Almost Complete Roster

2014 Roster

The men's volleyball teams around the country are updating their rosters in preparation for the upcoming 2014 season along with the University of Hawaii. Some questions have been answered as the 2014 roster is now updated.

Previously we found out that Harrison Phelps, Ryan Leung, Kainoa Mitchell, and Max Wechsung will not be returning (See Post). 2013 senior libero Matthew Cheape has graduated now so he is gone as well. 2014 senior middle Nick West has changed his number from #12 to #9.

The new additions to the roster is Kupono Fey, Hendrik Mol, Dane Keckin, Jennings Franciskovic, and Nesi Buchard. Fey and Franciskovic have yet to pick a uniform number.

Buchard is listed as a 6'8" freshman middle blocker from Honolulu, Hawaii and graduated from Hawaiian Mission Academy. Never heard of him before but who knows what he can do for the program.

The redshirts for the 2013 season were Garrett Komisarek, Scott Hartley, Zach Radner, Drew Durni, and Iain McKellar. Hartley and Komisarek are both redshirt juniors and Radner, Druni, and McKellar are redshirt freshman. 

Incoming freshman Nainoa Frank from Kalaheo HS has been removed from the roster, but there has not been a reason why. He was injured during his senior season because of a football injury so he sat out the volleyball season. Possibly the injury is keeping him out now or could be other reasons.

There also has been no announcement for the replacement of assistant coach Sean Carney. They may still be looking or but it has been said that they would find one during the summer. Carney left to focus on his job and his club Hawaii Elite VBC. 

Summer Recap

A lot has happened in the last two weeks for the U of Hawaii volleyball. So here is a recap of it all.

Girl's Junior National Championship (Dallas, Texas)

2013 Recruits
Tayler Higgins
5'9" Setter
Kui'kahi
Division: 18 Open
Started: 24th
Finished: 13th

Nikki Taylor
6'3" Outside
Imi Ike
Division: 18 National
Started: 29th
Finished: T-5th
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM

*Hannah Rooks
6'2" Opposite
Imi Ike
Division: 18 National
Started: 29th
Finished: T-5th

2014 Recruits
Kalei Greeley
6'2" Outside
Rancho Valley
Division: 18 National
Started: 3rd
Finished: T-5th
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM 

Savanah Kahakai
5'8" Libero/Outside
Imi Ike
Division: 17 Open
Started: 12th
Finished: 11th

*Kendra Koelsch
6'1" Setter
Laguna Beach
Division: 18 Open
Started: 17th
Finished: 11th

*=Sand Recruit

Boy's Junior National Championship (Reno, Nevada)

2013 Recruit
Kupono Fey
6'5" Outside
Kui'kahi
Division: 18 Open
Started: 7th
Finished: 13th

Jennings Franciskovic
6'4" Setter
Pacific Palisades (Pali)
Division: 18 Open
Started: 13th
Finished: 17th

Dane Keckin
6'6" Opposite
Pacific Palisades (Pali)
Division: 18 Open
Started: 13th
Finished: 17th

2014 Recruits
Larry "Tui" Tuileta
6'3" Outside
Ka Ulukoa
Division: 17 Open
Started: 7th
Finished: 1st
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
TOURNAMENT MVP

Luke Owens
6'7" Middle
Kui'kahi
Division: 18 Open
Started: 7th
Finished: 13th

Kama Paio
6'2" Outside
Pilipa'a
Division: 18 Club
Started: 35th
Finished: 26th

New Foreign Recruit for Warriors

Head Coach Charlie Wade has brought in a new foreign recruit from Norway. His name is Hendrik Nikolai Mol and he is a 6'6" outside hitter. Stephen Tsai of Warrior Beat posted and confirmed that Mol will be playing next season. Tsai also mentioned that Mol can touch 11'4" and is one of the top beach volleyball players in Norway.

There is a few recruiting videos of him on Youtube. Some fans have seen it and have been impressed with his hitting. People also mention he will make a great replacement for JP Marks who signed a pro contract before the end of the 2013 season.

Recruiting Video #1
Recruiting Video #2
Recruiting Video #3

Wahine on the USA A2 Team

Current Wahine outside hitter Tai Manu-Olevau and setter Mita Uiato both went to Dallas, Texas to train with the USA Women's National A2 Program. They were among 46 other college players to participate in this event.

All players were placed on one of four teams (Red, Blue, White, Gold) and Uiato and Manu-Olevau were both put on Team Red. Both players had significant playing time. Team Red ended the tournament by winning bronze.

Wahine Roster Changes

The University of Hawaii updated their Wahine Volleyball roster with changes but no real surprises. Jane Croson, Stephanie Hagins, Monica Stauber, and Kristina Kam have all been taken off due to their transfers. Katie Spieler who would be a redshirt freshman this season has also been taken off the roster because she is now a sand only player.

The new additions to the roster are freshman Nikki Taylor, Tayler Higgins, and Kyra Goodman. Also on it is junior transfer Keani Passi. People expect a new walk-on or transfer to come in soon but I don't.

Also Ashley Kastl changed her number from #5 to #15.

New additions to other school rosters are Croson, Hagins, and Kam. Croson was the only Wahine transfer who has a click-able profile while Kam and Hagins are just on the roster. UCLA has a 2013 roster up but has not updated it with their new players.

VBM Fab 50 + Others

Volleyball Magazine Boy's Fab 50

Fab 50

All four of the Warrior volleyball 2013-14 recruits were named to the Volleyball Magazines Boy's Fab 50. These recruits were Kupono Fey (Honolulu, HI), Jennings Franciskovic (Westlake Village, CA), Nainoa Frank (Kaneohe, HI), and Dane Keckin (Santa Monica, CA). Also listed on this list was Hawaii Baptist Academy product Michael Fisher who is heading to UCLA. Fisher was listed as No. 5 on the Top 5 Players in the Class of 2013 which was voted by a panel of college coaches. All 50 players listed are heading to a college to play DI volleyball.

The post listed a 25 Underclassmen to Watch list which included 2014-15 recruit Larry "Tui" Tuileta  (Punahou HS) along with local products Micah Ma'a (Punahou HS) and Evan Enriques (Kamehameha-Hawaii HS).

Pac-12 Network/OC Sports Connection?

Pac-12 Network Television Schedule

Today the Pac-12 conference has released their 2013 volleyball schedule along with the Pac-12 network television schedule. As Hawaii fans we know that we are not able to get the Pac-12 network here. But looking at the television schedule, it lists all three UCLA matches in Hawaii and all three Arizona matches in Hawaii on the Pac-12 network. This may just be streams online like they had a lot of during the season last year for free.

ESPN Matches

ESPN has not released a full schedule of matches that will be aired on ESPN/ESPNU/ESPN3 yet but today a few were found. The Pac-12 announced that three of their matches will be aired. The first is a non-conference match between the Trojans of USC against UC Santa Barbara of the Big West on Sept 18. Other matches that will air is UCLA vs. USC on Sept. 25 and UCLA vs. Oregon on Oct. 11.