TIFF’S TAKEAWAYS FOR #WARRIORBALL26 - WEEK 16
By Tiff Wells
1. Perfect Ending To An Imperfect Season – Head Coach Charlie Wade said it best on Monday evening after his program won the University’s third official Men’s Collegiate National Championship. It was an imperfect season, but it had the perfect ending that would make Hollywood script writers envious. There was no undefeated season...the first loss came in match four during week two. Many sets were lost throughout the year...some happened in extra time, others were by a couple of points and then there was the 10-point opening set loss in the National Championship match. Through it all, utilizing amazing depth and load management, Hawai`i navigated the season relatively injury-free season. While Roman Payne was sidelined for the entire year with foot issues, it was positive to see him progress from using crutches, to walking in a boot and ultimately going through serve-pass in pre-match warmups. The deepest position on the roster shined throughout the year as Justin Todd, Trevell Jordan, Ofeck Hazan and Alex Parks each took turns taking over in both practices and matches. Back and knee issues for Jordan, as well as the thumb and ankle injury for Todd were also experienced. When back issues held Kristian Titriyski out for a good month and a half of the season, insert Kainoa Wade. The sophomore went off in the Penn State series en route to being named both Conference Offensive Player of the Week and National Player of the Week. The hand injury to Louis Sakanoko (who also had cramps during the first match of the Long Beach series) became significant during the USC match but nothing would keep him off the floor. Just add extra tape and a brace to keep it in good enough condition to play ahead of his upcoming surgery. And then of course the floor captain for UH, Tread Rosenthal. Back and knee issues as well, a stomach bug in night two at UC San Diego, he also dealt with cramps in that first match of the Long Beach series and basically played on one and a half legs in a couple matches late in the season. He had the hip issue flare up against Long Beach State in the National Semifinal and gutted it out to eventually hoist the national title. The team nearly went perfect away from home (4-1 in neutral sites and 10-1 in true road matches) as Long Beach won the Big West tournament title in Long Beach and UC San Diego was the only team in conference play to hand the Rainbow Warriors a loss. A 20-match home season saw three losses (3-1 to both #7 Loyola Chicago and #7 Pepperdine, as well as 3-0 to #1 UCLA). Hawai`i won their second outright Big West regular season title (and third ever as they co-shared back in 2023). The attempt to go back-to-back with conference tournament titles was denied by rival Long Beach State. Earning the No. 2 overall seed, UH was given the chance to host a Regional and for the first time ever played at home in an NCAA match. Hawai`i didn’t sweep any of their three NCAA Tournament matches, they were all 3-1 wins (USC, No. 3 Long Beach State and UC Irvine). And in the final, Hawai`i came from behind after scoring the fewest amount of points in a set all season long (15) to then dominate the final three sets. The perfect ending to an imperfect season.
2. A.C.E. = M.O.P. – There was a lot of tape and bandage around the wrists and both thumb and pinky finger for Louis Sakanoko over the course of the last few weeks. It’s been mentioned that he’ll be getting surgery in the next few days but as he’s said, nothing would keep him off the floor during this run to a title. Sakanoko’s Junior campaign was his best so far as a Rainbow Warrior. Career-high numbers in kills/set (3.16), service aces (34), digs/set (1.32), blocks/set (.62) and points/set (3.79) deservedly gave him his first Big West 1st Team selection (one of five for Hawai`i), in addition to being named AVCA 1st Team All America (one of two for UH). It also marked the second straight NCAA Tournament that the Paris native was not fully healthy, as he sustained a foot injury in the 2025 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship in Columbus, Ohio. The charismatic Outside Hitter who doesn’t shy away from the camera or when there is talking through the net, noted his struggles from the service line in the latter part of the season. While there were 27 service errors over his final five matches, he continued to work on that toss to find the right rhythm. And when he did find it in the final set of the season, his three consecutive aces gave Hawai`i the lead for good. A key for a player is to not let one aspect of their game affect their all-around performance. Sakanoko finished the season with five consecutive double-digit kill matches, hitting .353 in the process. He also added 26 digs and 14 blocks (three solo). Quick to deflect the praise and shine it over his teammates, No. 23 went 12-3-25, .360 against No. 3 Long Beach State in the semifinal and then in the final against UC Irvine, he again added 12 kills while hitting .500. A career-year ended with King Louis named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship.
