When the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team makes the quick flight to Los Angeles, Calif., for this week's NCAA Men's National Collegiate Championship, the team will be looking to become the fifth consecutive team to defend their national title.
Making its eighth NCAA appearance and fifth in the last seven championships, UH will look to join Long Beach State (2018-19), Ohio State (2016-17), Loyola Chicago (2014-15), and UC Irvine (1012-13) as back-to-back champions.
The Rainbow Warriors captured their first "official" title last year in Columbus, Ohio after defeating BYU in straight sets. UH's 2002 national title was vacated due to an ineligible player. Hawai'i returns to Pauley Pavilion, site of the 1996 championship, where they fell in five sets to host UCLA in the title match, 15-12 in the fifth set.
UH earned the Big West's automatic berth into this year's tournament after a straight-set win over Long Beach State in the finals. Last season, the Warriors earned an at-large bid but still received the No. 1 overall seed.
Hawai'i owns a 7-6 all-time mark at the championship with four trips to the title match (1996, 2002, '19 and '21).
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.
2021
Roster: Kāna'i Akana,
Austin Buchanan,
Spyros Chakas,
'Eleu Choy,
Colton Cowell,
Chaz Galloway,
Patrick Gasman,
Cole Hogland,
Filip Humler,
Devon Johnson, Mākua Marumoto,
Dimitrios Mouchlias,
Rado Parapunov,
Max Rosenfeld,
Logan Sharp,
Brett Sheward,
Jakob Thelle,
Alaka'i Todd,
Jack Walmer,
Jackson Van Eekeren,
Guilherme Voss,
Gage Worsley
Coaching Staff:
Charlie Wade (Head Coach),
Milan Zarkovic (Associate Coach),
Josh Walker (Assistant Coach),
Chad Giesseman (Volunteer Coach), James Anastassiades (Student Manager)
Season Highlights: Captured the national title with a straight-set victory over BYU in the NCAA Championship match in Columbus, Ohio…finished the season with a 17-1 record and posted its first outright regular season conference title with a perfect 10-0 mark in Big West Conference play…five Warriors were named to the AVCA All-America teams including Player of the Year
Rado Parapunov, who became just the third player in program history to win the award…Parapunov, middle blocker
Patrick Gasman and libero
Gage Worsley were named to the first team, outside hitter
Colton Cowell was selected to the second team and setter
Jakob Thelle was an honorable mention honoree…Parapunov was named the Big West's Player of the Year for the second straight year and Gasman became the league's first four-time, first-team honoree…Parapunov and Worsley were three-time, first-team recipients while Cowell was named to the first team for the second straight year…UH finished as the nation's leader in team kills (13.72), team hitting percentage (.360) and team assists (12.57) while Gasman led the country in hitting percentage (.510)…Parapunov received the Athletic Department's Jack Bonham Award, given to the top male and female senior student-athletes…Parapunov and Gasman made up the winningest senior class in program history having been a part of 106 wins since 2017 while Gasman was the winningest player with a record of 105-19.
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