The destination will be new.
The atmosphere will be familiar.
The University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team departs today for the program’s first trip to Fairfax, Va., where the Rainbow Warriors will continue their quest for a third consecutive national championship.
They’ll make their debut in EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University in the semifinal round of the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship on Thursday well versed in the pomp and protocols inherent in competing in an NCAA tournament.
Six current Warriors were freshmen on the 2019 team that lost to Long Beach State in the NCAA final at the Walter Pyramid. Fourteen celebrated UH’s 2021 national title in Columbus, Ohio, and 17, including all seven starters, returned following last year’s repeat title in Los Angeles.
So the Warriors enter the program’s ninth NCAA Tournament with a clear idea of what to expect when they arrive in Virginia.
“It was evident last year that we’d kind of been there, done that,” said UH coach Charlie Wade, who also noted the Warriors “play in a postseason environment literally every night, home and road.”
“Hat’s off to the NCAA, they make it feel like a big deal and if you’ve never been then it’s, ‘wow it’s a big deal.’ But our guys have been repeatedly in it every year and it’s just part of their daily life and has been part of their postseason life. They’re very comfortable navigating it. Last year I could see it was an advantage for us.”
How that experience translates to the court will be revealed on Thursday when second-seeded UH (28-2) faces Penn State (26-3) or Ohio State (23-9) in the semifinal round of a high-powered bracket.
The Warriors will go through their final on-campus practice this afternoon before departing for Fairfax today. A send-off for the team is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. behind SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
George Mason was initially slated to host the 2020 NCAA championship before the season was canceled due to the pandemic and had its turn pushed to this season.
The Warriors made a trip to the Eastern time zone in late January for three matches in North Carolina and their scheduled arrival into Virginia on Tuesday will allow them a chance to scout the Penn State-Ohio State match in 10,000-seat EagleBank Arena.
The Warriors had a week to recharge after capturing their second straight Big West tournament title, and the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA bracket, with a four-set win at UC Irvine.
The veteran nature of the roster also figures to help the Warriors remain in the moment in their push to become the first team to win three consecutive titles since UCLA won four straight from 1981 to ’84.
“They absolutely know and believe they can do it, so it’s just staying focused on how to make it happen,” Wade said. “Nobody assumes it’s going to happen, so I think they handle it well.
“These guys know what we’re doing. It doesn’t ensure that you’re going to win, but it allows you to go through the process with less distraction.”
The seven-team bracket was reduced by one on Sunday when Ohio State, the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion., swept King (Tenn.) University of Conference Carolinas 25-20, 25-16, 36-34 in an opening-round match. The marathon third set included 22 ties and six lead changes before the Buckeyes finished off the sweep.
Ohio State outside hitter Jacob Pasteur, the MIVA Player of the Year, put away 17 kills on 21 swings to hit .667 and the Buckeyes advanced to face Penn State, effectively the third seed, at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Ohio State knocked off then-No. 1 Penn State — fresh off winning UH’s Outrigger Volleyball Invitational — in five sets on March 21 on the Nittany Lions’ home court in State College, Pa. UH has been ranked No. 1 ever since.
The NCAA Tournament’s two at-large teams, Long Beach State and Grand Canyon, meet in Tuesday’s 11 a.m. match.
The Beach (20-4), which fell to UH in last year’s NCAA final, and Lopes (20-7) were swept in the semifinals of the Big West and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournaments, but were granted new life in the NCAA Tournament. The winner will face top-seeded UCLA (29-2) in the semifinals on Thursday.
NCAA MEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
At EagleBank Arena; Fairfax, Va.
Opening Round (Sunday)
Ohio State def. King (Tenn.) 25-20, 25-16, 36-34
Quarterfinals (Tuesday, ESPN3)
Long Beach State (20-4) vs. Grand Canyon (20-7), 11 a.m.
Penn State (26-3) vs. Ohio State (23-9), 1:30 p.m.
Semifinals (Thursday, ncaa.com)
UCLA (29-2) vs. LBSU/GCU winner, 11 a.m.
Hawaii (28-2) vs. Penn State/Ohio State winner, 1:30 p.m.
Championship (Saturday, ESPN2)
Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.
>> Radio: UH matches on 1420-AM/92.7-FM
