Chances are the Hawaii men’s volleyball team won’t face a team with a more detailed scouting report than tonight’s opponent.

Rainbow Warriors assistant coach Joshua Walker will see to that.

A prolific UH outside hitter before joining the coaching staff, Walker will be among the former Warriors on the other side of the net from his current players for tonight’s alumni match at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

“I make sure they know I’m going exactly where I know your tendencies are,” Walker said with a laugh.

The best-of-three match between the No. 1 Warriors and the alumni caps a celebration of the program’s growth from its inaugural season in 1979 through last year’s national championship run.

The festivities begin with an all-alumni match at 6:30 p.m., followed by a skills challenge at 7. The varsity vs. alumni match is scheduled to start at 7:30.

Admission to the event is free and arena doors open at 6 p.m. The COVID-19 protocols for entrance into the arena (proof of vaccination or negative test) remain in place.

More than three dozen former players are expected to attend, including recent alums Colton Cowell, a second-team All-American last season; Sinisa Zarkovic (2013-16); Kupono Fey (2014-17) and Larry Tuileta (2017-18). Congressman Kai Kahele (1995-97) is also slated to participate.

Former UH libero Nick Castello (2011-12), now an assistant coach with the Rainbow Wahine indoor and beach teams, is also looking forward to getting back on the court and catching up with his fellow alums.

“You’re looking around the room like, we all walked through these locker rooms, all of us got to represent Hawaii,” Castello said. “So it’s been a special brotherhood and very grateful to be a part of it.

“(The match is) cool for us, but I feel like it’s definitely special for the fans. … Any time we can do stuff like this for them it’s awesome, because they’re connected and part of this whole thing as well.”

Walker played from 2008 to 2011 and joined the coaching staff in 2016 after playing professionally overseas. His current duties include serving as the program’s alumni liaison — keeping former players connected with the program, as well as each other.

“One of the main things was when I played here I didn’t feel as connected to the alumni as I wanted, so I wanted to have the opportunity to give that to our guys,” Walker said. “We had so many great players who came through the program, so it’s building that relationship between the alums and the current players.”

He said the importance of maintaining those relationships came into sharper focus following the death of Masui Allen — who played for UH from 1992 to ’94 — in 2018.

“We didn’t have a way as an alumni group to say condolences as a group,” Walker said. “I just made sure from that point on that I did everything I can to make sure that we are more connected to the alumni more regularly.”

The return of the alumni match after last year’s hiatus comes in a bye week for the Warriors prior to their first road trip of the season. They play a two-match series at Ball State starting Jan. 29 before heading to Texas for the three-match First Point Collegiate Challenge.

After UH’s sweep of Edward Waters last Sunday, UH head coach Charlie Wade mentioned that Walker told the Warriors (4-0), “we’re taking our first loss on Friday.”

“It’s definitely a bit of gamesmanship as far as just trying to rattle them a little bit,” Walker said.

While the alums have a few more years on them since their playing days, there are advantages to experience.

“Me and Josh were just joking like we don’t play as often as they play,” Castello said. “They’re in season, so they’re going to be a little more calibrated in some things, but at the end of the day volleyball is a smart man’s game not a strong man’s game, and I feel collectively we’ll have some volley-minds and we still have some arms too.”

Rainbow Warriors volleyball

At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center

Alumni match

>> When: Today, 6:30 p.m.

>> TV/Radio: None

>> Admission: Free (proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test required for entry)

>> Schedule: all-alumni match, 6:30 p.m.; skills challenge, 7 p.m.; alumni vs. varsity, 7:30 p.m.