Several times this season, Hawaii men’s volleyball coach Charlie Wade has described a player’s progress as “ascendant.”
The same can be said for the run up to the return of this week’s Outrigger Volleyball Invitational.
The nonconference schedule has seemingly built toward the tournament at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, which will be the epicenter of NCAA men’s volleyball starting Thursday. Four teams with a combined record of 59-7 — headlined by the top three in the national polls — will converge for the three-day showcase in the first Outrigger Invitational since 2020.
“It’s great to have the Outrigger back in all its glory,” Wade said in a media session on Tuesday.
“This has been the premier event in men’s collegiate volleyball for a long, long time, and this promises to be one of the best versions of it. So I think is probably the most anticipated weekend in men’s volleyball this season.”
The Outrigger’s 27th edition opens Thursday with No. 2 UCLA (17-1) facing No. 3 Penn State (15-1) at 4 p.m. in a rematch of the Bruins’ four-set win on the Nittany Lions’ home court on Feb. 4.
The Warriors (15-0) then face Purdue Fort Wayne (12-5) at 7 p.m. UH takes on Penn State on Friday and the volleyball-fest culminates with the renewal of the Warriors’ storied rivalry with UCLA.
“Just getting all that together three days in a row is going to be huge,” UH setter Jakob Thelle said. “I know all of the eyes of volleyball are looking at us right now.”
UH enters the tournament — and its final tests before a visit from Long Beach State to open Big West play — with a 24-match winning streak overall and a program-record 28-match run at home. The Warriors extended both with a series sweep of No. 7 Pepperdine last week.
Thelle returned to the lineup after a two-week absence and directed the Warriors to a .413 hitting percentage in the series. The load management paid off with Thelle asserting himself offensively and from the service line in the series finale last Friday.
When folks ask about his health these days, the Norwegian turned local boy responds simply, “cherry.”
“That’s the way I feel now,” he said. “I’m just fired up and ready to go this weekend.”
UH outside hitter Spyros Chakas is coming off a series in which he hit .547 with 33 kills with four errors in 53 attacks. The junior’s production while scoring from the back row and the pins (along with four aces) earned the junior his third Big West Offensive Player of the Week award of the season.
“He’s an incredible player and he proves that he’s the best player in the NCAA right now,” Thelle said. “And just his presence, his confidence, his ability to do literally everything on the court is helping us so much more and giving us a lot of the calmness of the team right now.
“He’s also a great guy, so we’ll just take pride in that and keep working together.”
Planning ahead
Large crowds are anticipated for this weekend’s events, so fans should plan ahead for heavy traffic getting into UH’s Lower Campus.
Along with the Outrigger Invitational, the UH baseball team plays host to UConn at 6:35 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The UH softball team will also be in action in the Outrigger Rainbow Wahine Classic at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
27th Outrigger Volleyball Invitational
At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
>> When: Thursday to Saturday
>> TV: UH matches on Spectrum Sports
>> Radio: UH matches on 1420-AM / 92.7-FM
Tournament schedule
Thursday — No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 3 Penn State, 4 p.m.; Purdue Fort Wayne vs. No. 1 Hawaii, 7 p.m.
Friday — UCLA vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, 4 p.m.; Penn State vs. Hawaii, 7 p.m.
Saturday — Purdue Fort Wayne vs. Penn State, 4 p.m.; UCLA vs. Hawaii, 7 p.m.
