Riley Wagoner built her recent surge from the ground up.
After setting a career-best with 25 kills last Saturday, the University of Hawaii outside hitter cited “getting my feet to the ball” among the factors in her jump in production and the focus on her footwork helped set the foundation for a conference honor.
“It’s definitely something I’ve noticed watching film, but I’ve definitely talked to the coaches a lot more about that and they’re trying to work through some little technical things with me,” Wagoner said of refining her approach, which plays a big part “in my hand-to-ball contact … and it carries over to my actual swing.”
Wagoner was named the Big West women’s volleyball offensive player of the week for the first time this season and the second time in her career after posting the program’s highest kill total since 2017 in last Saturday’s four-set win over UC San Diego.
Since the start of conference play, Wagoner is leading the Rainbow Wahine (9-5, 6-0 Big West) with 85 total kills and 4.25 kills per set while hitting .302. She takes a streak of eight consecutive matches in double figures into Friday’s conference match at Cal State Bakersfield (5-14, 2-5).
“It’s a totally different change from the games we played preseason,” UH coach Robyn Ah Mow said. “It’s not like she’s hitting the ball harder, it’s you can see the confidence, ‘yes, I can do this.’ ”
Wagoner is also third on the team in digs (50 total, 2.50 per set) and 10 blocks, including three solo, over six Big West matches, all while serving as the Rainbow Wahine floor captain.
“Leadership-wise she’s stepped up a lot,” UH middle blocker Amber Igiede said. “Statistically, she’s putting up a lot of big numbers. I feel like she’s spreading the offense, she can roll shot, she can hit, she plays defense and she passes and serves well also. She’s literally contributing to every skill in the game right now.”
Igiede, perhaps UH’s most excitable player, also finds calm in playing next to Wagoner, who plays the game with a firmly grounded demeanor.
“She’s vocal, but she’s not loud vocal,” Ah Mow said. “She leads more by example and her play, which everybody just tries to piggy-back.”
An example of her non-verbal influence came in UH’s win at Long Beach State when Kendra Ham was inserted into the front row for the fourth set to help bolster UH’s defense at the net.
“Riley was doing a really good job of setting up her feet and getting there and getting touches on the block,” Ham said. “It was working well for her so (it was) trying to implement what she’s doing and replicate that on the right side.”
While Wagoner has scored with blocks with greater frequency of late, just being in position to get a touch at the net can help the back row trigger the UH counterattack.
“I keep telling them it’s not about just getting the straight-down block,” Ah Mow said. “But if you can be in the right spot and slow balls down, it’s still good for us. That’s what she does.”
Wagoner is one of two Wahine indoor players listed on this season’s UH beach volleyball roster, along with junior Chandler Cowell, and Ah Mow can see the influence of her experience with the BeachBows on the variety of shots now in her arsenal.
“The cut shot right alongside the net, that’s definitely a beach shot,” Ah Mow said. “We give her spots … ’hey when the ball is here, this is open,’ and she just goes.”
Big West women’s volleyball
At Icardo Center, Bakersfield, Calif.
Hawaii (9-5, 6-0 BWC) vs. CSU Bakersfield (5-14, 2-5)
>> When: Friday, 3 p.m.
>> TV: None
>> Radio: 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
>> Online: ESPN+
