HONOLULU — The process of blending experience and youth began in full on Thursday for University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team.
The Rainbow Wahine formally opened preparations for the 2024 season with seven returnees joined by five newcomers taking in their first set of double days. They began the morning with skill work in position groups then returned to Gym 1 in the afternoon for the first full-team practice of camp.
The 'Bows will have just over three weeks of training before facing SMU on Aug. 30 for opening night at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
"As coaches we're looking at the challenge," UH coach
Robyn Ah Mow said as the team filed in for the afternoon practice. "We have a lot of new players in, we lost a lot of good players, but the challenge is coaching these girls up and getting them to where they need to be come Aug. 30."
The 'Bows return seven letterwinners off of a 2023 team that went 24-9, and captured the inaugural Big West women's volleyball championship tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Setter
Kate Lang and libero
Tayli Ikenaga comprise the 'Bows' senior class, both bringing three seasons of starting experience into their final season in the program.
"It's just a lot of excitement," Ikenaga said. "We definitely have a lot of new faces in the gym, a lot of new chemistry we have to build, so I'm just really excited to get to know the freshmen. Especially this being my senior year, I'm just ready to enjoy the moment and enjoy the journey."
Outside hitter
Caylen Alexander enters her junior year as the team's returning kills leader after averaging 3.18 per set last season. Sophomore
Tali Hakas, who started 13 matches as a freshman, is competing with Israel's national team this summer and slated to rejoin the 'Bows later in camp. Ah Mow praised the growth of fellow sophomore
Stella Adeyemi through spring practice and junior
Tyla Reese Mane also returns after redshirting last season.
Junior
Jacyn Bamis, who transferred from Clemson prior to last season, is the most seasoned of the group of middle blockers following the graduation of All-American
Amber Igiede and
Kennedi Evans. Bamis has new faces in the group in freshmen
Miliana Sylvester and
Maddie Way.
Morghn Monahan is the newest addition to the roster after two seasons playing in the middle for Hawai'i Pacific University.
UH returns its top two setters in Lang, a three-time All-Big West selection, and sophomore
Jackie Matias. The duo is joined by freshman
Adrianna Arquette, the consensus Hawai'i high school Player of the Year last season at Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama, who will likely work as a hitter as well during camp.
"We recruited her as a setter, but in high school she played middle blocker, she hit outside, she hit right side, so she's like a utility player for us too," Ah Mow said.
Although freshman libero/defensive specialist
Victoria Leyva is entering her first fall camp, she was able to acclimate to the program in the spring having enrolled at UH early.
The Rainbow Wahine open the season with the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic against SMU and San Diego. The 10-match non-conference schedule is highlighted by a trip to Texas to take on the two-time defending national champion Longhorns on Sept. 20 in Austin. They open the Big West season on Sept. 27 at home against UC Irvine.
"I just really want everyone to come out and just be aggressive," Lang said. "I hope that legacy the seniors left behind of never playing scared bleeds into our team this year."
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