Wahine volleyball outside hitter Brooke Van Sickle caps home career with BWC honor

Hawaii senior Brooke Van Sickle capped the regular season by claiming the final Big West women’s volleyball Offensive Player of the Week award on Monday.

The Rainbow Wahine outside hitter recorded 35 kills on .311 hitting in UH’s win over Cal State Northridge last Friday and a loss to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Van Sickle opened the homestand with 14 kills in 35 attempts in UH’s four-set win against CSUN to clinch the outright Big West championship and a bid to the NCAA Tournament. She also had 12 digs in her 11th double-double of the season with three blocks and two aces in the win.

Van Sickle then tied her career high with 21 kills against UCSB in her final appearance in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. She added two blocks, eight digs and an ace in the five-set loss on senior night.

“What can you say about Brooke? She’s an undersized outside hitter that plays like she’s 6-4,” UH coach Robyn Ah Mow said after the match. “The team, the program is going to miss her. Definitely great to have her here.”

Van Sickle closed the regular season as the Big West’s leader in points per set with 4.56. She placed second in kills per set (3.80) and service aces per set (0.38).

The Rainbow Wahine (21-7) will make the program’s 39th appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Friday when they face Mississippi State (25-5) in a first-round match in Seattle. The first meeting between the Rainbow Wahine and Bulldogs is set for 2:30 p.m. at Alaska Airlines Arena. Mississippi State moved up to No. 23 in the final AVCA Division I Coaches poll of the regular season.