Women’s Volleyball Opens NCAA Tournament vs. Iowa State

EUGENE, Ore.–The University Hawai’i women’s volleyball team (23-8) won the inaugural Outrigger Big West Championship to punch its automatic ticket to its 30th-straight and 41st overall NCAA Tournament. Hawai’i will face No. 7-seed Iowa State (20-9) out of the Big XII in the first round on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 2:00 p.m. HT at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore.. Host and No. 2 seed Oregon (26-5) will take on Southeastern Louisiana (28-4) out of the SLC in the second match of the opening day of the tourney at 5:00 p.m. HT.
 

HAWAI’I RAINBOW WAHINE (23-8, 14-4 Big West)Head Coach: Robyn Ah Mow (Seventh Season)
Record at UH: 133-42 
Big West Record: 93-11
 7TH-SEED – IOWA STATE CYCLONES (20-9, 11-7 Big XII)Head Coach: Christy Johnson-Lynch (19th Season)
Overall Series Record: First Meeting
 SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA LIONS (28-4, 17-1 Southland Conference)Head Coach: Jeremy White (Fifth Season)

Overall Series Record: First meeting

2ND-SEED – OREGON DUCKS (26-5, 16-4 PAC-12)

Head Coach: Matt Ulmer (Seventh Season)
Overall Series Record: UH, 7-5. 
Streak: UO, won last four.
Last meeting: UO swept UH in the first tournament of the season, 21-25, 21-25, 15-25

2023 OUTRIGGER BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP RECAPUH fought hard down the stretch of the regular season to seize the No. 2 seed and its first round bye. Last week, the Rainbow Wahine swept its way to win the inaugural Big West Championship tournament. Hawai’i swiftly swept both Cal Poly in the semis and host Long Beach State in the championship match en route to winning its fourth-consecutive conference title.

EARNING THE NO. 2 SEED

• Coming into the final week of the regular season, UH was in a three-way tie for second with Cal Poly and Long Beach State.
• Hawai’i came back from an 8-18 deficit in the first set of their Senior NIght, score 10-straight points to knot the score at 18-18 en route to taking Set 1, 25-23.
• UH would defeat the Beach in four sets, 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 25-17 which left UH and CP tied for second.
• UH earned the tiebreaker over No. 3 seed Cal Poly in the third tiebreaking step. After splitting the two-game regular-season series, and matching one another against common opponents starting from the top of the table, it came down to best total win/loss set record in conference matches. With Hawai’i sweeping through 11 opponents and dropping just 15 sets in league action, the ‘Bows earned their semifinal spot.

CONFERENCE TITLETOWN

• Winning the Big West Championship marked Hawai’i’s 13th Big West title
• UH has won eight BW titles since rejoining the league in 2012 (2012, ’13, ’15, ’16, ’19, ’21, ’22,’23)
• Overall, the program has captured 27th total conference title (15-Western Athletic Conference/13-BW).

SEMIFINALS VS. CAL POLY

• UH held off Cal Poly from forcing a fourth set and instead avenged their five set loss at home to the Mustangs earlier in the second round of the BW season. Set scores against Cal Poly were, 25-17, 25-18, and 26-24. The Mustangs served for set point with the score at 24-23 in the third frame, but UH reeled off three straight points capped by an Amber Igiede kill that sealed the sweep..
• Statistically UH notable edged CP in kills (53-36), hitting percentage (.297 to .229), and assists (51-34).
• Hawai’i’s offense with Kate Lang at the controls, saw four Wahine finish with double-digit kills with Caylen Alexander leading the way with 15 kills while Kendra Ham added a double-double of 10 kills and 18 digs and Igiede adding 12 kills on .462 hitting with two service aces and a pair of blocks for the ‘Bows
• Hawai’i’s serving proved impactful, securing seven aces compared to Cal Poly’s two, contributing to their overall control of the match.   
• The Mustangs’ attack was paced by 12 kills on .286 hitting from redshirt sophomore outside hitter Lizzy Markovska. Emme Bullis assisted on 31 scoring plays and scooped up seven digs in the loss. Cal Poly closes the year at 21-10.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH vs. LONG BEACH STATE

