SEATTLE, Wash.--The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team (21-7, 18-2 Big West) is headed to Seattle, Wash. for the 2021 NCAA Tournament's First and Second Rounds. For the second straight time, the Rainbow Wahine earned the Big West's automatic bid into the tournament after clinching their second-straight BWC title. (Last year UH did not compete as the Big West canceled the fall 2020 season due to Covid-19.) Hawai'i will open play against No. 24 Mississippi State (25-5, 16-2 SEC) on Friday, Dec. 3 at Washington's Alaska Airlines Arena. The Huskies are the 15th seed and will take on Brown following the UH vs. MSU match.

This is UH's 39th overall and 28th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament and the fifth time since 2010 that Hawai'i has been sent to play in the NCAA first round in Seattle (2010, '12,'14, '17, '21). The last time UH went to Washington was in 2017, Robyn Ah Mow's first season as head coach.

This is Hawai'i's 10th Big West title and sixth since rejoining the league in 2012. Overall UH has won 25 conference titles (15-WAC/10-BWC). 
 

HAWAI'I (21-7, 18-2 Big West) vs. No. 24 Mississippi State (25-5, 16-2 SEC)
Opponent  |  Date | Time				Mississippi State  |  Friday, Dec. 3   |   2:00 p.m. HT
Location				Alaska Airlines Arena (Seattle, Wash.)
Live Stream				ESPN+ (Requires a monthly subscription for $6.99 – you can cancel anytime
Radio				ESPN Honolulu (1420 am/92.7 FM)  |  Tiff Wells (Play-by-play)
Audio Steam				ESPNHonolulu.com  |  Sideline Hawaii App
Live Stats				GoHuskies.com
Game Notes				Hawai'i (PDF)   |  Mississippi State (PDF)
Tickets				Purchase tickets at GoHuskies.com
Social Media				@HawaiiWVB  | #GoBows | @HawaiiWVB  | Facebook

SERIES HISTORY - MISSISSIPPI STATE This is the first meeting between Mississippi State and Hawai'i

SERIES HISTORY - BROWNHawaii'i swept Brown in its only meeting which was in the 1998 NCAA first round which was hosted by Hawai'i.

SERIES HISTORY - WASHINGTONHawai'i holds a 10-6 advantage over Washington, but the Huskies have a a 3-2 edge over UH in post-season play. The last meeting came in the championship match of the 2019 Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic pre-season tournament. Hawai'i defeated Washington in four sets, 25-20, 25-12, 20-25, 25-16.

LAST TIME OUT...
• Last week, the Rainbow Wahine clinched the Big West title with a four-set win over CSUN on Friday. Hawai'i overcame a slow start to defeat the Matadors, 23-25,25-12,25-19,25-12. UH then fell in five sets to UC Santa Barbara, 18-25, 25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 15-12.
• Hawai'i finished the regular season with a 21-7 overall record and an 18-2 record in the Big West. It is the 41st time in program history that UH has recorded at least 20 wins in a season and the third time under fourth year head coach Robyn Ah Mow.
• Super senior outside hitter Brooke Van Sickle earned her second career Big West Offensive Player of the Week award on Monday. In UH's two combined games this past week, Van Sickle led Hawai'i recording team-highs of 35 kills, 3.89 kill/set, a .311 hitting %, three service aces and 41.5 total points.

Van Sickle, Ah Mow Earn Top Big West Honors
University of Hawai'i took home top Big West honors. Brooke Van Sickle was named Player of the Year, while Robyn Ah Mow earned Coach of the Year honors. Three other Rainbow Wahine were recognized with Amber Igiede, Kate Lang and Skyler Williams each earning a spot on the all-conference first team. Lang was also named to the all-freshman team.

NEWS & NOTES
• For Hawai'i, this marks their 10th Big West title and sixth since rejoining the Big West in 2012. It is UH's 25th overall conference title (15 WAC regular season titles) and the second conference crown for fourth year head coach Robyn Ah Mow.
• Five of Hawai'i's seven pre-season opponents all made the NCAA tournament, including Fairfield, Marquette, San Diego, Utah Valley and Utah.
• UH dropped four spots to No. 57 in the NCAA RPI after UCSB snapped UH's 10 match win streak in the season finale last week, .
• Amber Igiede and Tayli Ikenaga remain the only two Rainbow Wahine to have started all 99 sets this year

Individual Rankings
In the Big West individual rankings, Brooke Van Sickle leads the league (NCAA - No. 49) WITH 4.56 points/set. She is ranked No. 2 in the BWC with .38 aces/set and 3.80 kills per set. She has led Hawai'i all season in several statistical categories. She ended the regular season with team highs of 361 kills, 36 service aces, and 433.0 points. Van Sickle is second on the team with 307 digs and third (behind UH's two middle blockers) with 59 total blocks.