3. Shakas Up – Never before had an opposing player become Public Enemy number one in the eyes of this fan base nor this program. But then again, never before had an opposing player turn to a fan base and disrespect the culture by throwing double shakas down. Despite Hawai`i falling to Long Beach State in an epic, five-set Conference Tournament final, all anyone wanted to discuss was the gesture made by Long Beach State’s Wojciech Gajek to the Hawai`i crowd. With The Beach taking the Automatic Qualifying bid from the Big West and UH receiving one of five at-large bids, there was a possibility of a fourth meeting between the two conference rivals when the brackets were announced. It was fitting that the Long Beach Regional (LBSU, along with Loyola Chicago and Saint Francis) was on the same side of the bracket as the Honolulu Regional (Hawai`i, along with USC and Belmont Abbey). As LBSU swept their Regional Final and Hawai`i won their Regional Final in front of a single match, NCAA Men’s Tournament record crowd, it set up round four of Bows and Beach at UCLA with a spot in the National Championship match at stake. The 2nd-Team All-American had recorded 16 or more kills in all three matches against UH (including a career best 27 in the Big West final), hitting better than .367 in all three. But the scouting report put together by the UH coaching staff and the attention to detail by the players all buying in were on display early on as the Bows block got to Gajek. UH fans very rarely boo an opposing player, but they could be heard any time the Polish freshman went to the service line. Outside of his one ace and then doubling down on shakas down again, Hawai`i neutralized LBSU’s opposite. Five service errors to go along with an attacking line of 11-9-28, .071, had Hawai`i fans very pleased for what was then a program-record tying 29th win. After the match, a few UH supporters walked over to give lei and show appreciation to Gajek for his play and later on that night he went to social media to express his feelings on what he did. Double shakas up, shakas up...whichever you want to use, just might be said as much as Go Bows in the future.
4. Block Pateh In L.A. – Street events will typically draw in a large number of people. This wasn’t a street event per say, but the big Men’s Volleyball event this year was in Pauley Pavilion. A drive for some, direct flights for many others. Once game tickets were in hand, UCLA’s main indoor facility became the last venue of #WarriorBall26 to be dubbed Bankoh East. For a second time in five years, Hawai`i fans painted Los Angeles green and white. In Saturday’s National Semifinal against Long Beach State, it was the Hawai`i defense that was on display. Just two weeks prior in the Big West Championship match, LBSU hit .321 against UH. Round 4 of Bows and Beach featured the Rainbow Warriors holding Long Beach State to a .200 hitting percentage. Three of the five lowest hitting percentages on the season for The Beach came against UH (.200, .218 and .259). No LBSU attacker hit higher than .286 in the match. Hawaii induced 24 LBSU hitting errors, including 10 alone by Wojciech Gajek. For a 14th time this season, The Mānoa Roofing Company had double-digit blocks, as they accumulated 14.5 in the 4-set win. It was a record setting night for Justin Todd as he went for a career-high 10 (2 block solos, 8 block assists), a number that now is second most all-time in an NCAA Tournament match. Louis Sakanoko and Tread Rosenthal each took a turn with a solo block of their own, proving that a block can win a one on one opportunity with a hitter. In the five Hawai`i postseason matches this year, only one team (LBSU in the BWC final) hit over .295 against UH. 56 total team blocks were recorded by Hawai`i in 21 total postseason sets, for a 2.67 blocks/set average. While Hawai`i was out blocked 12 to six two nights later, the Bows held UCI to a .253 hitting percentage while they hit .410 (15th time this season UH hit over .400). As Andrej Jokanovic went for 13 kills and hit .229, no one else had more than nine (Will D’Arcy) for UCI. It was also a party from the service line as Hawai`i recorded nine against a very good Anteater serve-receive trio.