• Hawai’i defeated fourth-seed and championship host Long Beach State in a lopsided 3-0 win to claim the 2023 Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship crown. A crowd of 2,237 raucous spectators wearing a lot of green and while helped to cheer on the ‘Bows as the highest 2023 Division I women’s volleyball conference championship final match attendance.
• The ‘Bows core seven played the entire match with no substitutes entering the match. UH hit .330 for the match, including a mind-blowing .667 in the decisive third set.
• The defense held Long Beach State to .123 hitting on the night due in no small part to an 11 to 3 blocking advantage. UH was effective from the service line throughout the match and finished with six.
• The first two sets of the night were back and forth battles, with UH needing an extra point to take the opening frame 26-24. Then in the second, the score was 14-13 after an attack error for UH, but then the ‘Bows went on an 11-2 run to close the set out and head to the third with momentum on their side.
• UH scored the first seven in the third set and stayed hot throughout to end it at 25-10 and send the ‘Bows dancing yet again.   

MVP!

• The Outrigger Big West Championship Most Valuable Player award went to Amber Igiede who led UH with 28 kills, a 4.67 kill/set average, a .490 hit%, and seven blocks. She put down 12 kills on 26 errorless swings for a .462 hitting % and followed with 16 kills on a .522 clip.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TIDBITS

• By clinching the 2023 BW Championship, Hawai’i will make its 30th-straight and 41st overall NCAA Tournament appearance–excluding the 2020 COVID season when The Big West did not compete. The last NCAA field missing UH was in 1992, when the Rainbow Wahine were competing in the WAC.
• Only three teams in NCAA Division I have made the field more often, putting the ‘Bows in exclusive – and elite – company, alongside Stanford (42, Pac-12 AQ in ’23), Nebraska (42, Big 10 AQ in ’23), and Penn State (42).
• Hawai’i most recently played at Oregon in the 2018 NCAA tournament. In Coach Ah Mow’s second season, UH fell in five to Baylor in a heart-wrenching reverse-sweep
• The Rainbow Wahine have won four national titles in its history (AIAW-1979, NCAA-1982, ’82, ’87)

AWARDS & HONORS

ALL-BIG WEST HONORS

• Six Rainbow Wahine earned all-Big West honors.
• Igiede became just the third UH player to ever earn All-BW First Team honors all four years, joining only Norene Iosia (2016-19) and Nikki Taylor  (2013-16). (UH has had others earn all-first team honors, but they’re split between years when UH was in the BW and the WAC.)
• Igiede, a four-year starter at middle blocker, led the league in hitting percentage (.396), kill per set (3.74), total points (480.5) and points per set (4.62). She leads the team with 113 total blocks and 23 service aces as well. This year she became just the fourth Rainbow Wahine in history to join the 1,000 kill/500 block club. Currently, she has career totals of 1,325 kills and 514 blocks. The multi-dimensional Igiede has become a dominant force in the middle over her career and this season she was the only UH player to record at least a kill, block, and dig in all 29 matches.
• For the third-straight season, setter Kate Lang earned all-BW honors making the second team along with middle Kennedi Evans who improve exponentially as the season went on. Receiving Honorable Mention awards were Caylen Alexander and Paula Guersching  while rookie Tali Hakas made the Big West All-Freshman Team.
• Lang earned All-Big West for the third-straight season. She leads the league in both assist per set (10.48) and total assists (1,090). She leads UH with a team-high 12 double-doubles. With Lang primarily at the controls of the UH offensive attach, the ‘Bows to lead the conference in assists per set, kills per set, total assists, total attacks and is ranked No. 2 in hitting percentage. She earned a league record eight Big West Setter of the Week awards this season.
• Evans, the other half of UH’s twin towers in the middle, had a stand-out season after transferring to UH last season. She has started every match and finished fourth on the team with 173 kills with a .300 overall hitting percentage with a 1.68 kill/set average. In conference, Evans raised her game to another level—averaging 1.95 kills/set with 119 kills and a .346 hitting percentage. Overall she is second on the team with 81 total blocks.
• For the second-straight season, Alexander earned All-Big West honors with a place on the honorable mention list. In just 90 sets, Alexander finished the regular season ranked second on the team with 267 kills and a 2.97 kills/set average. She has career season high averages of 2.97 kills/set, 2.12 digs per set, and 43 total blocks.
• After starting the season on the sidelines due to an injury suffered during double-days, Guersching got off to a slow start, but she finished strong. In conference action, she is second on the team putting down 125 kills to average 2.40 kills/set with a .265 hitting percentage. She leads the team in BW play with 15 service aces (tied with Kendra Ham) and has 77 digs and 20 total blocks.
• Hakas finished the regular season on fire, putting down double-digit kills in three of the last four matches. Overall, she finished with 115 total kills, 128 digs and 30 blocks.

