Sports

Athletes talk before the World Junior Swimming Championships

Published

5 months ago

August 18, 2025

It’s not my first time in Romania, but it is my first time in Otopeni. I’ve never swum in this pool before — it’s very beautiful, very nice. It’s really bright and fast. I’m looking forward to swimming quick times here, so it will be good.

I am coached by Pāvels MURĀNS. I’ve competed in two editions of the European Juniors, and now I am here at the World Juniors, which is the highest level of competition for me. I’m swimming the 50m and 100m breaststroke, but my main event is the 50m.

Los Angeles 2028 is not that far away, and I’m really happy they added the 50m breaststroke to the Olympic programme. I’m waiting for the qualifying standards to come out and then I’ll aim to make the cut. In my country, I’m the fastest now in the 50m breaststroke, so we’ll wait for the times and see. Perfect. Of course, everybody wants to be at the Olympics.

I know David Popovici — he’s a great swimmer and everybody knows him. Several of my teammates met him at an Under-23 competition, but since I was still a junior, I didn’t attend that meet. Maybe I’ll meet him this week.

The trip was so long — almost 20 hours of flying. We flew from Costa Rica to Paris, and then boarded our next flight to Bucharest. It felt endless. This is my first time in Romania. It’s a very, very good pool. It feels fast and is one of the best pools I’ve ever swum in.

I swam at the Juniors in Netanya two years ago, so this is my second edition. I am competing in all the freestyle events from 100m to 800m. I believe I can swim better times here. I’ve had a lot of experience before arriving, so I think I can perform very well.

I’m 16 years old, and in three years I will be 19 — the year of the Los Angeles Olympics. My coach and I are working toward that, of course. I always look ahead at the Olympic cycle. When the Paris Olympics ended, I was already thinking about Los Angeles, and even eight years ahead to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The best swimmer in Romania is one of the fastest in the 100m freestyle. I really like his mindset. He has a live philosophy that resonates with me. I think I heard him say that he doesn’t think about anything during competition. He stays positive, trusts his training, and focuses on enjoying the process. It’s a mindset I admire greatly.

The two South African swimmers spoke together for their interview. Both are coached by Rocco Meiring, who also guided two-time Olympic gold medalist Tatjana Schoenmaker and is currently coaching World Champion Pieter Coetze.

Emma: Getting here was obviously long, but it was social — a team thing — so it was great.

Chanel: We flew from Johannesburg to Istanbul. That first flight was about nine hours, and then we flew from Turkey to Romania.

Emma: The pool looks great. I haven’t been in it yet, but it looks very fast, and everyone’s saying it’s quick.

Chanel: I think it’s really cool. I haven’t swum yet either, but people say it’s very fast.

Emma & Chanel: This is our first Juniors.

Emma: I’m swimming the 400m individual medley and the 200m backstroke.

Chanel: I’m competing in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.

Emma: The next Olympics is definitely on the horizon, but I’m trying to focus on the competitions coming up now. I take it year by year; otherwise, there’s too much stress. I just want to hit personal bests as much as possible each year.

Chanel: We’re thinking about Los Angeles 2028, and maybe even the 2032 Olympics, but our main focus is the competitions in the next year or two.

Emma: Romania’s fastest swimmer is David — known to many swimmers just by his first name — and he’s very quick. He’s definitely an inspiration, especially at the world junior level, because he’s a young, fast swimmer.

Chanel: David has shown us what’s possible at the junior level, and I think he’s very inspirational.

We arrived Saturday night, had some dinner, and then went to bed. It’s only about a three- or four-hour flight from Ireland, so the trip went really well. We got in the pool today and felt pretty good.

This is my second time in Romania. We were here for the European Short Course Championships two years ago, when Daniel Wiffen broke his first world records. This pool brings back some nice memories. I swam pretty well the last time I was here, so if I can do that again, I’d be very happy. I am swimming all of the backstroke events here — 50m, 100m, and 200m. My coach is Jan Szaranek.

I was in Singapore at the World Championships, swimming in the semi-final of the 200m backstroke, but this is my first World Juniors. I’ve been to a few European Juniors, so this is a bit of a new experience — but not entirely new.

