Wahine will play 6 teams that made NCAA tourney

JAMM AQUINO / MARCH 22

Hawaii setter Norene Iosia battled Texas outside hitter Logan Eggleston during a spring exhibition at Stan Sheriff Center. Iosia is UH’s top returning senior.

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Three home tournaments and a rare one on a nonconference road trip highlight the 2019 schedule for the Hawaii women’s volleyball team that was released on Monday.

Among the 17 home matches is a renewed rivalry with UCLA — one that ended its 44-year run last August due to Hurricane Lane — during the 25th Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Volleyball Challenge set for Sept. 12-14. Hawaii will play West Virginia — coached by former Hilo High standout Reed Sunahara — and Utah Valley before seeing the Bruins for the 76th time on Sept. 14.

The season-opening Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic on Aug. 30-Sept. 1 has St. John’s and Washington meeting in the 4:45 p.m. match followed by Hawaii against San Diego. The field for the Sept. 5-8 Rainbow Wahine Invitational has Army, Sacramento State and Denver.

Hawaii also will travel to the Sept. 21-22 Baylor Tournament in Waco, Texas, its first nonconference road tournament since 2013, when it competed in the Wichita State Shocker Classic in Kansas. The Wahine will face Missouri and the host Bears, the latter of which ended Hawaii’s season in the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament.

The schedule has six teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament: Baylor, Cal Poly, Denver, Missouri, San Diego and Washington.

The Wahine open Big West play on the road at Long Beach State on Sept. 27 and conclude the conference season with the Sharks (formerly known as the 49ers) on Nov. 22 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

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Hawaii returns seven letterwinners from the 18-9 squad that finished second in the Big West (14-2) and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the 37th time. The roster includes seniors Norene Iosia, McKenna Ross and Kirsten Sibley, as well as Oregon transfers Kyra Hanawahine and Jolie Rasmussen.

The schedule release was in conjunction with season tickets going on sale. Tickets are available at the Stan Sheriff Center box office from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays, by phone during the same hours at 944-2697 and online at hawaiiathletics.com Opens in a new tab.