Sometimes it IS about the destination.
The journeys that Sammie Brown and Hannah Rooks took to be where they are — as partners for the No. 2 Hawaii sand volleyball team — were as different as they were similar.
COLLEGIATE SAND VOLLEYBALL
T.C. Ching Complex courts
With No. 2 Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific, Grand Canyon, and San Jose State.
» Sand Volleyball Showcase: Pairs tournament, Saturday, 9 a.m.
» Outrigger Resorts Invitational: Team duals, Sunday, noon.
» TV: Sunday, 7 p.m., OC Sports.
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Brown, a fifth-year player from Santa Barbara, Calif., is well-traveled in her athletic career, with prep accolades in both indoor and sand prior to a successful setting career at Notre Dame.
Rooks, a sophomore, is even more so geographically, courtesy of her father’s U.S. Coast Guard career. She was born in Alaska, spent her early years in Hawaii, had a stellar prep career in Georgia before deciding not to play volleyball her senior year at Kaiser, when her family moved back to Hawaii.
It is that ability to adjust to new environments that has served the two well when teaming for their first — and only — season.
In a sport where chemistry is as key as complementary skill-sets and personalities, Brown and Rooks have successfully bridged the gap in age and experience. They have been solid at the No. 3 spot for the SandBows (13-1), going 17-7, including 8-2 in their past 10 matches heading into this weekend’s final home competitions.
"We get along really well, communicate really well," Rooks said. "Sammie has taught me so much.
"We’re happy with how the season has gone, but we want to keep working hard and keep getting better. We only have this one year together and we want it to be the best we can make it."
The 6-foot Rooks had a scholarship to play indoor at the University of Georgia, but when former SandBows coach Scott Wong approached her about staying put, Rooks was happy not to make another move.
While Rooks had limited sand experience, playing some tournaments in Waikiki her senior year at Kaiser, the 5-10 Brown grew up playing on the beaches of Santa Barbara. She and junior All-American Katie Spieler were teammates on the sand as well as at Dos Pueblos High and it was that connection that helped bring Brown across the Pacific.
"Our families are really close, our dads were roommates in college and I talked to Katie about her experience here," said Brown, a member of the U.S. Youth National Beach Team that played in the U-21 World Championships in 2009. "She was having an awesome time and loved it.
"Beach is my passion. That Hawaii finished third last year solidified them as one of the top programs. There is such a tradition and history with the sport here. The women’s (indoor) team is always successful, the men are No. 1 now. I wanted to be somewhere where I could contend for a national title and we are.
"That was the goal when we started the season. That was the hope coming in. It is taking a lot of hard work, but that is the reality of our season right now. It’s motivation every day at practice when you know you’re contending to be the best in the country."
Hawaii’s only loss has been to undefeated and current No. 1 USC. The SandBows are poised to be a top-2 seed at next month’s AVCA Collegiate Sand National Championships at Gulf Shores, Ala.
Brown-Rooks have played a large role in that journey.
"They’ve been amazing," SandBows coach Jeff Hall said. "Their chemistry has been growing every day. With Hannah fairly new to the beach game, every day is a day of learning and a day to get better, and they have.
"It’s been a good pairing. Someone who’s smaller but powerful (Brown) with someone who is taller with finesse (Rooks). Hannah has the ability to be very powerful. She could easily be one of our best volleyball players down the line."
Hall said the pair took a big step by winning the silver bracket of the Santa Cruz Challenge two weeks ago.
"They had a championship experience, had to grind it out through a (bracket) and win," he said. "That is very valuable for them in their future matches."
Brown is one of three seniors who will be honored after Sunday’s finale match of the Outrigger Resorts Invitational. Also playing in their final home match are two-time All-American Brittany Tiegs, who is paired at No. 1 with Nikki Taylor, and Olivia Urban, who is paired at No. 2 with Spieler.
Hawaii finishes the regular season with the Aloha Invitational at Queen’s Beach. Also competing in the pairs event Friday and Saturday are No. 6 Long Beach State, No. 8 UCLA and Saint Mary’s.
‘BOW NOTE
Busy week for Wahine track
Rainbow Wahine track and field coach Carmyn James and her staff will keep busy this week shuttling UH athletes around Southern California in a hectic four-day stretch of events.
UH will be represented in five meets this week beginning with the two-day California Invitational Heptathlon at Azusa Pacific. The meet opened on Wednesday with UH sophomore Felicianna Vazquez and freshman Sha’tres Ah Nee entered to compete.
Most of the team will spend Thursday at the CSULA Twilight Meet with freshman Montana Martinez slated to run the 10,000 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif.
Friday’s schedule divides the team between the Mt. SAC Relays, the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific and the Beach Invitational at Cerritos College.
The entire team will reunite for the second day of the Beach Invitational on Saturday to close the trip.
ON THIS DAY
4/16/04
Kimo Tuyay becomes Hawaii’s all-time assists leader in the Warrior volleyball team’s 30-27, 30-27, 30-26 win at Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse. Tuyay ends the night with 38 assists to raise his career total to 4,570 and pass Curt Vaughn for the record. Delano Thomas puts down 14 kills in the sweep.
WARRIOR PROFILE
NILS SCHUHMANN, Tennis
An All-Big West honoree for his singles and doubles performances last year, Nils Schuhmann also earned accolades this spring for pulling off a triple major.
Schuhmann, a senior from Germany, maximized his time in Manoa in working toward degrees in Management, Finance and International Business while leading the Rainbow Warriors on the court.
He was a first-team All-Big West pick in doubles and second-team in singles last season and was UH’s male recipient of the Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award earlier this spring.
Schuhmann is 6-10 overall this season, playing all of his matches in the No. 1 singles position. He’s partnered with freshman Joakim Pinola in his past seven doubles matches, going 3-1 with three matches unfinished.
He began the month as the Big West men’s player of the week after pulling out a 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 win over UC Davis’ Alex Adamson in his final home match on March 26.
The Rainbow Warriors (6-11, 0-3 Big West) close the regular season on the road with conference matches at UC Irvine on Friday and UC Riverside on Sunday. The Big West Championship is set for April 23-26 in Indian Wells, Calif.
» Class: Senior
» Majors: Management, Finance, International Business
» Hometown: Karlstadt, Germany
» High School: Johann-Schoner Gymnasium
» Quick Fact: Went 3-1 in singles and doubles in Big West play last year.