I’m 18 years old, and of course, thoughts about swimming at the Los Angeles Olympics are always in the back of your mind. But you have to take it year by year and focus on the competitions in front of you. You can’t be thinking three years ahead, though it’s always there as your ultimate goal. Seeing Dan compete in Paris was inspiring. He inspired everybody, along with Mona McSharry and Ellen Walsh. They’ve done incredible things to put Ireland on the map. I suppose it’s the job of me and others in my age group to try to continue that success over the next three or four years — and beyond.

I don’t know a whole lot about David Popovici personally, as I’ve never met him. A freestyler I trained with has raced him a few times and said he’s a very nice, down-to-earth guy. I’ve seen interviews and obviously seen him race, and he seems very nice, but personally, I don’t know him. I’d enjoy the chance to meet him — that would be great.

Getting here from Korea was difficult because the flight time is really long. I was a little worried, but now that I’m here, I think it was worth it. We flew from Seoul and connected in Dubai before coming to Romania, so the total travel time was about 22 hours — it’s really far.

I’ve been thinking a lot about swimming in Romania, and this pool is really good — I really like it. I will be swimming the 50m and 100m backstroke events.

This is my first World Junior Championships, but I did compete in the 2024 World Championships in Doha and also in the most recent World Championships in Singapore in July. Because this is my first time at the Junior Championships, I feel a little nervous, but I think it’s different from the World Championships. The Junior Championships suit me better, and I hope that I will be less nervous here.

This is also my first time in Romania, the home country of David Popovici. I remember watching him swim at the Singapore World Championships, where he won the gold medal in freestyle. I thought, “That’s amazing.” Now, swimming in his country makes it even more special.

I am 15 years old, born in 2010. The Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 are not too far away. I really want to go to the Olympics, but I know it’s just three years away. I need to practice really hard, and this competition is an important step on that path.

We left France this morning and arrived here on Saturday. We were in the south of France for a training camp, and the flight went well. The pool is just incredible — I am so excited to swim here. It’s very impressive and very big. This is my first time in Romania, but it’s not my first Junior Championships, as I have competed in two European Junior Championships. I don’t think we’ll have time to explore Romania, but from what I’ve seen so far, it seems like a great country.

In Otopeni, I will be swimming the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle, as well as the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays. I train under coach Steven Deyes. I am 17 years old, and my goal is to compete in the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles. I’ve watched David Popovici swim, and he is incredibly fast and inspiring. I hope to meet him here.

I live in Mason, Ohio, in the U.S., but I am representing Zambia, where I was born. I was raised there and lived in Zambia until I was 10, before moving to Tanzania for my dad’s work, and then to the U.S. I train under coach Emilie Heoper at the swim club where U.S. Olympian Carson Foster trains when he’s not in Austin, Texas. This is my first time in Romania, but it’s my second World Juniors, as I competed in Netanya, Israel, two years ago. I am swimming the 100m to 800m freestyle events at my second Junior Championships. In Netanya, I dropped my time in the 100m freestyle but added time in the 400m and 800m events because my nerves got to me. Hopefully, I can flip that here, with that experience under my belt. I am excited for this meet. I feel like I’m swimming at a different level now, under my coach’s guidance, and we’ve done a lot of good work to make sure I’m dropping time and swimming my best.

I am 16 years old and thinking about swimming for Zambia at the next Olympics. One of my closest friends is 19, and he still has higher World Aquatics points than me in his events, but hopefully, sooner or later, I will qualify for these meets, which would be a dream.

I know of Romanian star David Popovici, who emerged in 2022. I was watching the Tokyo Olympics on TV, but I didn’t really notice him because I was focused on Caeleb Dressel and how well he swam at that meet. Later in 2022, Popovici made a big impact at the World Championships and set the world record. I’ve really followed him since then and kind of idolize him. He’s one of my favorite swimmers, and it would be cool to meet him.

The trip here was pretty good, although we had a very long delay on our first flight from Brisbane. We flew to Dubai for a stopover and then into Austria. We stayed in Slovakia for about a week of training before flying here on Friday. It was a long journey from across the world, but everyone is looking good and excited. Our training experience in Slovakia was excellent. It was very hot, but the atmosphere was great—everyone would come to watch when they weren’t training, just supporting each other. It’s a very supportive team.

This is my first time in Romania and actually my first time in Europe. It’s a different place, but I’m excited. Being here is nice, and so far everything looks great. This pool is fantastic—probably one of the best I’ve ever raced in.

