COLUMBUS, Ohio >> The skies matched the collective mood of the Hawaii men’s volleyball team as the Rainbow Warriors flew out of John Glenn Columbus International on Friday morning,

Grey.

It also was a dreary reminder of who had ended Hawaii’s national title run less than 12 hours earlier. The grey and scarlet of Ohio State. But falling short in the NCAA semifinal against the defending national champion also was reflected in the morning skies as the clouds eventually cleared, the promise of sun … eventually.

“This was a team that was good enough to win a national championship,” Rainbow Warriors coach Charlie Wade said. “We weren’t good enough (Thursday) against a really good team that played really good at home.

“My takeaway is it was a great year beyond the results. It was about the stories of growth and development of these young men. I’m impressed with who they are and who they will become in their communities. It’s an impressive group (of seniors) and their impact on this program will be felt for years to come.”

Wade recalled a conversation he had with his former associate head coach, Jeff Hall, who held that position with the Rainbow Wahine until earlier this week, when he was named the full-time head beach coach.

“We would talk about dealing with 19- to 20-year-olds and he said you’ll never get a team where everybody buys in,” Wade said. “But we’re going to try.

“No doubt these guys fully bought into everything we asked them to do and they did it professionally and in the right way.”

Statistically, the legacy of the 2017 Hawaii squad was impressive. Not only did the Warriors match the win total of the 1996 national runner-up (27), they continued two streaks that started in the 2016 season and will carry both into 2018. UH has won 22 straight at the Stan Sheriff Center and 13 consecutive in conference play.

In their final season of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation membership, the Warriors also won 15 consecutive matches, four shy of tying the record set by the 2006 squad, and one away from tying the 2015 team that also reached the NCAA play-in match. During that run, Hawaii also won a program-best 32 consecutive sets.

Of all the streaks, the Warriors are most proud of going 18-0 at home.

While not reaching the rock-star status of the 1995-96 teams led by Yuval Katz and Aaron Wilton, the Warriors regained the title of national attendance leaders, one they had ceded to Brigham Young last season. Bolstered by a season-high 6,691 in the MPSF quarterfinal against Pepperdine, Hawaii averaged 3,795 to the Cougars’ 3,598.

Hawaii has led the country in attendance 19 of the past 23 years, with 17 straight from 1995 to 2011, in 2015 and again in 2017.

“I just want to say thank you,” said outside hitter Kupono Fey, one of Hawaii’s four seniors, all of whom will graduate next weekend. “Growing up as a local boy, you don’t know what it means.

“Playing at home in front of family and friends and fans is a dream come true, a dream I didn’t know I had. It made me feel alive.”

“Not being from the state it was having the feeling of being part of the family,” said setter Jennings Franciskovic, who is from California. “ We had 5,000 people a night who love you so much, support you so much. You don’t get that anywhere else.

“I’ll come back 10 years from now and I’ll feel the same things. Everyone on the teams feels that way. This has been a family away from home and I’m really happy to say I was a part of it.”

Franciskovic twice earned All-America distinction — honorable mention in 2015 and this week becoming just the third Hawaii setter to be named to the first team. His 2,928 assists ranks him seventh on the program’s all-time career list.

Franciskovic was one of four Warriors recognized by the AVCA this week. Joining him on the first team was sophomore opposite Stijn van Tilburg, while Tui Tuileta was named to the second team in his first year of playing libero and senior middle Hendrik Mol was on the honorable mention list.

Those four also were named to various All-MPSF teams, as were Fey (honorable mention), middle Patrick Gasman (all-freshman) and opposite Rado Parapunov (all-freshman). It gave Hawaii a league-high seven players honored.

Hawaii came into the week ranked No. 1 nationally in blocks, with Gasman No. 8 and Mol No. 11. The Warriors were also No. 1 in kills per set, No. 3 in assists per set, No. 4 in hitting percentage, No. 6 in digs per set and No. 10 in opponent hitting percentage.

Hawaii returns four starters next season in van Tilburg, Tuileta, Gasman and incoming junior Brett Rosenmeier, as well as another four who have been in and out of the starting lineup in incoming juniors Joe Worsley, a setter, and middle Dalton Solbrig; and incoming sophomores Parapunov and outside hitter Austin Matautia. The Warriors have several redshirts in the wings as well, as the only recruit signed to play next season in Gage Worsley, younger brother of Joe, who is considered the best libero in the country.

Wade also has been looking at several middle blockers at the junior college level.

“I think Hawaii has a bright future,” said Ohio State coach Pete Hanson, his team looking to defend its national title today against Brigham Young. It is a rematch of last year’s championship match won by the Buckeyes 3-0.

All four of the graduating seniors expect to continue their volleyball careers, including Iain McKellar, who’ll play in his native England and finish a master’s degree. Fey and Franciskovic are looking for pro careers oversees, while Mol returns to his native Norway hoping to qualify for the Norwegian beach team in the 2020 Olympics.

There were a lot of tears after Thursday’s match, some making their way to the postgame press conference. Mol, however, added some lightness after asked about his feelings about having worn the Hawaii uniform for the last time.

“I think I’ll keep a couple of jerseys and wear them at home, so it won’t be the last time,” he said. “Tonight was an emotional moment for us. It’s huge to be carrying the Hawaiian flag on our jerseys.”

One legacy that likely will be carried on is the Viking chant that was done prior to the aloha ball serve. It traveled all the way to Columbus and was used one last time on Tuesday as Matautia served for the match in Set 5 against Penn State in the NCAA play-in match.