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Those early-morning practices figure to be especially relevant once the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team returns to Gym 1 next month.
The Rainbow Wahine are scheduled to begin double-day workouts on Aug. 9 and will have about two weeks of on-campus preparation before heading out to College Station, Texas, for the program’s first season-opening road trip in 17 years.
UH released its 28-game 2022 regular-season schedule on Monday and the Wahine will have early wake-up calls for their three-day run in the Texas A&M Invitational, starting with the Aug. 26 season-opener against the host Aggies, set for 6 a.m. Hawaii time. They’ll also take on Pittsburgh at 11 a.m. on Aug. 27 and San Diego at 5 a.m. the following day.
UH last opened on the road in 2005, when the Wahine played in the AVCA/NACWAA Volleyball Showcase in Omaha, Neb. The trip to College Station begins a nonconference slate that includes four teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season — Pittsburgh, San Diego, West Virginia and UCLA.
“August 26th cannot come soon enough,” UH coach Robyn Ah Mow said in the release announcing the schedule. “We are very excited to hit the ground running with this 2022 schedule as these teams will be a battle and will test our mettle from the very first serve. The teams on this year’s nonconference schedule will prepare our team for another great Big West conference run.”
The opener against Texas A&M will be a rematch of UH’s sweep of the Aggies last August in Manoa. Freshman Mia Johnson put away 14 kills for the Wahine that night, but transferred to Texas A&M in the offseason.
Pittsburgh reached the Final Four last season and returns setter and Kamehameha alumna Lexis Akeo. The Panthers are led by former UH men’s player and associate coach Dan Fisher, who is entering his 10th season as head coach. Kamalani Akeo, Lexis’ older sister, is the Panthers’ director of volleyball operations.
San Diego swept UH last year in the Utah Classic, and the Toreros’ coaching staff includes another former Warrior in Alfred Reft.
The Rainbow 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.
UH returns 10 letterwinners, including All-Big West selections in middle blocker Amber Igiede and setter Kate Lang. Outside hitter Riley Wagoner also returns after starting 27 matches last season.
The group of newcomers includes two transfers in libero/defensive specialist Talia Edmonds (Michigan State) and outside hitter Chandler Cowell (St. Mary’s). The Wahine also signed outside hitter/opposite Caylen Alexander from Georgia, and setter Jaclyn Matias of Punahou.
2022 UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
Texas A&M Invitational
Aug. 26 Texas A&M, 6 a.m.
Aug. 27 Pittsburgh, 11 a.m.
Aug. 28 San Diego, 5 a.m.
Outrigger Volleyball Challenge
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
All times Hawaii time.
* Big West Conference
Source: Star