This year I qualified for my first junior team. Last year, at this time, I wouldn’t have even thought I’d be on a junior team, so this is amazing. Anything beyond racing here feels like a cherry on top. I am swimming the 50m fly and the 4x200m freestyle relay.

I’m 18 years old, and the Gold Coast is my home. Swimming at the Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was younger. Now it’s actually starting to feel like a real possibility, which is very exciting—especially with Brisbane set to host the 2032 Olympic Games. I just need to keep training and hopefully I’ll be there. My coach is Tommy Fraser-Holmes.

I think David Popovici is an amazing swimmer—the way he steps up and performs every time. I’ve never met him personally, but from what I’ve seen, he seems like a great competitor. It would be great to meet him, and I think a lot of people would be excited if he comes to this meet.

I live in the Maldives. We flew from the Maldives to Istanbul, which is about eight hours, and then from Istanbul to Bucharest, another two hours. It wasn’t too bad, but it was definitely tiring. This is my first visit to Romania, and so far it’s been a good experience. I’ve only seen the pool so far, but it’s definitely one of the biggest pools I’ve ever swum in. I don’t think I’ve competed in an international meet this large before.

I am 16 years old and this is my first Junior Swimming Championships. I am swimming the 50m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, and also participating in some relays.

I’m very aware of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics coming up. I get really excited thinking about it because it’s such a big opportunity. Coming from a small country, qualifying for a competition like that would be a huge achievement, and I’m definitely looking forward to working toward that goal.

David Popovici is one of the swimmers I really look up to. I’m really excited about the chance to meet him here. His stroke is something I study closely when I swim, and I think I can learn a lot from him.

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Sports

Tritons Complete North American Challenge

Published

48 minutes ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — UC San Diego men’s volleyball completed its preseason on Sunday with day two of the North American Challenge. The Tritons once again beat Canadian sides Alberta and Calgary in exhibition matches after doing the same on Friday.

The Tritons beat Alberta 3-0 before turning around and playing Calgary, winning 3-1. Head coach Brad Rostratter repeated his previous approach of largely using two separate lineups for the two matches. Only four of the 14 Tritons who got playing time on Sunday appeared in both contests.

The challenge was hosted by fellow Big West side Long Beach State. On Friday, the Tritons also swept Alberta after beating Calgary 3-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED – ALBERTA
The Tritons cruised through the first match of the day, winning 25-16, 25-21, 25-15. They hit .333 while holding Alberta to a .200 clip. The Tritons also had 11 service aces.

A balanced offense saw four Tritons finish with seven or more kills. Luke Chandler and Leo Wiemelt had a match-high nine kills, with Wiemelt hitting .667 in the process. Setter Cameron Wurl had 24 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED – CALGARY
Calgary won set one 25-23 before UC San Diego won the next three 25-17, 25-21, 25-21. The Triton offense hit .431, while Calgary converted at a rate of .247.

Four Tritons had multiple blocks on the defensive side of the net. Offensively, Josh Ewert and Leo Pravednikov both hit .406. Ewert led the match with 20 kills, while Pravednikov added 17. Setter John Luers had 42 assists.

QUOTABLE
“I loved the volleyball we were playing throughout our four matches this weekend,” Rostratter said. “Using four different lineups and finding connections and success in different phases of the game highlighted the depth we have within our team. These were quality opportunities to learn more about what our team has and where we are headed this season. I am excited for the home matches this week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday!”

UP NEXT
The 2026 regular season begins this Tuesday as the Tritons host Jessup at 7:00 p.m. at LionTree Arena. UC San Diego will also have home matches versus Daemen and Rockhurst on Friday and Sunday this week.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.

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Sports

Tyler’s McLean, Hallsville’s Farrell earn Class 5A all-state third-team volleyball honors

Published

1 hour ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONGVIEW — Tyler middle blocker Kaelyn McLean and Hallsville outside hitter Kaycin Farrell earned third-team honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State Volleyball Team, the organization announced on Sunday.

Lady Lion outside hitter Ja’lee Flores was voted honorable mention.

Lufkin middle blocker Chesney McCullough was named a first-team middle blocker.