5. THE Duke – Midway through the 2026 season, Head Coach Charlie Wade had said “you know you’re a good player when I start to miss you in your Junior season.” Tread Rosenthal reclassified to begin his college career in the 2024 season because he wanted to play with the likes of Spyros Chakas, Chaz Galloway and Guilherme Voss. Rosenthal was an 11-time Big West Conference Setter of the Week award winner in 2026. He directed a UH offense that led the country in kills/set (13.54) and was fourth in hitting (.366). He was the first setter since Jakob Thelle in 2023 to be named Big West Player of the Year. After being named to the 12-player AVCA Player of the Year Watch List, he was one of four finalists for the award. For a second straight year, Rosenthal was named an AVCA 1st Team All-American. He ranks fifth all-time at UH in both service aces and assists, with a legitimate shot to set the all-time record in assists; he’s just five aces away from breaking Thelle’s mark. On Monday night, he was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team. He started 31 of the program record 35 matches this season. Over the season, he endured: back issues, ankle tweaks, a stomach bug and cramps before a hip issue began to bother him during the run in Los Angeles. He gutted it out nearly on one leg in the National Semifinal against Long Beach State and was good to go for Monday’s Final match to lead UH to its third official national championship. He’ll train with the Senior Men’s National Team over the summer before one final run as a Rainbow Warrior in 2027.
6. Благодаря! KT – In Bulgarian, it means thank you. Rumors of Kristian Titryiski leaving UH to head back to his club team and turn professional began in the week leading up to the National Semifinal against Long Beach State. Just two nights after he helped Hawai`i to the National Championship, his club confirmed on social media that he was indeed returning to VC Levski Sofia. An ankle injury cut short his first year with Hawai`i as he missed the final eight matches. It was a freshman season that saw him earn AVCA All-America Second Team and All-Big West First Team honors, while coming in third in the conference with 4.24 kills/set. Back issues and other various injuries saw him miss about a month and a half of his sophomore season, but he returned in time for conference play. His 24 kills during the Long Beach State series in March helped UH end an 11-match losing streak at Long Beach and earn their first regular season series sweep at LBSU since 2015. The Honolulu Regional final match on May 2nd meant a little more for Titriyski as he finally got to play in his first NCAA Tournament match. 19 kills and three blocks later, he helped UH advance to the final four. Against The Beach in the National Semifinal, he had a match-high 14 kills, including the match-winning kill. He also added two aces and three blocks. Two days later in the National Championship match against UC Irvine, the sophomore again went for a match-high in kills (16) as he scored each of three set-clinching kills against the Anteaters. Not even a ripped jersey could slow down KT as he donned the No. 21 jersey and made Associate Head Coach Kūpono Fey proud wearing his number for the final two sets. The celebration was a little subdued for the Sofia, Bulgaria native as he realized that this was it for him wearing the green and white. He joined Tread Rosenthal on the All-Tournament Team and in his final appearance for Hawai`i during Wednesday’s Champions Celebration, he took a moment to soak it all in and thanked those that came after he was introduced. Mahalo KT.
7. A Look Ahead To #WarriorBall27 – With Titriyski leaving early and the graduation of Vlad Kubr, on paper it has 17 of the 19 players returning for the defending National Champions. The transfer portal opened on May 3rd and closes June 1st. Players leave, players come. Time will tell who’s leaving for other opportunities and who’s staying on island. Another strong, incoming class is expected ahead of #WarriorBall27. Punahou product and younger brother of former Rainbow Warrior Kana`i Akana, Kanalu Akana signed his intent last April to join UH. Don’t be surprised if there’s even more international flavor. One might need another flag or two to wave around Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center this upcoming season. To the surprise of no one, Hawai`i led the nation in attendance again by a considerable margin. 20 home matches saw 144,410 come through the gates as UH averaged 7,221 fans per match. BYU was 2nd at 63,884 for 18 home matches. With a new cycle of conference home opponents, the Rainbow Warriors will host: UC San Diego, 2026 national finalist UC Irvine and defending BWC tournament champ Long Beach State (with no Wojciech Gajek as he’s turning pro). The conference tournament location has yet to be announced, but we do know UH will be heading to the Midwest in the non-conference to take on 2026 participant Loyola Chicago and Lewis. All roads in 2027 will lead to the Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nevada for the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship. In fact, a 2-year contract has been signed, which means this neutral site will host the Final Four in both 2027 and 2028. A possible goal for the NCAA is thinking that possibly Nevada could become what Omaha, Nebraska is for College Baseball and the College World Series. But for now, soak in what was a remarkable run to the 2026 title and get ready for that #WarriorBall27 home opener because a third (should really be a fourth) National Championship banner will be raised to the rafters.