TEAM AWARDS

• With all the senior families in town for Senior Night, the Rainbow Wahine hosted its annual banquet this past Sunday.
• Senior Amber Igiede won the Most Valuable Player, Best Attacker, and Best Blocker awards for the second straight season.
• Senior middle blocker Kennedi Evans was named the team’s Most Improved Player
• Rookie pin-hitter Tali Hakas earned the Most Inspirational Player award
• Senior Riley Wagoner won the Best Defender award
• Freshman outside hitter Stella Adeyemi won the Coaches’ Award for her relentless work ethic and effort every day of the week.

NEWS & NOTESTHE STARTING LINEUP SHUFFLE

• Hawai’i had started seven different line up combinations in the regular season…and played the final two matches in the BW Championships with its eight lineup with Caylen Alexander and Riley Wagoner at outside hitter, Kendra Ham at opposite, Amber Igiede and Kennedi Evans at middle, Kate Lang at setter and Tayli Ikenaga at libero. This starting seven played the entire BW Championship match and much of the semifinal match as well.
• UH’s two middles, Igiede and Evans and setter Lang are the only UH players who have started every match this season. UH’s depth has given the coaches the opportunity to plug in players at any positions–most notably at the pins. Getting starts throughout the season were Caylen Alexander and Paula Guersching, who both earned BW Honorable Mention honors on Tuesday, as well as libero/defensive specialist Talia Edmonds who traded places with Tayli Ikenaga who has started the last 11 matches.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• In the Big West Championship tournament, Hawai’i’s scrappy, never-say-die defense was stifling.
• UH out-dug their two opponents, 91-to-68
• The Rainbow Wahine also out-blocked their opponents, 14-to-7. Against the Beach, who had out-blocked UH in its two previous meetings this season, Hawai’i out-blocked LBSU, 11-to-3.

TOUGH SCHEDULE

• UH’s pre-season schedule turned out to be one of the toughest with nine of 11 matches coming against Top 50 teams (San Diego, Oregon, USC (two matches), Pepperdine, UCLA, TCU, and Florida State). UH went 5-3 against Top 50 teams in the preseason.
• In all, UH faced nine Top 50 teams (with BW foe UC Santa Barbara included)
• In all, Hawai’i took on 10 teams in the Top 100 which included Long Beach State and Northwestern of the Big Ten.

THANKFUL FOR THE CONFERENCE TOURNEY

• With four losses in conference action this season, and after top seeded UCSB going down in the semifinals of the BW Championships, UH had reason to be thankful at Thanksgiving for a second life.
• Even though UH’s RPI going into last week was in the 50’s, Hawai’i’s shot of extending its NCAA streak to 30 was slim going into the championship tourney.
• With the Gauchos falling in the semifinals to the Beach, it was imperative that the ‘Bows win the tourney for a chance to advance…and advance they did with a pair of dominant sweeps..

IGIEDE RISING TO RARE HEIGHTS

• Igiede became just the fourth UH player in history to record over 1,000 kills and 500 blocks–joining only Angelica Ljungqvist (1993-96), Suzanne Eagye (1984-87) and Deitre Collins (1980-83) as the only Rainbow Wahine to reach those milestones. Ljungqvist, who was the 1996 AVCA National Player of the Year, amassed 1,570 kills and 733 blocks. Eagye, who won the 1987 NCAA tile, is UH’s all-time block leader and had 1,553 kills/743 blks. Deitre Collins, the 1983 Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year recorded 1,385 kills/500 blocks. Igiede is the first player since Ljungqvist to join the elite club.
• Currently, Igiede has 1,353 career kills and 521 total blocks
• She is ranked No. 12 in UH history and is now chasing Nikki Taylor’s 1,377 career kills at No. 11.
• Igiede leads the conference with a .401 hitting percentage, 3.79 kills/set, 516.5 total points, 4.70 points/set, and is second in the BW with 417 total kills–which is a career high for her.
• The versatile Igiede, has nine matches this year with at least a kill, a block, a dig, an assist, and a service ace–including UH’s last match at Cal State Fullerton.
• Her streak of recording at least a kill, a dig and a block was snapped at 30 after coming away from the Championship match with zero digs for the first time this season.
• For her career, she has put down at least one kill in all 120 career match and has been in on at least one block in 119 out of 120 career matches played.
• This past summer, Igiede trained with the nation’s elite collegiate players. She was invited to train with the U.S. Women’s National Team led by head coach Karch Kiraly.
• Earlier this season against USC (Sept. 2), Igiede became the 21st Rainbow Wahine to record 1,000 career kills. She was the first since McKenna Granato accomplished the feat in 2018. She also is No. 6 in career blocks with 483.