Area honorable mention players were middle blockers Knlee Smith of Marshall, Kylee Fernandez of Hallsville, and Taryn Stiger of Texas High; outside hitters Lily Holzbauer of Whitehouse, and Akira Smallwood of Lufkin; and setter Aleciara Smallwood of Lufkin.

McLean had 489 kills, 215 digs, 111 blocks and eight aces, while Farrell, the District 15-5A Most Valuable Player, had 402 kills, .371 hitting percentage, 302 digs, 68 aces, 50 blocks and 29 assists.

Class 5A Division II champion Cedar Park earned both top superlatives with the release of the Joy Udoye, who has signed to play for Stanford, was named Player of the Year. Udoye had eye-popping stats of 581 kills, 364 digs, 34 aces and 30 blocks as Cedar Park finished 39-12 overall.

Lori McLaughlin was voted Coach of the Year.

Voting was conducted by TSWA members based on nominations from coaches and media members from around the state.

Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association

Class 5A All-State Volleyball Team

COACH OF THE YEAR: Lori McLaughlin, Cedar Park

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joy Udoye, Cedar Park

FIRST TEAM

Middle blockers: Brooklyn Bailey, Highland Park; Sienna Benavides, Cedar Park; Chesney McCullough, Lufkin

Outside hitters: Joy Udoye, Cedar Park; Kaitlyn Hutchins, Lake Belton; Harper Korenek, A&M Consolidated

Setter: Blair Thiebaud, College Station

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Ann Kruz, Cedar Park

SECOND TEAM

Middle Blockers: Rihanna Bryant, Pflugerville Weiss; Aliah Earls, Red Oak; Zandria Johnson, Brownsville Rivera

Outside hitters: Nadiya Shelby, Friendswood; Sarah Floyd, Highland Park; Mya Cheatum, Cedar Park

Setter: Katelyn Hughes, Cedar Park

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Gigi Whann, Highland Park

THIRD TEAM

Middle Blockers: Jacey Owen, Smithson Valley; Kendall Kruesler, New Braunfels; Kaelyn McLean, Tyler

Outside hitters: Kaycin Farrell, Hallsville; Lexi Anderson, Frisco Centennial; Alexis Elsey, Argyle

Setter: Kingsley Minus, New Braunfels

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Berkeley Bates, Smithson Valley

HONORABLE MENTION

Middle Blockers: Ava Wood, Lake Belton; Knlee Smith, Marshall; Haddie Mock, Abilene Wiley; Kylee Fernandez, Hallsville; Emersyn Fink, Frisco Liberty; Taryn Stiger, Texas High; Kaitlyn McCracken, Belton

Outside hitters: Alyssa Todd, Aledo; Ja’lee Flores, Tyler; Lily Holzbauer, Whitehouse; Shaylie Schaefer, New Braunfels; Akira Smallwood, Lufkin; Hannah Baker, Argyle; Danielle Whittier, Prosper Walnut Grove; Kaelee Berkley, Aledo; Jaiden Harris, Frisco Liberty; Zoeh Cereceres, El Paso Chapin

Setter: Madison Bingham, Lake Belton; Aleciara Smallwood, Lufkin; Jill Vinal, A&M Consolidated; Ava Jackson, Pflugerville Weiss; Kyndal Newton, A&M Consolidated; Madison Victoriano, Frisco Centennial; Amelia Albright, Georgetown

Libero/Defensive Specialist: Hayden Jeffers, New Braunfels; Teagan Barnett, Argyle; Haley Nash, College Station; Haley Patton, Friendswood; Ashley Go, Pflugerville Weiss

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Sports

Blugolds Downed by #6 Roanoke 26-15

Published

1 hour ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

SALEM, Va. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire narrowly fell to #6 Roanoke College with a final team score of 26-15.

Sloan Welch delivered a commanding performance at 285 pounds, securing a fall over Nicholas Cook in 3:59. This decisive victory contributed six points to the team’s score.

Preston Carlisle was instrumental in maintaining momentum for the Blugolds, securing decisions in both the 165 and 174-pound weight classes. He overcame Cade Parent 7-4 and later defeated Xavier Preston 10-5. Zak McPhee contributed with a 6-0 decision against Vincenzo Corvetto at 184 pounds. Looking ahead, the team will aim to carry this momentum into their upcoming competitions.

