It’s a senior class that already is the most accomplished in Hawaii beach volleyball history. It includes three consecutive Big West championships and three straight NCAA appearances with an overall record of 101-29 — a program-best 37-5 last year — heading into this weekend’s Queen’s Cup.
Emily Maglio and Ari Homayun each have three All-Big West accolades, with Maglio a two-time All-American. Homayun is the program’s all-time wins leader (107) and Maglio is at No. 2 (104). Both joined past All-Americans Ka’iwi Schucht, Katie Spieler and Nikki Taylor in the 100-victory club this season.
On Monday, Maglio, Homayun, Hi‘ilawe Huddleston and Angel Gaskin will make their final home appearance when the sixth-ranked Rainbow Wahine (18-7) take on Washington at the Ching Complex campus courts. It is the second senior night for Gaskin, a walk-on who decided to play beach after her indoor career was finished last December, and the third for Maglio, who also had one following her indoor career in 2017 and one for beach last year when she was unsure she’d return this spring.
“I have no regrets about coming back,” said Maglio, who spent the last half of 2018 playing for the Canadian national indoor team. “I’m happy I did, had another chance to play for the state I love.
“We haven’t won as much as we’ve wanted to, but I think we still have a chance to make the NCAAs. To end with a title, we need everyone playing at their best.”
Maglio (Coquitlam, B.C.), alternating at Flights 1 and 2, opened the season 4-4 playing with Huddleston. She then paired with junior Amy Ozee, going 13-4 playing all but one match at Flight 1.
Homayun (Woodland Hills, Calif.) is 20-5 playing all but one match with junior Julia Scoles, 16 of the last 17 at Flight 2.
Huddleston (Oceanside, Calif.) and freshman Kylin Loker are 12-4 since been paired at Flight 4, winning their last six.
Gaskin has only competed a few times in the non-scoring Flight 6. The beach game was completely new to the Tampa, Fla., native, who transferred from Maryland to play one indoor season for the Wahine.
“I have loved it,” she said. “I came in with no expectations and a real open mind. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and I don’t regret it at all.
“It was a real reality check, a big learning curve, very humbling. When I first started, my setting was tragic, but now I’m comfortable with it. The plan is to play indoor pro after I graduate in fall. I think (beach) has helped my overall game.”
Huddleston said this is it for competitive volleyball. Her goal is the same as the team’s: go 4-for-4 in Big West tournament championships and earn one last trip to the NCAA tournament.
“I was part of the first NCAA tournament (in 2016) and it would be a nice way to end my career,” she said. “I think our team continues to get stronger so that when we get to the NCAAs, we will be at our best.”
Hawaii finishes out the regular season at Zuma Beach, Calif., with the April 26-27 Big West tournament. The three-time defending champions likely will be seeded first or second. In earlier meetings with ranked conference opponents, the SandBows lost to No. 7 Cal Poly 3-2 and swept No. 9 Long Beach State.
“Every tournament we’ve played in we’ve had some things exposed,” Homayun said. “The coaches have done a really good job at implementing what we need to improve on. We continue to grow and it makes me more confident that by the end we’ll be at our strongest.”
The fourth NCAA tournament is May 3-5 in Gulf Shores, Ala. Hawaii has finished third the past two seasons and was fourth in 2016.
COLLEGE BEACH VOLLEYBALL
First Foundation Queen’s Cup
Queen’s Beach
Saturday
>> Washington (6-8) vs. San Jose State (10-7), 9 a.m.
>> No. 14 Loyola Marymount (19-8) at No. 6 Hawaii (18-7), 10:30 a.m.
>> Loyola Marymount vs. Washington, noon
>> San Jose State at Hawaii, 1:30 p.m.
>> Loyola Marymount vs. San Jose State, 3 p.m.
>> Washington at Hawaii, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
>> Semifinals, 9:30, 10:30 a.m.
>> Third place, noon
>> Championship, 1:30 p.m.
TV: None
SandBows Senior Night
Ching Complex campus courts
Monday
>> Washington at Hawaii, 4 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports, 7 p.m. Flight 2 followed by Flight 1
