpretation) in volleyball. It’s similar to baseball, where everybody was loving home runs and batting averages when what really matters is on-base percentage. There are similar things in volleyball."

Wade, whose team faces No. 2 UC Irvine at 5 p.m. today, noted that the "most valuable" aspect is point-scoring and most costly is contributing to an opponent’s scoring.

Wade then posed these questions: "When you touched the ball, what happened? What was the result? Did you score or did they score?"

Wade learns the answers in real time. Using a program modified by graduate assistant Anton Willert, Wade receives up-to-the-moment information on his tablet PC during matches.

"I don’t have to print it out or look over somebody’s shoulder," Wade said. "I have it available in real time. As soon as (Willert) clicks any information, it’s being updated into the tablet."

Wade said the data is helpful in crafting strategy for different rotations. Wade was asked why UH middle Jarrod Lofy, who has only three service errors this season, was replaced by a designated server in each of the four sets against UC Irvine on Friday night. Wade chuckled, and said: "because (the Anteaters are) scoring at 86 percent (when Lofy serves). If it were 46 percent, I’d probably keep him in.

"Aces are great. But if you had two aces and two errors but only served four times, it would be better to have no aces and serve seven times. That’s creating point-scoring. Not all hits are plus or minus. You can hit a ball in such a manner you get it back in a way where you can point-score."

Wade acknowledged that Willert is a plus. Willert is a former professional volleyball player and coach who once completed two degrees at separate German universities at the same time.