The first season-opening road trip in 17 years tops the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team’s schedule for the 2022 season.
UH released its 28-game regular-season schedule today, and the Rainbow Wahine will begin coach Robyn Ah Mow’s fifth season leading the program by traveling to College Station, Texas, to play in the three-day Texas A&M Invitational. They face the host Aggies on Aug. 26 and will also take on Pittsburgh and San Diego on the season’s opening weekend.
The Wahine will have early wake-up calls for the tournament with the Texas A&M match scheduled for 6 a.m. Hawaii time. The match against Pittsburgh — a Final Four participant last season led by setter and Kamehameha alumna Lexis Akeo — is set for 11 a.m. on Aug. 27, with the San Diego match at 5 a.m. on Aug. 28. UH last opened on the road in 2005, when the Wahine played in the AVCA/NACWAA Volleyball Showcase in Omaha, Neb.
The Wahine will make their home debut on Sept. 1 against Texas State in the Outrigger Volleyball Challenge. UH will also face West Virginia (Sept. 2) and UCLA (Sept. 4) in the three-day tournament at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Hilo’s Reed Sunahara is entering his eighth year as West Virginia’s head coach and added former University High and Nebraska standout Fiona (Nepo) Fonoti to the Mountaineers’ coaching staff. Former UH associate coach Mike Sealy will bring UCLA back to Manoa to renew the series between the ’Bows and Bruins.
UH closes the nonconference schedule against another storied rival, with Southern Cal returning to SimpliFi Arena for a two-match series Sept. 9 and 10. The Wahine and Trojans split a series last season.
Following a bye week, UH begins defense of its Big West Conference championship with a homestand against UC Davis (Sept. 23) and UC Riverside (Sept. 24).
The Wahine play their final home series against Cal Poly on Nov. 18 and CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 20. The senior night match is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and will be part of a doubleheader with women’s basketball.
They’ll close the regular season with visits to UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 25 and Cal State Northridge on Nov. 26.
UH went 22-8 last season, including an 18-2 run in Big West play, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a win over Mississippi State before falling to host Washington in the Seattle sub-regional.
Four teams on this season’s schedule (Pittsburgh, San Diego, West Virginia and UCLA) are coming off appearances in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
2022 University of Hawaii women’s volleyball schedule
Texas A&M Invitational; at College Station, Texas
Aug. 26 — Texas A&M, 6 a.m.
Aug. 27 — Pittsburgh, 11 a.m.
Aug. 28 — San Diego, 5 a.m.
Outrigger Volleyball Challenge; at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Sept. 1 — Texas State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 — West Virginia, 7 p.m.
Sept. 4 — UCLA, 5 p.m.
Sept. 9 — Southern Cal, 7 p.m.
Sept. 10 — Southern Cal, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 — UC Davis*, 7 p.m.
Sept. 24 — UC Riverside,*, 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 — at Cal State Fullerton*, TBD
Oct. 1 — at Long Beach State*, 4 p.m.
Oct. 7 — UC Irvine, 7 p.m.
Oct. 8 — UC San Diego, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 — at CSU Bakersfield, 3 p.m.
Oct. 15 — at Cal Poly, TBD
Oct. 21 — Cal State Northridge, 7 p.m.
Oct. 22 — UC Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 — at UC Riverside, TBD
Oct. 29 — at UC Davis, 4 p.m.
Nov. 4 — Long Beach State, 7 p.m.
Nov. 5 — Cal State Fullerton, 7 p.m.
Nov. 11 — at UC San Diego, 5 p.m.
Nov. 12 — at UC Irvine, 3 p.m.
Nov. 18 — Cal Poly, 7 p.m.
Nov. 20 — CSU Bakersfield, 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 25 — at UC Santa Barbara, TBD
Nov. 26 — at Cal State Northridge, TBD
*—Big West Conference