Catching Up

Not sure why this post deleted but I will repost it again

Sorry for the long disappearance. I have been really busy lately but I appreciate the support of people who still came by and checked if this blog actually still existed. All these things posted may just be old news to the Hawaii fans since we are all pretty dedicated to our volleyball, but here you go.

Wahine News:
BYU Sweeps UH
| Hawaii Athletics Release | Box Score | Post Match Press Conference |
The Rainbow Wahine were swept by BYU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Hawaii was seeded 11th and got the opportunity to host the first and second rounds. This loss was the worst in the rally scoring era. The team will say good-bye to seven seniors (Emily Hartong, Mita Uiato, Kaela Goodman, Ali Longo, Ashley Kastl, Courtney Lelepali, Kristiana Tuaniga). Despite the loss, we will all be exited for the 2014 season! Go Bows!

Big West Awards
| Big West Release | Hawaii Athletics Release |
Senior outside hitter Emily Hartong earns as the Big West Player of the Year. Hartong led the team in kills and aces. She is the first Wahine since Tee Williams-Sander in 1988-89 to repeat as conference player of the year. Senior libero Ali Longo and setter Mita Uiato were named to All-Big West First Team along with freshman opposite Nikki Taylor who also was named to the All-Freshman Team. Junior and sophomore middle blockers Kalei Adolpho and Jade Vorster received Honorable Mention.

All-Region Awards
| AVCA Release | Hawaii Athletics Release | Big West Release |
The conference player of the year Emily Hartong was named to the AVCA All-Pacific North Region Team while freshman teammate Nikki Taylor received honorable mention. With this award, Hartong and Taylor are now in contention to be AVCA All-Americans. Despite not making the teams, setter Mita Uiato and libero Ali Longo both received votes but were edged out. ("I predict Hartong will make first team again while Taylor will receive honorable mention.")

Warrior News
Announcing the New Assistant Coach
| Hawaii Athletics Release |
The University of Hawaii officially announces the hiring of the new assistant coach Milan Zarkovic. Zarkovic is the father of sophomore outside Siki Zarkovic. Milan has had 20+ years of coaching experience and will be a great addition to the Warrior coaching staff.

Warriors Picked at #13
| AVCA Poll | Hawaii Athletics Release |
The mens team was voted at #13 in the AVCA Preseason Poll. Hawaii was 1 of 11 teams to be voted in the preseason poll of 15 teams. Non-conference opponents Penn State (9) and Ohio State (12) were also in the poll.

Setter Commits to UH
| Coast Commitment Post |
The Warriors received their fifth commitment for the 2014-15 season from Kekoa Pukahi (Oceanside, CA). Pukahi is a 6'4" setter who plays for Coast Volleyball Club. He was an All-CIF Second team member as a junior at El Camino HS but he is currently at La Costa Canyon HS. Making multiple club switches, Pukahi also played at San Diego Volleyball Club and Wave Volleyball Club. ("Welcome to the Warriors!")

Men's Tickets on Sale
| Hawaii Athletics Release |
The season tickets for the upcoming volleyball season are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased online, at the Stan Sheriff Center Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9 am–5 pm), or by calling 944-2697. The Warriors open the season in a non-conference two match series against Thompson Rivers on Jan. 2 and 4. ("Would be great to have big crowds at the mens matches especially since they support the women.")

Sand News
2015 Commit
The Wahine received a commitment from 5'8" Ariana Homayun (West Hills, CA). There is no confirmation whether she is an indoor and/or sand recruit but she is most likely a sand recruit. As an indoors player, she is an outside hitter/setter/defensive specialist and plays for Elite Volleyball Club. She is the first sand recruit for the Hawaii 2015-16 class. ("Welcome to the Wahine!")

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. 

Changes to the Warrior Roster + Others

Left to Right: Max Wechsung, Harrison Phelps, Ryan Leung, Kainoa Mitchell

The 2013-14 roster for the Warrior volleyball team was recently posted and a few changes have been made. Soon to be seniors Max Wechsung (Long Beach, CA), Harrison Phelps (Laguna Beach, CA), Ryan Leung (Honolulu, HI), and redshirt junior Kainoa Mitchell (Honolulu, HI) have all been taken off the roster.

Stephen Tsai from the Star Advertiser Blog "Warrior Beat" has confirmed that Wechsung and Phelps have left the volleyball program because they decided to not play volleyball anymore. But both are still enrolled at UH.

Wechsung started his college volleyball career at Long Beach City College along with fellow Warrior Aniefre Etim-Thomas (Long Beach, CA) and they were state champions in their 2012 season. Wechsung was named the conference MVP and first-team all state as well in 2012. He started the first four matches of the season before an in season injury. He later became a blocking, serving, and setting sub for the rest of the season. Wechsung was second on the team in assists and had a career high 50 assists against Penn State.

Phelps came to Manoa in 2011 as a libero and redshirted. In 2012 he was used as a defensive specialist or as the second libero. In 2013 he was a utility player mostly playing libero, defensive specialist, or at outside hitter. Head coach Charlie Wade was impressed with his hitting in the middle of the season during practice and said he was hitting the best. He came up with a surprising kill against Stanford. He had a career high two kills against UC San Diego and 10 digs against UCLA.

Leung left the island to play for the Pepperdine Waves where he spent two seasons. He played in two matches where one was against the Warriors in 2011 where he notched one kill. He then transferred home to play for the University of Hawaii but played in only two matches and suffered an ankle injury taking him out for the whole season.

Mitchell a 2010 Roosevelt High School graduate went to Orange Coast College for his first two years of his college volleyball career. He played on a team that reached the state championship match. He transferred home and redshirted in 2013.

The new additions to the roster are freshmen Kupono Fey (Honolulu, HI), Nainoa Frank (Kaneohe, HI), and Jennings Franciskovic (Westlake Village, CA). The other recruit Dane Keckin has said to be a walk-on so he will most likely not be on the roster until the fall.

Wish the best of luck to the ones who have left, we will miss you on the court! Also welcome to the new players!

Assistant Coach Replacement

Stephen Tsai also mentioned that the hunt for a new Warrior volleyball assistant coach is still on. Over two dozen people applied for the job and they narrowed it down to four people to replace Sean Carney. A decision will not be made until sometime during the summer.

Warriors and Wahine on the APR

Hawaii Athletics Release
The Warrior and Wahine team both received APRs (Academic Performance Rate) and both were below the national average. The Wahine had an APR of 967, Warriors had 949, and the national average was 974.

These rates affect whether the sport for that school will be penalized with scholarships or postseason play because of eligibility. The University of Hawaii has not been penalized for five straight seasons.

Hawaii's Scouter to a Bigger Picture

U.S. National Team Head Coach John Speraw, Anton Willert, U.S. National Team Assistant Coach Matt Fuerbinger.

Article from USA Volleyball

Previous Article from Star Advertiser

The University of Hawaii's Team Manager and Video Coordinator Anton Willert has left the university to pursue a job with USA Volleyball. He will now work with the U.S. Men's National Team along with head coach John Speraw.

The native from Berlin, Germany was responsible for making the scouting report for the Warrior and Wahine volleyball team. He would download previous matches of their opponents and use a computer program in which he would use to rate passes and research their opponents tendencies. 

We may not have known you as well as the others on the coaching staff but we wish you well with Team USA!