Homecoming for Van Sickle - Working Hard on Court and in the Classroom
The trip to the Seattle sub-regional is a homecoming for Van Sickle who hails from Battle Ground, Wash. which is about 2-1/2 hours away from Seattle. Volleyball is in her blood, her father Gary Van Sickle played for the Hawai'i men's volleyball team from 1988-90, while her mother Lisa (Bragado) Van Sickle played collegiately at Hawai'i Pacific and later professionally both indoors and sand.

Van Sickle, a redshirt-super senior is in her sixth year in college after playing two seasons plus a redshirt year at Oregon prior to transferring to UH in the fall of 2019. She has remained at UH the last three years (last year was canceled) to return for her senior season indoors.

Van Sickle has led Hawaii in kills in 16 of their 28 matches this year--including the first six-straight matches to start the season. Last week, Van Sickle tied her career high with 21 kills in the season finale vs. UCSB (11/27/21). BVS also leads UH with 10 double-doubles this season.

In addition to leading UH on the court, Van Sickle was recently named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. She is the first Rainbow Wahine to earn the prestigious academic honor since defensive specialist Clare-Marie Anderson did so in 2016. Van Sickle earned her bachelor's degree in the Spring of 2020 in economics with a minor in women's studies. Currently she is pursuing her Master's of Science in marketing management. In order to be eligible for the all-District and All-America awards, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) at his current institution and have reached sophomore athletic eligibility.

The Igiede Effect
Sophomore middle blocker Amber Igiede finished the season strong. In UH's last seven games, she has put down 95 kills, averaging 13.4 kills/set while hitting .450. During that streak she had six-consecutive matches with 10+ kills--including a career-high 20 kills at CSU Bakersfield. The athletic middle blocker started her hot-hitting at Long Beach State where she tallied a career-high .786 hitting % (11-0-14). Overall, she has also proven to be powerful blocker as well, leading UH with 126.0 total blocks (23 solo/103 blk. assist). She is the only Rainbow Wahine to have triple-digits in blocks.

In UH's match vs. CSUN last week, Igiede became the first middle blocker to record 100 digs for the season since 2002 when Lauren Duggins had 190 digs. Igiede takes pride in her back-row play and credits playing beach volleyball for her improved skills. Currently, she has 108 digs. Amazingly, she only plays one rotation in the back row when she's serving. Igiede is also the first middle since Duggins in 2002 to record both over 100 kills, 100 blocks and 100 digs in a season.

Igiede has recorded at least one block in 54 consecutive matches, dating back to her fourth game as a freshman against Army West Point on Sept. 5, 2019. She has had at least one block in 57-of-58 total career matches played.

Williams Shining in Senior Campaign
Middle blocker Skyler Williams has been working hard to finish her collegiate career with a bang. The tandem of Williams and Igiede has proven to be a formidable force in the middle. For the season, Williams has put down 180 kills (2.02 k/set) with a .324 hitting percentage. On defense the senior from Bellflower, Calif. has racked up 88.0 total blocks. Williams has recorded at least one block in 26 out of 27 matches that she's played in this season. She had a career-high 16 kills at CSU Bakersfield on 11/19/21 . 

Williams is the only four-year senior for this years squad. She was recruited by former head coach Dave Shoji and associate coach Jeff Hall, but was coached by current head coach Robyn Ah Mow in both their first years. Williams will be graduating later this month with a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies. She wants to return home to coach her former club team while pursuing a teaching degree.

Manoa Roofing Company Open for Business
The Manoa Roofing Company has put in overtime down the stretch of the season. During a span of 10 matches from 10/23-11/26, Hawai'i out-blocked their opponents 97.0-to-48.5 while averaging 9.7 blk/set as a team. Overall, UH has out-blocked their opponents, 255.5-to-198.0 while holding their opponents to a conference-low, .183 hitting %. In all, there are nine Rainbow Wahine who have tallied double-digits in blocks for the season: Igiede (126), Williams (88), Van Sickle (59), Riley Wagoner (32), Lang (32), Martyna Leoniak (23), Tiffany Westerberg (23), Braelyn Akana (16), and Mylana Byrd (15).

