No matter the time or place, if Hawaii sophomore outside hitter Louis Sakanoko recognizes a face, he will always walk over to say hi and shake hands.

So it should be no surprise that his recruiting game is also top level.

Adrien Roure, a 6-foot-5 freshman outside hitter, was teammates with Sakanoko in France’s national team program when Sakanoko enrolled at UH just prior to the start of last season.

Roure, who led France’s U19 team to a win in the FIVB World Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was being recruited by Hawaii coach Charlie Wade but wasn’t sure if he would attend college in the United States or start playing volleyball professionally.

Sakanoko saw an opportunity for Hawaii to add a valuable player to the squad and took it upon himself to make sure Roure wouldn’t go anywhere else.

“He called me a lot,” Roure said. “Louis Sakanoko is a big part of why I decided to come here. He came last year and would call me all of the time telling me to come here.”

That begged the question. How did Sakanoko sell Roure on Hawaii?

“The fans. He just kept talking about the fans and how crazy it is,” Roure said. “Honestly, I can’t wait. When I see all of these seats in front of me empty (during practice) I can’t wait to see them full.”

Roure got a taste of what it will be like on Monday when he debuted with a “modest” .615 hitting percentage on eight kills in 13 swings in front of more than 4,000 people who attended a collegiate exhibition match the day before New Year’s Eve.

Roure had most coaches recruiting him believing he wasn’t interesting in coming to America, including Wade, who didn’t realize the opportunity in front of him until talking to Sakanoko.

“He said (Adrien) did want to come, so I jumped on a plane and went over there,” Wade said. “I went and met Louis and his family in early December and I went in February to meet Adrien and wrapped it up and here he is.”

Roure had never been to the United States until September, when he came to the University of Hawaii for the first time.

Fortunately he had studied English growing up and knew enough to be able to communicate with people, but he still relied on Sakanoko for help.

The transition was also made easier by his other teammates.

“Everyone is really kind on this team and it was really easy to make friends,” Roure said. “I had Louis with me and I knew some guys who I had played against in world championships, but these guys have made it a lot easier for me.”

Roure said this is his 10th season of volleyball after originally playing basketball as a child.

“Volleyball was boring at a young age,” he said.

It wasn’t until Wade started recruiting him at the world championships in Argentina two years ago that playing volleyball in Hawaii first entered his mind.

Stepping into the practice gym at UH for the first time, Roure was immediately taken aback at the quality of players on the floor with him.

“People back home talk a lot about the difference between pro and Division I, but I think I was really surprised,” Roure said. “I was expecting a little bit less. The guys on the team train so hard and are really good, and it made me ready to go from the first time I started practicing with them.”

He says it is hard to believe he hasn’t been in Hawaii for four full months yet, but he has already picked up on some of the local favorites.

Rarely does a day go by in which he doesn’t end up in a 7-Eleven at some point.

“I’d say the spam musubi. I go, like, every day. That and the poke bowl at Foodland. Those are for sure my best ones.”

With Hawaii replacing three of its four outside hitters from last season, Roure was well aware his number would likely be called right away.

He said he played in front of 5,000 fans once in Cambodia when France’s junior national team played Cambodia’s senior team.

Whatever the crowd number is for tonight’s home opener, Roure said it will be a dream come true.

“I’m pumped up. We’re a pretty young team, but that will be a good strength for us,” Roure said. “I think people will see that we’re just a bunch of friends who play together that will work hard.”