Miliana Sylvester: Beyond Her Years

Growing up in a household of eleven children, Miliana Sylvester learned early what it meant to be a part of a team. Adopted at age seven, she stepped naturally into the role of caretaker and competitor — lessons that now drive her success as one of the University of Hawai‘i women’s volleyball team’s starting middle blockers.

Born in Honolulu, Sylvester was adopted at seven and grew up in a bustling household where teamwork wasn’t just learned on the court, but lived out every day.

“I'm the third oldest of my 10 siblings and I kind of have always been somebody to take care of them,” she said. “There's eight kids younger than me, so cooking and cleaning and taking care of the kids has always been fun. It just tells me that family is everything. I'm super close with my siblings, which I'm thankful for, and I think that I wouldn't be here without them.”

In her teens, another big move shaped her path. Sylvester and her family relocated to Missouri, trading island life for the Midwest. A multi-sport athlete growing up, she focused on volleyball after moving to Missouri and started to draw serious attention from recruiters, including the UH coaching staff led by Robyn Ah Mow.

“I think when I moved to Missouri, I kind of lost my love for basketball, and so I decided to just focus on volleyball because I thought that was the one thing that was gonna get me out of Missouri and I had a dream to come home and dream to play for Coach Rob and play in the Stan,” she said.

After earning accolades over three years at Central High School, she made the bold decision to return to Hawai’i for her senior year at University Laboratory School.

“I think that it was a very seamless transition,” she said. “I stayed really close to a lot of the staff members that were there and it was just so good to come back to the support that I had. I think my family was definitely a little bit hesitant to let me move across the country by myself, but … they thought it was the right choice.”

That senior season became unforgettable, she helped lead ULS to the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II state final, earned Interscholastic League of Honolulu D-II Player of the Year honors, and built memories she’ll carry forever. 

“My favorite memory was the game at (BYU-Hawai‘i), even though we lost,” she recalled of her high school finale. “There was an amazing crowd … but just being able to play with girls I've known since I was in sixth grade and finish out my senior year where I wanted to be, it was super fun.”

That’s when the offers poured in. Seventeen Division I programs showed interest, but in her heart, Sylvester knew she belonged at UH.

“Throughout the entire process, I was just a little bit hesitant … nothing really felt like how I knew UH would feel, but I had not been in contact with them yet,” she said. “So when I finally got a chance to get in contact with UH, and (Associate Head Coach) Kaleo (Baxter) came to Missouri and eventually I was offered, I was super excited and it was an easy yes.”

When her freshman season arrived, Sylvester wasted no time proving she belonged. She earned a spot in the Rainbow Wahine starting lineup right away.

“Yeah, it definitely was surreal,” she said. “Without my senior year camps with Coach Rob, I don’t think I would have been as prepared as I was … also just not carrying around that freshman mentality and understanding that I can start; the best player’s going to start.”

The transition wasn’t without its challenges, including the speed of the college game, the travel, and the balance of academics and athletics. But she leaned on her teammates and worked through it. She started all 31 matches, led the Rainbow Wahine with 91 total blocks and earned a spot on the Big West All-Freshman Team, all while helping UH capture a fifth straight conference title.

Now, entering her sophomore season, she’s ready for more.

“I think I'm really trying to embrace being in the leadership role and with that comes bringing up the people around you,” Sylvester said. “If we can get everyone on our team on the same page about what our standard is and what our goal is … I think we will be a great team.”

Majoring in public health, she’s also thinking beyond the court.

“I want to go into the nursing field after this and public health has allowed me to get the (prerequisites) I need for nursing school,” she said. “Now that I'm in it, I kind of love it.”

On the court, her aspirations are ambitious.

“I think just to be more consistent this year,” she said of her personal goals. “And then for the team, I hope that we're able to dominate the Big West because I believe that we can and we have the talent capable of it — and then make it further than the NCAA (Tournament) first round.”

Her journey has stitched the past to the present. From idolizing former UH standouts Amber Igiede and Kate Lang as a kid, to playing alongside Lang last season, Sylvester knows exactly what it means to wear the Hawai‘i jersey. 

“It gives me chicken skin because I used to be a little girl that was idolizing Amber and Kate,” she said. “For me to … be something that somebody can look up to, I think it makes me feel good. Definitely full circle.”

For Sylvester, the court is just an extension of home. A place where trust, responsibility, and love build success. Whether she’s caring for younger siblings or lifting her teammates, she knows that greatness comes from the group. And for the Rainbow Wahine faithful, watching her story unfold is another reminder of why the program means so much to Hawai’i.