Can You Dig It?
Also on defense, the 'Bows have out-dug their opponents, 1,576-to-1,507. Six Rainbow Wahine have recorded 100+ digs this season, with Igiede joining the club this past week with 108. Freshman libero Tayli Ikenaga leads the charge with 334 digs, Van Sickle (307), Wagoner (216), Lang (215), and Gong (135). AAlso close to breaking the century mark in digs is Leoniak who has 94.

Lang at the Controls of the UH Offense
Rookie setter Kate Lang took over as starting setter to start the Big West Conference season. Currently, with only 20 starts, she is ranked No. 34 in the NCAA and No. 2 in the BWC averaging 10.587 assists/set. In the BWC season, as a team, has a .246 hitting percentage w/Lang at the controls. Last week, Lang recorded a career-high four kills against CSUN and a career-high 5.0 blocks vs. UCSB. Lang has dished out 836 assists in her rookie campaign.

Wagoner Steadies Team
Sophomore Riley Wagoner is having a solid season at outside hitter. She is third on the team with 242 kills, 2.72 kill/set, and 216 digs. She has been a steady presence both passing in the back row and in the front. Wagoner has posted three double-doubles this season and has 11 double-digit kill matches--including seven of the last nine matches. She also has eight matches with 10+ digs and four double-doubles for the season.

Ikenaga Anchoring Back Row
Tayli Ikenaga came to UH after a stellar career as an outside hitter at Moanalua HS in Honolulu. However the UH coaches saw the 5-5 freshman's future as a libero/defensive specialist. Although still learning the nuances and strategies of playing at libero, she has made a pretty smooth transition. While adjusting to playing at middle back, she has make an immediate impact anchoring the back row. She leads Hawai'i with 334 digs (3.37 D/set). Ikenaga is the first freshman since 2007 to lead the team in digs for the season. Elizabeth Ka'aihue lead UH in digs all four years during her UH career.

Westerberg Earns her Spot at Opposite
Sophomore opposite Tiffany Westerberg has solidified her role, starting the last seven matches. During those seven matches, she has recorded at least five kills and a block in every start. During that span, she has done a good job with 44 kills (6.29 k/set) to go with 19.0 blocks (2.71 blk/set).

She is the fourth different UH player to earn a start at opposite this season, joining Braelyn Akana (10), Martyna Leoniak (8), and Annika De Goede (2). Westerberg recorded a career-high seven kills and six blocks in her first start of the season (second of her career) at Long Beach State on 11/6/21). Since then, she has tied her season-high of seven kills against both Cal Poly on the road and CSUN at home in back-to-back games.

Gong Having Banner Senior Season
The defensive stabilizer for Hawai'i this season has been senior Janelle Gong. After seeing action in just 17 matches during her freshman and sophomore seasons, she has played in 26 matches and 79 total sets this year. She had 18 career digs coming into this season, but this year she has come thru with a career season-high 135 digs thus far.

Although athletically a junior, she is a fifth-year senior academically as she redshirted her true freshman year and add the Covid cancellation of last year. She will be graduating later this month with a degree in animal science with the hopes of working in veterinary medicine in the near future.

The Texas Connection
Three Rainbow Wahine have made the Texas-to-Hawai'i move. Mylana Byrd, a Houston native, was first coming to Hawai'i as a junior transfer from Alabama. Kate Lang who is from Keller, Texas was second, coming into the program as a freshman for the cancelled 2020 season. Mia Johnson of League City, Texas is the most recent Texas transplant to make the trek to the middle of the Pacific.

Going International 
The Rainbow Wahine coaches have worked hard to recruit outside the U.S.. They were able to sign several highly touted international players to play in paradise. Hawai'i came into the season already with Canadian Tiffany Westerberg on the roster, but she was joined by an influx of four European players this season--Martyna Leoniak (6-3, OH, Warsaw, Poland); Ilayda Demirtas (6-5, Opp, Adana, Turkey); Anna Kiraly (6-3, MB, Kistarcsa, Hungary) and Annika De Goede (6-3, Opp., Nijmegen, Netherlands. De Goede actually started UH's two matches vs. Southern California, but following the USC matches, she suffered a season-ending injury.

Fans in the Stands!
A full capacity crowd was allowed into the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to cheer on the Rainbow Wahine on Nov. 12. Hawai'i played their first nine home games without any fans in the stands due to state Covid-19 regulations. During UH's homestand vs. UC Davis and UC Riverside, UH was able to allow a limit of 500 fans per game. But this in UH's final homestand of the season (last week), the 'Bows were able to allow  full crowd in the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Fans who enter the SSC still needed to show proof of vaccination, be masked at all times and no food or beverages were for sale at the concession stats--only bottled water was available.