In the Olivia Magill Library, there are many sections. Some expected, more that are not.
Mythology. Medieval History. Travel. Cats & Dogs (her family has sphinxes and Great Danes). There’s even a special stack for video games, heavy on "Pokemon."
And, for the self-described bookish nerd, there are tomes on volleyball, as thick as the 1,000 pages of each of George R.R. Martin’s "Game of Thrones" books she also enjoys. Tyrion and Teraflex are happily co-existing in the world Magill is creating for herself in Hawaii.
The junior middle blocker made her debut in the Stan Sheriff Center nearly a year ago, playing for Arizona in the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Volleyball Challenge. The Seattle native was named to the all-tournament team, but the lasting impression was not of the monkeypod award bowl but that of the fans.
"You hear so much about Hawaii, but it’s so different when you actually play in front of all these people who appreciate volleyball," the 6-foot-1 Magill said. "I remember saying to my teammates how cool it was.
"Now, I’m part of it. I like that volleyball is really respected. And, as a woman, it feels really good that volleyball is so valued. At Arizona, it was basketball and football, and volleyball was a whatever. Here, you are respected for what you do. "
That she is here seems straight out of the realm of fantasy. Despite leading Arizona in blocks her first two seasons, Magill decided to transfer.
Initially there wasn’t a scholarship available, but with the unexpected transfer of junior middle Jade Vorster to Liberty during the spring semester, one materialized. Magill traded sands, desert for the beach.
Three matches in, she’s already made an impact for No. 20 Hawaii. Magill leads the team in kills (25) and blocks (11) after playing in all 10 sets.
It comes as no surprise to Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji. When discussing her with good friend Dave Rubio, the Arizona coach, he was told, "This kid is an athlete (touches 10-foot-7). You’ll really like her.’
"She’s been a joy to coach," Shoji said. "She has a lot of range and works hard at getting better. She’s been a great addition to the team."
Half of this year’s 16-player roster is new. Magill said it made the transition easier since she wasn’t the only newcomer.
"Everyone was so welcoming. The other players and all the coaches have made me feel a part of a family," she said. "Our team is very diverse, but we all seem to have different things in common. Megan (freshman Huff) and I are both from Washington, Tayler (setter Higgins) and I talk about ‘Game of Thrones.’
"I feel really close to all of them. And volleyball is the huge connector for all of us."
"It was easy for her to become a part of us," senior middle Kalei Adolpho said. "She’d already been in college, knew what was expected, she had it down.
"She’s calm out there but very competitive. That’s what I love about her, her competitiveness. She is here to win and that’s our common connection."
Magill’s connection to Hawaii runs deep. Her family visited the Big Island when she was 7 and "I thought it was the greatest place ever," she said. Her mother’s ex-husband was from Maui and she has relatives on Oahu.
All of it has helped with becoming comfortable an ocean away from her close-knit family in Seattle.
"I didn’t consider coming here as a freshman because it seemed so far away, plus I wanted to play in the Pac-12," Magill said. "But being away helps you grow. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I had stayed in Seattle.
"Everyone back home is really excited for me — my family, my friends, my former club teammates. Nothing beats this. I told our (Wahine) players how thankful they should be to play for coaches like Dave, Scott (associate head coach Wong) and Robyn (assistant coach Ah Mow-Santos). Not many programs have such a rich history and coaches so willing to make you better.
"The grass is truly greener."
Taylor cleared to pass
Sophomore hitter Nikki Taylor was cleared to begin passing in practice on Tuesday. Taylor has been out since hyper-extending her right elbow on her hitting arm in July.
