The University of Hawaii volleyball team is losing its most prolific attacker.

Outside hitter Hanna Hellvig, who put down a team-high 348 kills (3.11 per set) last season, has decided to remain in her native Sweden and not return to the Rainbow Wahine for her sophomore season, head coach Robyn Ah Mow announced on Monday.

“This has been a very tough decision for me to make, but with the ongoing situations and uncertainty with COVID-19 in the United States right now, it doesn’t feel safe for me to go back from the other side of the world,” Hellvig said in a release. “I want to make it clear my withdrawal has nothing to do with the team or the coaches. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to play volleyball and represent the state of Hawaii. I am also grateful for all the dedicated fans who came to every single game and always supported the team. I will miss the girls and the coaching staff a lot, and I will be cheering them on from Sweden from now on. They are great people and deserve nothing but the best.”

As a true freshman in 2019, the 6-foot-2 Hellvig led the Rainbow Wahine to the NCAA Regionals. She was named the Big West Freshman of the Year, as well as being named to VolleyballMag.com’s Freshman All-America team. Hellvig also averaged 0.72 blocks per set while playing in 30 matches, 29 as a starter. She had a season-high 19 kills in a dramatic five-set match against UC Santa Barbara.

“Hanna was a huge part of our team’s success last year,” Ah Mow said in a release, “but we understand her concerns and her decision. She is obviously a very talented volleyball player, but also a great person, and we wish her continued success in whatever she decides to do.”