LANG LEADING THE BIG WEST.

• Junior setter Kate Lang had arguably two of her best matches as a Rainbow Wahine during the Big West Championships last week. She issued a combined 80 assists, averaging 13.33 assists/set with 20 digs in the tournament.
• Although Lang earned a spot on the All-BW second team, she earned BW Setter of the Week honors eight times this season. Throughout the season, she continuously led the league in assists/set (10.66) and 1,170 total assists which are both career high
• Lang leads UH with 13 double-doubles on the year
• This season, she has raised her assist per set average to a career-best 10.64
• Earlier this season, Lang scooped up a career-high 22 digs at UC Santa Barbara.

HAM COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH

• Senior opposite Kendra Ham has started the last six matches and 22 matches overall this season
• In the BW Championship tourney, she was a key factor, putting down  17 kills, 2.83 k/s while hitting .310. She also dealt a team-high five service aces with a team-high 21 digs plus 21 digs.
• Overall the senior from San Diego, Calif. has recorded career highs with 146 kills, 26 blocks.
• Against Cal Poly (the school she transferred from) in the Championship semifinals, she posted her second double-double of the season with 10 kills and a career-high 18 digs.

ALEXANDER PROVIDING POWER surge

• Sophomore Caylen Alexander  got the starting nod in both of UH’s BW Championship matches, and she did not disappoint. With the Mustangs trying to focus on stopping Igiede in the middle, that opened up opportunities for others at the pins. Against Cal Poly in the semis,  the Alpharetta, Ga.-native pounded a match-high 15 kills coming from all areas on the court. When playing six rotations, she provides another attack option from the back row and has the athleticism to give another dimension to the UH offense
• She has started 24 of UH’s matches and played in 96 sets.
• Alexander worked hard in the off-season to improve not only her offensive weapons but mostly her defensive deficiencies. She has 85 more digs and 22 more blocks than she had last season when she was voted the BW Freshman of the Year.

EVANS SOLID IN THE MIDDLE

• After sitting on the sidelines for much of last season recovering from a knee injury after transferring from Utah, middle Kennedi Evans has come back stronger and has made a definite  impact on the team
• Overall, she has put down a career-high 184 kills and a 1.69 hitting percentage.
• In conference action she raised her numbers even more. On offense, she hit has recorded 119 kills while hitting .346, while coming through with 46.0 total blocks.
• She has recorded four double-digit kill matches this season and is hitting an even .300 for the season.

HAKAS PLAYING FOR MORE

• Freshman pin-hitter Tali Hakas worked her way back into the starting lineup in UH’s last four regular season matches and she did not disappoint, putting down double-digit kills in three of the four matches
• Against the Anteaters, she was in on a career-high six blocks while hitting .348 with 11 kills, three errors on 23 swings. Hakas also added seven digs and tallied a career-high 14.0 points in the match.
• At Cal State Fullerton, Hakas put down 11 kills with eight digs, two aces, an assist and one block.
• In her rookie season, the Israel-native has put down 115 kills with 128 digs, 30 blocks and nine service aces.
• Hakas came to UH after serving her mandatory time in the Israeli National Army. She finished her military career at the rank of sergeant. With her two brothers still involved in the military and her country under siege, Hakas has had a tough time.

IKENAGA SOLIDIFIES BACK ROW

• Junior Tayli Ikenaga worked her way back into the starting lineup at libero since UH’s loss at UC Santa Barbara (10/13/23).
• She was the starting libero for her first two seasons at UH.
• Ikenaga started the final four sets at UCSB where she came up with a season-high 17 digs. She got the starting nod in the following match at Cal Poly and scooped up a team-high 12 digs with three assists and two aces. She was targeted 20 times without a serve-receive error against the Mustangs.
• She has double-digit digs in ten matches–including a season-high 18 at Cal State Fullerton
• Since returning to the starting lineup, she has had nine double-digit dig matches–including a season-high 18 at Cal State Fullerton

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