HONOLULU — The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team opens a new chapter in the program's history and the next phase in the 2026 season when the Rainbow Wahine face New Mexico in their Mountain West Conference debut.
Coming off a 2-1 showing in the Lucky Aces Women's Volleyball Invitational in Las Vegas, the Rainbow Wahine (8-3) return to Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center to take on the Lobos (2-8) in a two-match series on Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.
UH officially joined the Mountain West as a full member on July 1. The 'Bows competed in the Big West for the previous 13 seasons.
PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS
Friday (Sept. 25): Mountain West opener
Coca Cola is the game sponsor on Friday and will be serving up amazing prizes throughout the night. Join us as we usher in a new era of Rainbow Wahine volleyball in the Mountain West Conference.
Ticket Promotion - Aloha Friday: 'Bows & Brews: It's Aloha Friday, no work 'til Monday! Join us as we celebrate the weekend with our 'Bows $ Brews promotion where you can snag 2 game tickets and 2 adult beverages for only $30 at all Wahine Volleyball Friday matches.
Saturday (Sept. 26): Hispanic Heritage Night
American Savings Bank is the game sponsor for another exciting edition of Da Kine Series. UH Athletics is celebrating the unique melting pot of cultures that makes Hawaii special. Get ready for a fiesta with Hispanic Heritage Night! In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, we recognize the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hawaii's Hispanic community. Adding to the celebration, portions of the match will be announced in Spanish, thanks to the UH Department of the Languages & Literatures of Europe and the Americas.
'BOWS NOTES
- UH enters Mountain West play at 8-3 in Joshua Walker's first season as head coach, the program's best record through 11 matches since going 10-1 to open the 2019 season.
- The 'Bows' nonconference record is tied with UTEP atop the Mountain West.
- The 'Bows swept Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and won a five-set duel with Iowa State in their first two matches at the Lucky Aces Invitational to extend their winning streak to seven. The run ended with a five-set loss to UCLA in the tournament finale.
- UH leads the Mountain West and enters the week 16th nationally in opponent hitting percentage at .154.
- Setter Adrianna Arquette was named the Old Trapper Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week after earning All-Tournament honors at the Lucky Aces Invitational. The junior led UH to a .471 hitting percentage against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and averaged 9.23 assists per set in the tournament. Arquette ranks second in the Mountain West with 9.43 assists per set
- Panna Ratkai leads UH and moved up to third in the Mountain West with 3.49 kills per set. The senior put away 53 kills, averaging 4.08 kills per set, in the Lucky Aces Invitational and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Ratkai has posted double-digit kills in each of the last eight matches.
- Middle blocker Miliana Sylvester leads the Mountain West with 48 total blocks and ranked second with 1.09 blocks per set. The junior posted 31 kills on .348 hitting last week and tied her career high with 16 kills against UCLA.
- Libero Victoria Leyva ranks second in the Mountain West with 159 total digs and fourth with 3.61 digs per set. The junior had 19 digs against Iowa State and 23 against UCLA last weekend.
- In her return from an injury-shortened 2025 season, outside hitter Tali Hakas ranks third on the team with 102 total kills and surpassed 500 career kills in the match with UCLA.
THE MATCHUP
New Mexico Lobos
Series Record: UH 9-0
Streak: UH won 9
Last Meeting: UH 3-1, Sept. 4, 2014
- UH and New Mexico meet for the 10th and 11th times in a series that began on Oct. 4, 1982.
- Friday's match will be the first between the programs since a meeting in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic on Sept. 4, 2014. UH won that match 24-26, 25-18, 25-11, 25-17.
- UNM head coach Brian Hosfeld is in his first year leading the Lobos. Hosfeld was previously a head coach at Baylor (1996-2003) and has a career record of 131-141.
- The Lobos went 2-8 in nonconference play and dropped their last five matches.
- Middle blocker Reagan Miller leads the Mountain West in hitting percentage at .357 and leads the team with 2.84 kills per set.
- Mina Stanojevic leads UNM with 101 total kills and averages 2.84 kills per set.
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