Character, it is said, is what you are in the dark.
It’s also what you are under the harshest of spotlights, when you are not playing … as a senior, a former starter … in the fishbowl that is Hawaii men’s volleyball.
It’s been tough, Brett Rosenmeier admits, watching junior Colton Cowell replace him in the starting lineup for all but three of the Rainbow Warriors’ 27 matches. Tougher, still, is needing to be ready at all times to come in to serve, stabilize passing or be back in the front row as an outside hitter.
But whatever is needed to win is the bottom line for the 6-foot-6 Rosenmeier. Even if it’s only his teammates and coaches watching at practice.
“Whatever role I’m in, I’m going to take it and play it the best I can, especially in the practice gym,” the Virginia Beach, Va., native said as second-seeded Hawaii prepared for Friday’s Big West tournament semifinal match against the winner of today’s first-round contest between UC Irvine and UC San Diego. “That’s where it matters the most to me, trying both to make the other guys better and to win my position back.
“We’ve got the most skilled players on our team and you want to be out there on the court with them, hopefully win the national championship with them. It’s tough as a senior when you’ve been starting for most of the last two years but winning is the most important thing and I’ll do whatever it is to make it happen.”
The two-time conference all-academic selection graduates in two weeks with a double degree in marketing and entrepreneurship. He may have already closed his biggest sale when selling current 6-7 freshman Filip Humler on the Warriors; the two met in the Czech Republic when Rosenmeier was playing for the U.S. in the 2017 FIVB U21 World Championship.
“I told him I was interested in playing college in the U.S.,” said Humler, then a member of the Czech U19 team. “When he said ‘Hawaii’ I didn’t know there was volleyball there. He said Hawaii would need an outside hitter probably in two years.
“I went home, checked them out (on the internet) and was surprised at their high level of play. Obviously, there is no better place to study and there is no better place to play. Nowhere across the country do people come to watch like here.”
And nowhere has Humler found a better teammate than the one called “Rosey.”
“He’s a great outside hitter, a great passer, but also a great teammate,” Humler said. “I don’t have the passing skill he has and he’s always trying to help me.
“He’s always supporting the team when we are on the sideline. He is the spirit of the team, one of our main people even if he’s not on the court.”
Rosenmeier has played in 23 of 27 matches and 47 of 86 sets this season for Hawaii, never with a lot of flash but always with solid all-around play. His best overall match may have been as a sophomore (13 kills, nine digs, six blocks, when he helped the Warriors rally past Penn State in five in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA tournament.
Rosenmeier is considered one of Hawaii’s best passers, a skill developed from hours of playing on the beach (both his parents played competitively). He actually played one match at libero as a freshman against Cal State Northridge, when Warrior senior libero Kolby Kanetake was out with a chronic back problem.
Rosenmeier has teamed with Cowell twice at the USAV Collegiate Beach Championship, finishing fourth in 2017 and second last May. The pair placed 13th last July at the World University Beach Volleyball Championship in Munich.
Beach is Rosemeier’s love but he knows there are more pro opportunities indoors.
“I’ll play indoor until my body says no,” said Rosenmeier, whose jersey number (3) matches that of his national recruiting ranking coming out of Cox High. “You can play beach longer.”
But first things first. That is helping his team to the Big West tournament title and a spot in the NCAA tournament. The hope is to again see top seed Long Beach State in Saturday’s final; the 49ers ended the Warriors’ unbeaten season last week with two victories at the Walter Pyramid, site of the NCAA championship in two weeks.
“Hopefully we’ll be back there,” Rosenmeier said.
If it does happen, his teammates know Rosenmeier played a large part.
“Brett is an important piece for us. There are so many places he can go in and help us,” Hawaii senior setter Joe Worsley said. “He’ll tell you all he wants is to win. He’ll do whatever it takes to help us get to that goal.
“It’s real easy to be a nice guy and good teammate when everything is going your way. But it’s when you’re in a tough situation like he is in that your true character shows. Brett is that solid, really good guy and teammate all the time.”
BIG WEST MEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
At Stan Sheriff Center
Today’s first round
>> No. 3 UC Irvine (17-10)
vs. No. 6 UC San Diego (7-19), 5 p.m.
>> No. 4 UC Santa Barbara (17-9)
vs. No. 5 Cal State Northridge (13-13), 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s semifinals
>> No. 1 Long Beach State (25-1)
vs. UCI-UCSD winner, 5 p.m.
>> No. 2 Hawaii (25-2) vs. UCSB-CSUN winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s final
>> Friday’s winners, 8 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports, all matches
>> Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM (Hawaii matches only)
