In a volleyball context, “aloha ball” usually signifies the end of a match.
Tonight, the saying could be a greeting as well when top-ranked Hawaii welcomes one of the nation’s newest men’s volleyball programs to SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Edward Waters, based in Jacksonville, Fla., will plunge into its inaugural season by taking on the defending national champion Rainbow Warriors in a two-match series tonight and Sunday.
A member of the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Edward Waters played an exhibition match on Tuesday and will make its official debut tonight.
The Tigers are one of three first-year programs on Hawaii’s schedule this season, and the new names indicate a trend toward growth in collegiate men’s volleyball. The Warriors will also face Kentucky State in the First Point Collegiate Challenge on Feb. 4 in Austin, Texas, and play host to Long Island in a three-match series Feb. 8-11 in Manoa.
“It’s an exciting time for the sport where we’re adding not just new programs but entire new leagues,” UH coach Charlie Wade said.
“Those of us that have the traditional, longer-term programs, we gotta play them. And that means, whether they’re coming to our place or we’re going to their place, we have to help integrate them into the volleyball community and show them respect and how much we appreciate them being part of a growing sport and going out and putting them on your schedule.”
Wade said the Big West and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation are working on a scheduling agreement for future seasons to maintain the long-standing connections between those programs. But the addition of the newer programs offers greater options in filling out the nonconference slate.
“We still want to see a steady dose, on an annual basis, of the traditional teams that our fans are used to, and staying on the West Coast is easier for travel for both parties,” Wade said in his weekly Zoom session. “But there’s no question going forward you’re going to see more of these nonconference opportunities on everyone’s schedules.”
In October 2020, Edward Waters announced the establishment of a men’s volleyball program for the 2021-22 season and received a $100,000 grant from First Point Volleyball Foundation and USA Volleyball to help support that effort.
The addition of men’s volleyball at Edward Waters “is part of a national effort to bring the sport to Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” the announcement read.
Brandon Reeves was hired as the program’s first coach just over a year ago after previously spending five years as the head coach of Chicago State’s women’s program. He put together a 16-player roster of 14 freshmen, a junior and a graduate student, with four players from the Dominican Republic, two from Belize and one each from Barbados and Jamaica.
Edward Waters faced Lancaster Bible, a quarterfinalist in the NCAA Division III tournament last season, in an exhibition on Tuesday in Jacksonville and dropped a five-set duel 21-25, 25-19, 17-25, 25-20, 15-10.
Evens Edouard, a 6-foot-5 opposite from the Dominican Republic, led the Tigers with a match-high 20 kills in 34 attempts for a .529 hitting performance and added three aces and five digs. Daniel Montero, a 6-4 outside hitter who played on the Dominican Republic’s under-19 and under-21 national teams, had 15 kills while hitting .480 with six digs, and the Tigers hit .306 as a team.
Wade said the UH staff watched video of the match and “they look like they’ve got good size and the opposite looked like he was pretty good. We’ll prepare and look forward to competition.”
While scouting info might be thin, Wade said the Warriors remain focused on their side of the net coming off two wins over No. 7 Loyola Chicago last week. Wade said serving and passing remain points of focus going into the second weekend of the season.
“In January and February, you’re looking to get your starters out there, keep them fresh, fine-tuning as much as you can,” Wade said, “at the same time really trying to see where your depth is, how many guys can contribute at a high level.”
Rainbow Warriors Volleyball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Edward Waters (0-0) vs. No. 1 Hawaii (2-0)
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
>>Tickets: etickethawaii.com, Stan Sheriff Center box office
