The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team will be making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and third in the last five years when it travels to Long Beach, Calif., site of the 2019 NCAA Men's Collegiate Championships.
 
The Rainbow Warriors captured the 2002 national title however it was later vacated due to an ineligible player. The 1996 squad finished runner-up, falling to host UCLA in the title match, 15-12 in the fifth set. Most recently, Hawai'i advanced to the semifinals in 2017 after defeating Penn State in five sets in an opening round match in Columbus, Ohio, before falling to eventual champion Ohio State.
 
UH is the No. 1 seed in this year's tournament after earning the Big West's automatic bid following a thrilling five-set victory over Long Beach State in the finals. In its five previous NCAA appearances, Hawai'i received at-large bids into the tournament. UH owns a 4-5 all-time mark at the championship with two trips to the title match (1996 & 2002).
 
Here's a look at UH's previous NCAA Tournament teams…

1995
 
Roster: Nikolas Berger, Scott Faust, Dan Fisher, Troy Hotz, Kai Kahele, Mike Kantor, Yuval Katz, Mason Kuo, Sivan Leoni, Jason Olive, Eric Pichel, Sean Scott, David Tang, Rick Tune, Curt Vaughan, Jeff Volkmer, Alika Williams, Aaron Wilton
Coaching Staff: Mike Wilton (Head Coach), Tino Reyes (Assistant Coach), Matt Johnson (Student Assistant)
 
Season Highlights: First-ever appearance in the NCAA Championship tournament in Springfield, Mass...captured the MPSF Pacific Division regular-season championship...lost to UCLA in the MPSF Tournament championship match...Yuval Katz was named AVCA Newcomer of the Year, MPSF Freshman of the Year, AVCA All-American first team...middle blocker Jason Olive was picked to the AVCA All-America first team...head coach Mike Wilton was selected as MPSF Coach of the Year...finished No. 2 nationally...new NCAA-record 10,031 attended MPSF first-round match vs. Cal State Northridge.


1996
 
Roster: Gavin Cook, Dan Fisher, Troy Hotz, Mike Kantor, Yuval Katz, Mason Kuo, Kahinu Lee, Sivan Leoni, Naveh Milo, Erik Pichel, Jason Ring, David Tang, Rick Tune, Curt Vaughan, Aaron Wilton
Coaching Staff: Mike Wilton (Head Coach), Tino Reyes (Assistant Coach), Matt Johnson (Student Assistant), Sean Scott (Student Assistant)
 
Season Highlights: Second straight NCAA Championship tournament appearance...lost to UCLA in the championship match at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion...school-record 27 wins...finished the conference season with a perfect 19-0 mark...ranked No. 1 for 13 consecutive weeks and finished the season No. 2 with five first-place votes...averaged 7,630 fans per match with five sellout crowds...Yuval Katz was named AVCA co-Player of the Year and AVCA All-America first team...setter Erik Pichel was selected to the All-America first team and outside hitter Aaron Wilton was picked to the second team...upset by UC Santa Barbara in the MPSF Tournament semifinals at the Stan Sheriff Center.


2002
 
Roster: Matt Bender (RS), Geronimo Chala, Tony Ching, Jose Delgado, Kyle Denitz, Rob Drew, Jeffrey Gleason, Dejan Miladinovic, Jake Muise, Brian Nordberg, Vernon Podlewski, Daniel Rasay, Costas Theocharidis, Delano Thomas, Trent Turner (RS), Kimo Tuyay, Brennan Velasco (RS), Ryan Woodward, Marvin Yamada, Eyal Zimet
Coaching Staff: Mike Wilton (Head Coach), Tino Reyes (Assistant Coach), Aaron Wilton (Assistant Coach)
 
Season Highlights: Captured NCAA Championship with four-set win over Pepperdine in University Park, Penn...title later vacated due to ineligible player...defeated host Penn State in four sets in the national semifinals...finished tied for second in the MPSF with a 17-5 mark...Costas Theocharidis and Dejan Miladinovic were named to the AVCA All-America first team...Delano Thomas and Jose Delgado were Volleyball Magazine Freshmen All-American...Miladinovic was named to Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America first team while Theocharidis was named to the second team...Theocharidis was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player...head coach Mike Wilton was named AVCA and Volleyball Magazine Coach of the Year...lost to Pepperdine in four sets in the MPSF Tournament championship match.


