New Year’s Day came early for the Hawaii volleyball team. The Rainbow Warriors opened two-a-day practices on Friday in newly renovated Gym II, seeing the upgraded venue as an omen for 2019.
After a disappointing end to last season, where Hawaii was overlooked for an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament despite finishing second in the Big West tournament, the Warriors are focused on keeping their postseason hopes in their collective hands and not those of a selection committee.
“The bottom line is we’ve got to win more,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said. “There’s a way to win yourself into the tournament (as league champion) and we didn’t do it.
“We challenged everyone to come back as a better version of themselves. Whatever you were, you can push that forward. Be bigger, faster, stronger.”
The Warriors return most of their starting lineup from the 19-8 squad that finished tied for second in the inaugural Big West season and was the runner-up to eventual NCAA champion Long Beach State in the conference tournament. Despite defeating UC Irvine in the conference tournament semifinal — as well as having the top RPI in the country — Hawaii was passed over for an at-large berth in favor of the Anteaters.
The Warriors say they are holding onto the snub while letting go of it at the same time.
“Obviously last year was not the way we wanted it to end,” sophomore libero Gage Worsley said. “It lit a fire under us, but at the same time, we’re moving on.
“Most of the team returns and everyone has a year under their belts. Will we be better? That’s the plan.”
Hawaii’s biggest loss will be at libero with the graduation of Larry “Tui” Tuileta, a leader on and off the court. The Warriors also lost part-time starting outside hitter Austin Matautia and reserve hitter Brandon Rattray, both of whom transferred to UCLA and have two years of eligibility.
“They made their decisions and it’s a non-issue for us,” Wade said. “If guys think they have a better chance at playing elsewhere … we released them without incident and wished them well.”
Matautia and Rattray were at the U.S. national team tryouts earlier this month at the Olympic Training Center in Anaheim, Calif. So were four current Warriors: Worsley; his brother Joe, a senior setter; junior hitter Colton Cowell; and senior middle Dalton Solbrig.
“I think what that says is we have a lot of high-level guys,” Wade said. “Brett (senior hitter Rosenmeier) spent most of the summer with the (U.S.) senior team and Pat (junior middle Gasman) is in the pipeline.
“Plus we have guys who, if not on the U.S. national team, are on their national teams internationally.”
The latter group includes returning All-America senior opposite Stijn Van Tilburg (Netherlands), junior hitter Rado Parapunov (Bulgaria), freshman setter Jakob Thelle (Norway) and freshman hitter Filip Humler (Czech Republic).
Joe Worsley, one of Hawaii’s four seniors, said he’s ready to get this season started. The Warriors face British Columbia in exhibition matches Jan. 4 and 5 before hosting the Jan. 10-12 Hawaiian Airlines Classic with USC, Concordia-Irvine and New Jersey Institute of Technology.
“I think this journey is going to be really different,” Worsley said. “It goes back to the experience on the floor. Last year, a bunch of guys, including me, were starters for the first time. We pretty much have the same guys back and that makes it more comfortable for me (as a setter).
“I see this season as being very special. I’m not going to jump to conclusions, say where the season is going to end, but I know for sure we’re headed in the right direction.”
Where the Warriors hope to end up is at Long Beach State, which will host the NCAA final four in May. Hawaii’s best shot to get there is by winning the Big West tournament —and the automatic berth that goes with it — a tournament that will be played at the Stan Sheriff Center on April 18-20.
The Warriors, preseason No. 3, have a tough conference road schedule, with two matches each at No. 1 Long Beach State and No. 4 UC Irvine.
“But we are hosting the Big West tournament and we know that Hawaii fans will show up for that,” Worsley said. “That will be for the NCAA (berth), probably against Long Beach (in the final). People will want to see that match.
“Having it at our place is a huge benefit. We all want to have at least one sold-out crowd in our careers.”
Note
Hawaii (28 points) was picked second in Friday’s Big West coaches preseason poll, behind defending national champion Long Beach State (36 points, all six first-place votes) and ahead of UC Irvine (26 points). Rounding out the poll were UC Santa Barbara (16), Cal State Northridge (11) and UC San Diego (9).
