A new era in Hawaii women’s volleyball officially begins tonight when the Rainbow Wahine take the court without Dave Shoji as their head coach. It’s an exhibition that doesn’t count in the standings but will count in the hearts of all who have followed the program for 42 seasons.
“It’s crazy, truly an end of an era,” said Rainbow Wahine associate head coach Jeff Hall, who is doubling up this week as both head indoor and beach coach. “It’s going to be weird to turn around and see him in the stands. He IS Wahine volleyball.
“The Wahine program is special, filled with unbelievable history, and I’m blessed to be a part of it.”
Life without All-America opposite Nikki Taylor also begins for the Wahine indoor team tonight. Although Taylor will be part of Hawaii’s 13-player beach squad that opens Friday at the Arizona Invitational, “it’s different seeing her only at beach practices,” said incoming senior middle Emily Maglio, one of eight Wahine playing both disciplines. “And Dave … it’s coming to an end after all that time. It’s been such an honor to play for him.”
Hawaii returns 13 of 17 players from the indoor team that finished 23-6 last season. Also on the spring roster are junior setter/defensive specialist Faith Ma’afala and freshman defensive specialist Rika Okina, both of whom redshirted last fall, and sophomore defensive specialist Treyvanna-Lee Freitas, a King Kekaulike graduate who transferred after a season at Washington State.
Tonight is the first of three spring exhibitions for Hawaii. Also coming in are Minnesota — which has ended the Wahine’s season in the past two NCAA tournaments — on March 16, and Kansas on March 21.
Women’s All Osaka is an all-star team comprised of players from six Japanese universities. What the players lack in height — middle Haruki Nakamoto is the tallest at 5 feet 9 — is expected to be made up for with quickness, defense and the high energy that typifies Japanese volleyball.
“They’ll be well-trained, technically sound and vocally present,” Hall said of Osaka. “It’s more about our side of the net, can we jell in 6-on-6 situations, can we rise to the occasion?
“The beauty of spring is you can experiment a little bit, try different things.”
Taylor’s graduation leaves a void on on the right side. Expected to see action there are incoming senior Kendra Koelsch, also the backup setter, and incoming junior Casey Castillo, who also will see time in the middle along with Maglio and incoming sophomore Natasha Burns.
Not playing this spring is incoming senior hitter Kalei Greeley, who is rehabbing from shoulder surgery she had four weeks ago.
Of the Wahine who used up their indoor eligibility last fall, Annie Mitchem and Tayler Higgins have joined Taylor on the beach team. The fourth, defensive specialist Katiana Ponce, is interning at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
Robyn Ah Mow-Santos was named Dave Shoji’s successor as the Rainbow Wahine volleyball coach last week.
Note
Osaka defeated Hawaii in a scrimmage on Monday, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21, 25-15.
