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LOS ANGELES >> Lightning struck twice in nine days for Josh Walker — two memorable moments that forever will be etched in his heart.
On April 29, Walker and wife Tehane welcomed their fourth child, Keahi‘anapa John Adrien, whose first name can be translated from Hawaiian as flash of fire or lightning.
Josh Walker was still wearing his hospital bracelet when the brilliance happened again on Saturday. He celebrated his final match as the Hawaii assistant volleyball coach in the best possible way: a second consecutive NCAA championship.
The 25-22, 25-21, 25-20 sweep of Big West rival Long Beach State lasted 110 minutes at Pauley Pavilion. It was just long enough for the Warriors (27-5) to successfully defend their title with a second consecutive sweep, but way too short for the former UH All-America hitter, who spent much more time preparing the team to be so successful on Saturday than the match lasted.
As he often has, Walker deflected the credit that the Warriors players and coaches gave him during the postmatch press conference.
“It’s always been about the student-athletes,” said Walker, who has accepted the assistant’s job with the Baylor women’s program. “It’s always about them progressing and growing. For them to come out and play as well as they did, to fight through all that adversity, it’s all them.
“Whatever motivation they needed, great, but in the end they found a way to go out and do the job. It’s a group effort (by the coaching staff). Our matrix is formulated to have them be successful.”
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And successful Hawaii was, hitting .434 and out-blocking Long Beach State 8-1. It was never easy, but the way the Warriors were able to execute the game plan allowed them to trust in the process enough that they swept The Beach for the second time in as many meetings.
“You saw early it was neck and neck, and we weren’t flinching,” Walker said. “One of those things is our guys are comfortable in doing what they’re doing. As long as they do the stuff that they’re good at and they’re comfortable doing, it makes the game comfortable for them.
“When they’re playing at that level then it’s good luck to whoever is on the other side of the net.”
The Warriors said they were playing for many things on Saturday: for each other, for the state of Hawaii and, as hitter Spyros Chakas said, for Walker.
“He’s been an incredible part of this puzzle,” said Chakas, named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. “We were going over the video and scouting report today and I thought to myself, this is the last time. We’ve got to do it for Josh. And we did.”
“I can talk about Josh Walker all day,” said Warriors setter Jakob Thelle, named to the all-tournament team along with Chakas and opposite Dimitrios Mouchlias. “He’s the guy behind the scenes, puts out the game plan. Today we executed that plan. Without Josh, we wouldn’t be in this position.”
The search to find Walker’s replacement is in its final stages, with several candidates being considered. No timeline was given for the selection, but Walker said he would make sure whoever takes over is ready.
Making the move was tough, but there are more opportunities in the women’s game and “he will be a head coach sooner than later,” Warriors head coach Charlie Wade said. “He’s a great coach and a better man. I’ve been a big Josh Walker fan even before I met him.
“I wish him and Tehane and their growing family all the best with aloha.”
“The program is in a great spot,” Walker said of the deciding factor. “If there was something more that I felt I could help with … but they got it. They’re doing a great job, Charlie’s doing a great job. They’re going to keep building. We’ve got standards.
“As things were unfolding this year, I was like, ‘We’re good enough to break through and win again. This group has a great chance to win it again next year.”
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