The University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team was among the teams receiving votes in the AVCA Division I Preseason Poll, and the Rainbow Wahine will face four teams ranked inside of the Top 25 during the nonconference schedule.
The Rainbow Wahine received 48 points, 35th most in the poll released Monday. The two-time defending Big West Conference champions advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last December and open the season against Texas A&M on Aug. 26 in College Station, Texas.
The Wahine then face No. 6 Pittsburgh and No. 25 San Diego over the next two days in the Texas A&M Invitational.
The Outrigger Volleyball Challenge includes a meeting with No. 12 UCLA on Sept. 4 at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. The Wahine close the nonconference schedule with a two-match series with No. 25 Southern Cal on Sept. 9 and 10 in Manoa.
UH makes its home debut on Sept. 1 against Texas State, which received three points in the poll.
Nebraska enters the season at No. 1 with 24 first-place votes and 1,538 points, just ahead of Texas (27, 1,528). Texas’ roster includes three players from Hawaii in senior setter Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (‘Iolani), sophomore libero Keonilei Akana (Kamehameha) and freshman outside hitter Devin Kahahawai (Kamehameha).
Wahine seventh in BWC soccer poll
The University of Hawaii soccer team placed seventh in the Big West Conference preseason coaches poll released Monday.
UH received 47 points in voting among the conference’s 11 coaches. UC Irvine topped the poll, with Cal Poly and Long Beach State tied for second.
Rainbow Wahine forward Kelci Sumida was the lone UH player voted to the preseason all-conference team. Sumida led the Wahine with five goals last season and accounted for UH’s score in Sunday’s exhibition 1-1 draw with Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz.
The Wahine open the regular season on Thursday against Western Athletic Conference favorite Grand Canyon in Phoenix.
The field for the Big West tournament was expanded from four to six teams starting this season.
Honolulu falls in Junior League WS
Honolulu Little League will face an elimination game in the Junior League Baseball World Series today after falling to Corpus Christi, Texas, 13-1 on Monday in Taylor, Mich.
Corpus Christi, the Southwest Region representative, jumped out to a 6-0 lead on a three-run home run in the first inning and another in the second and held Honolulu (1-1) to one hit in the five-inning run-rule victory.
Honolulu will meet Loudoun South Little League (Virginia) in an elimination game today at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
