A trip to USA Volleyball’s high-altitude training center helped Amber Igiede elevate her game this spring.
The University of Hawaii middle blocker was among 200 collegiate players who took part in the USAV Women’s National Team Open Program last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo., and got back to campus with a broadened perspective on the game and an invitation to return in the summer.
Igiede said playing in the three-day event formerly known as the Open Tryout was “a little overwhelming” at first. But she found common ground with her fellow attendees, some of whom she had played against with the Rainbow Wahine and others she’d only watched on TV.
“We all shared that commonality of respect for the game and wanting to get better while at the same time competing,” Igiede said. “It’s taught me a lot on how to communicate and different ways to score and ways of reading the game.”
Igiede carries the experience of the national tryout in her return to the Rainbow Wahine as they head into tonight’s spring exhibition match with Pepperdine. The Wahine are in their fifth week of spring practices and will take on the Waves at 7 p.m. at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
UH coach Robyn Ah Mow, who played for three U.S. Olympic teams, kept in contact with Igiede during the camp and said the 6-foot-3 rising junior went through the weekend with a proper outlook.
“She’s very coachable, she’s very humble, I think all of those things help. Obviously, her athletic ability is through the roof,” Ah Mow said. “She was very excited and I’m glad she took the time to just enjoy being there.”
Ah Mow said Igiede has been invited back to train with U.S. Women’s National Collegiate Team in June. The collegiate team will train alongside the U.S. National Team, which won the gold medal in last year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
While in Colorado, Igiede had a chance to meet with two U.S. coaches with Hawaii ties: Kalani graduate Tama Miyashiro and former UH men’s standout Alfee Reft.
“(Reft) definitely knows ohana and that was really good to connect with him and Coach Tama,” Igiede said. “It made me feel comfortable knowing that they came from Hawaii and they’re super genuine.”
Back in Manoa, Igiede leads the UH returnees after averaging 2.95 kills per set with a .388 attack percentage last season. She also led the team with 1.27 blocks per set to help the Wahine retain the Big West title and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She elected to focus on honing her indoor game this spring after being named the Big West beach volleyball Freshman of the Year a year ago.
“One of the reasons was to gain a lot of middle reps and a lot of volleyball IQ this spring,” Igiede said. “It’s definitely helped me a lot and hopefully will translate in the game this weekend.”
Tonight’s match with Pepperdine, led by former UH associate coach Scott Wong, offers a chance for the Wahine to measure their progress over the spring. They will have another week of full practices before dialing back to eight hours per week.
With Brooke Van Sickle ending her career as the Big West Player of the Year last fall and fellow outside hitter Riley Wagoner joining her with the BeachBows, Ah Mow said the spring is a “huge opportunity” for the returning outside hitters.
Ah Mow said ball control has been a focus for the spring in developing hitters who can play in the back row as well as the front.
“I told them it’s a whole different ballgame when you come in and just hit, block and go out,” Ah Mow said. “Because you’re going to stay in the game and you have to figure out how to pass and move.
“This is where they get better. It’s not really during the season, it’s now.”
Along with Igiede, UH returns All-Big West setter Kate Lang. Annika de Goede, who made two promising starts on the right side before suffering a season-ending injury, is back to full participation this spring. The Wahine have 11 returnees in all and added libero/defensive specialist Talia Edmonds as a transfer from Michigan State.
Pepperdine went 22-6 last season and finished second in the West Coast Conference at 14-4. The Waves closed the season with a loss to Central Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Rainbow Wahine volleyball
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Pepperdine vs. Hawaii, exhibition
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV/Radio: None
>> Tickets: General admission ($10 adults, $8 senior citizens 65-plus, $5 students 4-high school).
