Another weekend of volleyball at the Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center kicks off Wednesday, Sept 3, as the Hawaiʻi Women’s Volleyball Team looks for its first win of 2025 at the OUTRIGGER Invitational.
After a tough 0-3 start in the season-opening Wahine Volleyball Invitational, the University of Hawaiʻi volleyball team looks to bounce back in the OUTRIGGER Invitational, which opens with Utah Valley University against San Jose State University this Wednesday.
Hawaiʻi nearly pulled off a win on opening night, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead against Marquette University. But, after a marathon third set in which the Golden Eagles won 34-32, Hawaiʻi dropped the next three and got swept in their next two matches.
“We’ve learned so much from the three losses that we’ve had,” sophomore libero Victoria Leyva said. “I can positively say that we were fighting the whole time. We’re a young team, but we don’t like using that excuse.”
Leyva emphasized that the team’s early struggles taught them about communication and mental toughness, and learning how to play with each other in a real match environment.
Under head coach Robyn Ah Mow, this is the third time Hawaiʻi has started 0-3 in her tenure, most recently in 2022 at the Texas A&M Invitational. That team ended the season 22-7, losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to LSU 3-0.
“It’s the first weekend, give them a chance,” Ah Mow said. “These girls have been working hard for three weeks. They need to learn how to connect and gel with each other, and keep moving.”
Ah Mow highlighted communication and self-belief as focal points in this week’s practices.
“One thing we talked about is that you just need to be confident in yourselves, and your ability to play,” Ah Mow said.
Despite the tough weekend, new faces for the Rainbow Wahine shined at the Stan Sheriff, including freshman outside hitter and Kahuku alum Cha’lei Reid.
“Cha’lei has got a cannon, she’s very athletic,” Ah Mow said, praising the freshman.
Reid garnered praise not only from the coach but from her teammates.
“She’s a fiery competitor,” Leyva said. “She wants to be the best player out there for us, and we want to do the same for her.”
Hawaiʻi looks to get back to its winning ways against San Jose State at 7 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 4, at the Bank of Hawai’i Arena.
Headlining the Outrigger Invitational are the St. John’s Red Storm, projected to finish fourth in the Big East.
Led by Joanne Persico, now in her 32nd year at the helm, the Red Storm is one of the most experienced teams in the tournament. Persico holds 593 wins, 14 20-win seasons, and is the all-time winningest head coach in Big East History.
St. John’s is led by senior setter Erin Jones, who has been one of the best players in the Big East for the past three seasons. The New Mexico native finished last year with 504 kills, 316 assists while hitting at a .275 clip. She finished as a unanimous All-BIG EAST selection and earned North Region AVCA honors.
The Red Storm is set to play against San Jose State at 4:45 p.m. Thursday at the Bank of Hawaiʻi Arena.
Coming off a strong 2024 campaign that ended in the second round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship Tournament, Utah Valley comes into 2025 as WAC favorites.
The Wolverines are led by Head Coach Sam Atoa, who enters his 26th year of coaching in Orem.
Along with coaching experience, Utah Valley headlines four players on the 2025 preseason All-WAC team. Preseason setter of the year Evalyn Chism stands above the rest. Chism earned second-team All-WAC honors in 2024, tallying 1,213 assists, averaging 10.02 assists per set. The Bountiful, Utah native finished with 50 or more assists in six matches, ranking sixth all-time in assists at UVU with 1,642.
The Wolverines are set to hit the court at the OUTRIGGER Invitational against San Jose State at 1 p.m. this Wednesday at the Bank of Hawaiʻi Arena.
After finishing as Mountain West runners-up in 2024, San Jose State comes into 2025 with a revamped roster amid a late 2024 controversy. Head coach Todd Kress enters his second season in San Jose after setting records at Fairfield University in the MAAC.
Though not returning any 2025 All-MWC honorees, the Spartans are a new squad heading into the OUTRIGGER Invitational. Redshirt junior opposite and Cal State Fullerton transfer hitter Lolo Fonua leads San Jose into the OUTRIGGER Invitational, leading the team with 19 kills through two matches against UC Santa Barbara. Fonua also leads the Spartans in kills per set at 3.17.
San Jose State is set to face off against Utah Valley at the OUTRIGGER Invitational at 1 p.m. this Wednesday at the Stan Sheriff Center.