2015
 
Roster: Drew Durni, Kupono Fey, Kekoa Pukahi, Zach Radner, Luke Owens (RS), Vaughn Wellenreiter, Hendrik Mol, Brandon Hiehle, Sinisa Zarkovic, Jennings Franciskovic, Mamane Namahoe (RS), Scott Hartley, Taylor Averill, Ryan Leung, Alex Jones, Brook Sedore, Davis Holt, Garrett Komisarek, Iain McKellar, Kolby Kanetake
Coaching Staff: Charlie Wade (Head Coach), Milan Zarkovic (Assistant Coach), Spencer McLachlin (Assistant Coach), Jarod Lofy (Student Assistant)
 
Season Highlights: Made first NCAA Play-In appearance since 2002 after receiving an at-large bid...fell to Penn State in the tournament in four sets...played in its first MPSF semifinal match since 2010 but suffered a 4-1 loss to Pepperdine...finished the season with a 24-7 overall record for the most victorious season since 2003 (24-6)...landed second in the MPSF regular season final standings for its highest finish since 2006...maintained a 16-match winning streak in the middle of the season and soared to the top of the AVCA Coaches Poll ranking in at No. 1 for five-straight weeks for its longest run on top since 1996...five players, Taylor Averill (First-Team), Brook Sedore (Second-Team), Kolby Kanetake (HM), Jennings Franciskovic (HM) and Sinisa Zarkovic (HM), earned AVCA All-America recognition - the most the program has ever produced in a single season with the same five additionally earned All-MPSF honors for UH.


2017
 
Roster: James Anastassiades, Colton Cowell, Kūpono Fey, Jennings Franciskovic, Patrick Gasman, Evan LaRochelle, Matthew Larson, Isaac Liva, Austin Matautia, Iain McKellar, Hendrik Mol, Māmane Namahoe, Rado Parapunov, Brandon Rattray, Jack Reese, Brett Rosenmeier, Dalton Solbrig, Larry Tuileta, Jackson Van Eekeren, Stijn van Tilburg, Joe Worsley
Coaching Staff: Charlie Wade (Head Coach), Milan Zarkovic (Assistant Coach), Josh Walker (Assistant Coach), Gabriella Matautia (Graduate Assistant)
 
Season Highlights: Set single-season record for wins (27)...appeared in fifth NCAA Tournament, before falling to Ohio State in the semifinals...reached the MPSF Tournament finals with wins over Pepperdine (quarterfinals) and BYU (semifinals)...lost in the finals to Long Beach State...finished with an 18-0 home record...strung together 15-match win streak during the season includling program-best 32-consecutive set wins...picked to finish sixth in the MPSF, team placed third with a 14-4 mark...Stijn van Tilburg and Jennings Franciskovic were both named first-team All-Americans and first-team all-MPSF...van Tilburg received Off the Block's Bryan Ivie Award, given nto the nation's top opposite...libero Larry Tuileta was second-team All-America and second-team all-MPSF...middle blocker Hendrik Mol was honorable mention All-America and second-team all-MPSF...Kupono Fey was honorable mention all-MPSF while Rado Parapunov and Patrick Gasman were both named to the MPSF all-freshman team.


2019
 
Roster: James Anastassiades, Colton Cowell, Patrick Gasman, Cole Hogland, Filip Humler, Devon Johnson, Rado Parapunov, Max Rosenfeld, Brett Rosenmeier, Brett Sheward, Dalton Solbrig, Jakob Thelle, Alaka'i Todd, Jackson Van Eekeren, Stijn van Tilburg, Danny Wong, Gage Worsley, Joe Worsley
Coaching Staff: Charlie Wade (Head Coach), Milan Zarkovic (Associate Coach), Josh Walker (Assistant Coach), Chad Giesseman (Volunteer Coach), Matt Larson (Student Manager)
 
Season Highlights: Captured program's first conference title with five-set win over Long Beach State in the Big West finals...matched single-season record for wins (27)...set new NCAA record with 72 consecutive set wins, including winning its first 24 matches in straight sets…25-match win streak was the sixth longest in NCAA history…finished with an 16-0 home record, its second undefeated mark in the last three years...sold-out the Stan Sheriff Center twice and led the nation with an average of 5,210 per match…spent five weeks as No. 1 in the AVCA poll…leads the nation in five categories, including kills per set, assists per set, blocks per set, hitting percentage, and opponent hitting percentage…five players named to the all-Big West first team – Patrick Gasman, Rado Parapunov, Stijn van Tilburg, Gage Worsley, Joe Worsley...Parapunov was selected as the Big West Player of the Week five times and AVCA National Player of the Week twice…Van Tilburg was picked as the AVCA Player of the Week once and was the MVP of the Big West Tournament.