Blugold wrestling’s next competition is the Budd Whitehill Duals on Friday, January 9th and Saturday, January 10th in Williamsport, PA.

Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugolds.com or on our app, Blugold Sports, and on social media on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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Sports

Beach Sweep Calgary, Defeat Alberta On Final Day Of North American Challenge

Published

2 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach State Men’s Volleyball closed out day two of the North American Challenge, an eight-match exhibition tournament, with a pair of impressive victories Friday at the Gold Mine. The Beach opened the day with a commanding 3-0 sweep of Calgary (CAN) (25-18, 25-18, 25-15) before closing the night with a 3-1 win over Alberta (CAN) (25-19, 25-27, 25-13, 25-19).

Against Calgary, Long Beach State was in control from start to finish, hitting .372 as a team while limiting the Dinos to a .123 attack percentage. The Beach dominated the net, posting an 11-2 advantage in total team blocks, and sided out efficiently throughout the match, including an 86% rate in the third set to seal the sweep.

Connor Bloom led all players with 10 kills, adding two service aces and four block assists while hitting .333. Braedon Marquardt followed with seven kills on .583 hitting and a match-high seven block assists, anchoring the Beach defense at the net. Daniil Hershtynovich contributed eight kills and three blocks, while Myles Jordan added four kills on .444 hitting.

Setter Island Doty directed the offense with 25 assists as Long Beach State totaled 39 kills on 78 attempts. The Beach also recorded five service aces and held Calgary to just one ace on the night. After pulling away late in the opening set, Long Beach State applied steady pressure in the second before dominating the third, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back.

In their final match of the day against Alberta, Long Beach State continued to attack efficiently, hitting .377 as a team while holding the Golden Bears to a .132 hitting percentage. The Beach again controlled the net, finishing with 17.5 total team blocks compared to Alberta’s 4.0.

Skyler Varga led the way offensively with 15 kills on .440 hitting, scoring key points in transition throughout the match. Hershtynovich remained highly efficient, tallying six kills on eight swings (.750) while contributing on both sides of the ball. Jackson Cryst was a force defensively, recording 12 block assists and one solo block to anchor the Beach front line.

After taking the opening set comfortably, Long Beach State dropped a tightly contested second set. The Beach responded emphatically in the third, hitting .500 while limiting Alberta to just nine kills, and carried that momentum into the fourth set to close out the match behind consistent side-out play and timely blocking. Long Beach State finished the contest with 43 kills and nine service aces.

With the pair of wins, the Beach wrapped up day two of the North American Challenge showcasing depth, efficiency, and physicality at the net, setting a strong tone the close out the international exhibition tournament as they head into regular season competition.

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Sports

Men’s Volleyball Completes Sweep of NJIT

Published

2 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

HONOLULU – The second-ranked University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team swept NJIT for the second consecutive match Sunday in a non-conference match-up at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Set scores were 25-17, 25-16, 25-17.

The Rainbow Warriors (2-0) hardly broke a sweat in the two matches against the Highlanders, winning both in straight sets and did not allow more than 17 points in the six sets. UH hit .517 for the series and totaled 23 team blocks and 11 aces.

For the second straight match, Kristian Titriyski led the way with 11 kills, three aces, and four blocks and was the only player on either team to reach double figures in kills in both matches. Adrien Roure added nine kills, hitting .615 while Louis Sakanoko tallied six kills in seven errorless attempts and three blocks in two sets of action.

A little role reversal! 🤌 pic.twitter.com/hpqksX3AOQ

— Hawai’i Men’s Volleyball (@HawaiiMensVB) January 5, 2026

The Highlanders (0-2) were led by Andre Aleixo’s nine kils and three blocks. NJIT recorded six team blocks and two aces after being held to zero in both categories on Friday.

In Set 1, UH stormed out to an 10-3 lead after a six-point run off of Titriyski’s serve which included a pair of aces. UH doubled up the Highlanders at 18-9 with five unanswered and went on to finish the set with 5.5 blocks in the set in an eight-point victory.

The Warriors broke open Set 2 with a 6-1 run for an 18-10 lead. Reserve setter Magnus Hettervik made his UH debut and served his first ace during the run. Hawai’i did not commit an attack error in 18 attempts, hitting .778 with 14 kills, four each by Sakanoko and Roure.

