This week’s exhibitions with Nittaidai University have a dual purpose for the Hawaii men’s volleyball team. It’s an exchange of culture and as well as competition between the programs in Setagaya, Tokyo, and Manoa.

That duality particularly extends to Rainbow Warrior Cole Hogland. The redshirt freshman opposite has dual citizenship through his Japan-born mother, Sanae Watanabe, and Oregon-born father, Matthew.

It allowed Hogland to compete for the Japanese Under-23 team in the Asian Men’s Championship last year in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. Hogland helped Japan finish third, his best outing of 18 kills coming against tournament runner-up India.

“My goal is to go play pro in Japan and make the national team,” said Hogland, who trained for two months in Japan. “It was a good opportunity, it was kind of a shock.

“They run practices way different than what we do. They don’t have (practice) limits like the NCAA. I would have two practices a day, first at the national training center, then at Waseda (University, about an 18-minute subway ride away). Their training is more ball-control and they worked with me hitting higher. I enjoyed being there. I miss Japan.”

The ‘Iolani graduate grew up enjoying both cultures, often going with his family to Japan to visit his mother’s relatives for months during summer. He started learning the language as a youngster but said he doesn’t speak it well and is taking Japanese classes at Hawaii.

He knows he’ll be able to communicate with the Nittaidai players and “this week is about making friends,” Hogland said. “Even though I don’t know any of them, I’m interested in where they come from.

“I don’t have many friends in Japan. If I ever go back, then I will have met these players. I could go back to the training center and go hang out. I want to make the national team, which will be hard because they already have a good oppo (opposite) and good outside hitters.”

Hogland’s main competition would be opposite Yuji Nishida, who made his pro debut in 2018 at age 17 and was named the best opposite at last year’s FIVB World Cup. Nishida is left-handed, just as is Hogland’s competition on the Hawaii roster: senior opposite Rado Parapunov.

“He is way shorter than Rado,” said Hogland, comparing the 6-foot-1 Nishida to the 6-9 Parapunov. “But Japan also runs a quicker ball to the outside, which works.

“I’m excited to play against them.”

Hogland has played in five sets this season for the top-ranked Warriors (14-0), with a total of seven kills. Five of those came in the Feb. 6 sweep at Queens, where he added his first career ace.

Both exhibitions with Nittaidai (officially Nippon Sports Science University) are at 7 p.m. The teams last met in 2012, with the Warriors winning both “friendlies,” in four sets the first night and in five the second.

Hawaii returns to NCAA competition when it hosts No. 2 Brigham Young (15-0) on March 5 and 6. The Warriors begin Big West play on the road at Cal State Northridge (4-9) on March 13 and 14 in the conference openers for both.