Hawaii heads into this week’s NCAA women’s volleyball tournament with the same national ranking it has held since Nov. 11.
The Rainbow Wahine (24-3) remained at No. 18 for the fourth consecutive week in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. Hawaii, riding an 11-match winning streak, is hosting the NCAA first and second rounds for the first time since 2013, and will play Big Sky champion Northern Colorado in Friday’s second match at the Stan Sheriff Center.
UNC (26-7) is the lone unranked team in the Honolulu subregional. In Friday’s 4:30 p.m. opener, No. 20 San Diego (24-5) faces No. 23 Washington State (23-9).
Three of the teams won their conferences: Hawaii (Big West, 14-2), UNC (Big Sky, 17-1) and San Diego (West Coast, 17-1). Washington State finished fifth in the Pac-12 (12-8).
The top six in the poll remained unchanged, led by Baylor at No. 1 (25-1, 43 first-place votes). Pitt (29-1, 11 votes) stayed at No. 2, followed by No. 3 Stanford (24-4, 10 votes), No. 4 Texas (21-3), No. 5 Wisconsin (22-6) and No. 6 Nebraska (25-4).
Baylor also was awarded the overall No. 1 seed in this week’s NCAA tournament. The No. 2 seed went to Texas, with Stanford No. 3 and Wisconsin No. 4. Hawaii is in Wisconsin’s region and, barring any upsets, the Wahine would be in Madison for the third round on Dec. 13.
Two-day ticket packages for this week’s matches go on sale Wednesday at 9 a.m. and can be purchased online at etickethawaii.com, at the Sheriff Center Box Office from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., or by calling 944-2697 during box office hours.
All lower level seats are $44. Upper level seats are $32 (adult), $26 (seniors 65-up) and $14 (ages 4-high school and college students with valid ID).
Any remaining individual session tickets will go on sale Friday at 9 a.m. The Wahine sold out their last home match on Nov. 22, the 15th for the program in the 25-year history of the arena.