In Set 3, Hawai’i turned a three-point lead at 15-12 into a nine-point cushion after a 7-0 run off the serve of Finn Kearney.

After the match, the Warriors received their 2025 Big West Championship rings during a post-match ring ceremony.

Hawai’i will next host No. 7 Loyola Chicago for a two-match series, Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9 at Bankoh Arena. UH will host its annual all-alumni match prior to Friday’s match at 4:00 p.m.

Put a ring on it 💍#WarriorBall26 x #GoBows pic.twitter.com/MAbPacJdUy

— Hawai’i Men’s Volleyball (@HawaiiMensVB) January 5, 2026

#HawaiiMVB

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No. 2 Hawai‘i men’s volleyball shows no rust in sweeping NJIT

Published

2 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

MĀNOA — There were no post-holiday blues for the University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team or its loyal supporters.

Hawai‘i’s 2026 campaign, which contains legitimate championship hopes, officially began on Friday evening with a two-match series against the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Despite Friday’s season opener falling on the day after New Year’s, a turnstile crowd of 5,685 still appeared. And although the Rainbow Warriors have led the country in attendance for eight seasons in a row and counting, UH head coach Charlie Wade was still moved when he looked at the line forming outside of the Stan Sheriff Center half an hour before Friday’s match.

“Just super appreciative to the crowd showing up,” Wade said. “It’s something that we’re never going to take for granted. We’re so appreciative of people taking the time and spending the money to come out here and support us, and we’re doing everything we can to put on a good show and win matches, because that’s why they’re coming. … Getting that many people to come out on opening night, couldn’t be more humbled and appreciative of that kind of support.”

On the floor, the Rainbow Warriors were dominant in both matches despite having less than a week to prepare. The ‘Bows swept the Highlanders 25-11, 25-16, 25-14 on Friday night and 25-17, 25-16, 25-17 on Sunday in front of a turnstile count of 5,267.

New starters Trevell Jordan and Quintin Greenidge adjusted seamlessly for the Rainbow Warriors. Jordan had seven blocks and eight kills while getting the start at middle blocker, while Greenidge had nine digs and five assists in his first weekend as a ‘Bows, filling the void left by ‘Eleu Choy.

“It was electric,” Jordan, a Grand Canyon transfer, said of playing in front of the Stan Sheriff Center crowd. “It blew what I thought it was going to be out. The crowd was crazy. You could just hear how much they are involved in interacting with the game, staying locked in. We didn’t have that at GCU. We did have crowds, but not as impactful as the crowd here.”

Because of the margin of victory in each set, many Rainbow Warrior backups were able to see extended playing time. Players who started multiple matches in 2025 in middle blocker Ofeck Hazan and opposite Finn Kearney ran with the team’s B side. In Sunday’s match, true freshman setter Magnus Hettervik, a native of Norway, made his college debut with three assists and a service ace.

“I don’t think you can ever have too many good players, right? And the top programs all have good players,” Wade said. “The best players want to go play with other good players. … We want guys that want to come in and battle and are confident enough and are good enough players, and they think, ‘I’m going to play. I’m good player. Doesn’t matter, my first year to my fourth year.’ Everybody here knows what they signed up for, right?

“This is the best of the best on a global level. These are the best players in the world at their age group. And that is not hyperbolic. That is a fact. They all signed up for it. Here we go. Let’s try to win as many matches we can. Let’s keep trying to improve and become professionals and Olympians and hopefully win a boatload of matches along the way.”

Following Sunday’s match, the Rainbow Warriors also received their championship rings for their Big West Conference tournament victory.

UH mens volleyball Big West rings 010426 — Members of the Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team were presented their 2025 Big West Conference championship rings on Sunday. (Aloha State Daily Staff)

“Guys come here to win championships. We don’t shy away from it at all. That’s part of the deal,” Wade said. “Everybody loves the idea of playing for championships. Not everybody loves the lifestyle, and it’s a grind. We ask a lot of our guys, so to give them a chance to validate all the hard work that they put in and all the people in front of them have put in, it’s nice to get some validation for all that time and effort.”

Added Hettervik, who was not on the team in 2025 and did not receive a ring: “When I looked at the ring, it was really insane. It pushes me more. I really want to get one for myself.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.

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