Riley Wagoner took a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes after she was asked about what Hawaii has meant to her these past four years.
“Sorry, I’m a crier,” Wagoner said. “That’s the first time I’ve been asked that question. I’ve thought about it a lot.”
The first of many lasts for six seniors on the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team, including reigning Big West Player of the Year Amber Igiede and Wagoner, a first-team all-conference hitter from a year ago, comes tonight against Northwestern in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Wahine, who went 22-7 and 19-1 in the Big West last season, begin Robyn Ah Mow’s sixth season as head coach with a four-team tournament that includes No. 9 Oregon and No. 13 San Diego.
Hawaii returns nine players from a season ago, including six players who appeared in every match.
The Rainbow Wahine also have two transfers from Division I schools and two freshman outside hitters all making a case for playing time after 17 days of grueling practices to get to opening night.
Igiede and Wagoner, who were 1-2 in kills for the Rainbow Wahine last season, both entered the program a year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hawaii has made the NCAA Tournament every year since, including a spot in the regional semifinals four years ago against Nebraska.
“I’m just really excited to go back out there one last year and showcase what I’ve been working on the past four years,” Wagoner said. “I’m also really excited that I get to do it with Amber, who is one of my closest friends.”
Ask just about any player on the team to describe this year’s squad and they’ll talk about how close they are. They also will mention how that allows them to challenge each other on the court.
Wagoner sees some similarities to her freshman year in 2019, when six players each averaged at least two kills a set. Only Igiede, Wagoner and Caylen Alexander reached that mark a season ago.
“We had a bunch of hitters and everybody was kind of pushing and groveling for a spot on the court because all of us knew we had the skills,” Wagoner said. “At the end of the day, whoever is practicing well that day could be on the court because Coach Robyn is not scared to flip things up. I think it’s been very competitive in the gym.”
This year marks the inaugural Big West women’s volleyball tournament to crown a champion. The regular-season champion will no longer earn the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
One bad day in November puts the postseason in doubt without a solid resume put together by collecting key wins in the nonconference part of the schedule.
Suddenly, these matches in August and early September might have a little more importance than in the past.
“We always like to say that our nonconference is our most important part (of the schedule), just because we’re playing a lot of ranked teams and high-level teams and we have the opportunity to prove how good we really are as a program,” senior defensive specialist Talia Edmonds said after Saturday’s Green-White scrimmage. “I think with the (Big West) tournament now, your (resume) really matters, and so however you play in your nonconference games is going to determine how your seeding is in the tournament, and that’s really important.”
UH will wear a special patch on their sleeves this season in honor of the victims and people affected by the deadly wildfires on Maui that have claimed the lives of at least 115 people.
Hawaii has never lost to its opponent in tonight’s opener, going 4-0 all-time against the Wildcats, who tied for 10th in the 14-team Big Ten last season.
USD, which swept Hawaii at the Texas A&M Invitational last season, went 31-2 and advanced to the NCAA national semifinals before losing to eventual national champion Texas in four sets.
Oregon, which finished second in the Pac-12 at 17-3 last season, returns reigning AVCA Freshman of the Year Mimi Colyer.
The Toreros and Ducks will open the tournament today at 4:45 p.m.
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES RAINBOW WAHINE CLASSIC
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Today
>> No. 13 San Diego vs. No. 9 Oregon, 4:45 p.m.
>> Hawaii vs. Northwestern, 7 p.m.
Saturday
>> No. 9 Oregon vs. Northwestern, 4:45 p.m.
>> Hawaii vs. No. 13 San Diego, 7 p.m.
Sunday
>> Northwestern vs. No. 13 San Diego, 2:45 p.m.
>> Hawaii vs. No. 9 Oregon, 5 p.m.
>> TV: Spectrum Ch. 1016 (Hawaii games only)
>> Radio: KKEA 1420-AM/92.7 FM (Hawaii games only)
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