On Saturday afternoon, Lauretta Sewake did what she has done for three decades of men’s volleyball matches.
“I just sat down and yelled,” said Sewake, who watched the telecast of Hawaii’s sweep of Brigham Young in the NCAA championship match at home. “I didn’t want my neighbors to hear me, but I think they heard me say something, especially after they won.”
Sewake, Lenora Yagi and Florence Kim are known as the “Aunties,” end-line regulars who provide lei for players and coaches every home match. Because of the pandemic, they were not able to travel to Columbus, Ohio, for the championships.
“It was such a good match,” Sewake said. “They deserved that trophy. I sat on the chair next to the TV because I wanted to be close to them. I felt so sad we couldn’t send them lei.”
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he sent the Rainbow Warriors this message: “Just when we needed it most, you guys delivered big time. You made everyone in Hawaii so very proud.”
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After University of Hawaii was eliminated in the Big West tournament’s semifinals two weeks ago, Blangiardi watched replays of that loss three times “just to see where they went wrong. They weren’t themselves (against UC San Diego),” he said. “It didn’t surprise me they came back with a vengeance to win the national championship. The fact they got to play BYU was almost poetic. Of all the universities in the country for a national title, given the storied rivalry with that school through football, Hawaii and BYU, it was perfect. And to win in three sets, it was commanding.”
The outcome also resonated through the program’s past. Eyal Zimet was an outside hitter on the UH team that beat Pepperdine in the 2002 championship match, a title that was revoked two years later because a teammate had been an unpaid member of a professional team. That affiliation is no longer against NCAA policy, but the Warriors’ title has not been restored.
While Zimet insisted the Warriors are deserving of the 2002 title, he praised Saturday’s outcome. “This is a long time coming,” he said. “I cannot be prouder. … I’m super proud of the team. The staff right now has been doing a tremendous job connecting with the alumni. I’m proud of them. I’m a Warrior for life.”
Taylor Averill, a former UH middle blocker, said he watched Saturday’s third set. “I’m so happy they won the way they did after not getting to finish the last season,” said Averill, referencing the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season. “They got to finish business. It’s great, dude. I feel the program has been fighting for a while, and to see them take it home, it’s great. Honestly, I was like, ‘Finally.’”
Former UH volleyball star Jason Olive has known outside hitters Colton Cowell and Chaz Galloway for several years through the Manhattan Beach Six Man tournament, which draws crowds up to 20,000. When Cowell was younger, he would play pepper with Olive’s team. The tournament encourages teams to play in costumes and Olive’s team often dressed in “Magnum P.I.” attire.
After Saturday’s second set, Olive texted “congratulations” to Galloway, acknowledging the contributions of a quick defensive player and fourth-option attacker.
“Whatever those guys were playing for, they were playing for something bigger than a volleyball championship,” Olive said. “That’s why you beat a team like BYU, which is incredibly good, professional-level good. They broke the back of a team that has four guys that are going to play Division I Italian volleyball if they want to. It was so impressive. They did it with ball control. Hawaii developed such a deep roster. All those guys agreeing to come back. It was too much depth at too many positions for anybody in the country to handle, all of it surrounded by ball control.”
Two years ago, Alan Hackbarth attended the NCAA title match in which Long Beach State rallied to beat UH.
“It was so heartbreaking,” said Hackbarth, a former UH football player who used to dance as “Rubber-Band Man” during volleyball timeouts. “To see them come through this year, and the way they did, and who they did it against, it was completely amazing. I’m so proud.”
Following aloha point, Hackbarth almost — almost — conjured his acrobatic past in his living room. “I’m too old to do a back flip,” Hackbarth said. “But if I were younger, I would have done something. We were jumping up and down screaming. We were so excited.”
Rich Sheriff, who manages SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, has watched the Warriors’ sacrifices. “They had temporary locker rooms all season,” Sheriff said. “They worked their butts off. They definitely brought their ‘A’ game and earned the championship.”
For more than 15 years, Sheriff has tucked away the banner commemorating the 2002 title match. Sheriff said he is ready to put up the 2021 banner.
CELEBRATION TIME
A drive-by celebration is scheduled to be held outside SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center after the Rainbow Warriors return to Honolulu today.
The event is scheduled to run from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Fans will be allowed to drive into the lower campus and will make a loop around the UH athletic complex. The team will be stationed near the Dole Street entrance outside the arena. Fans will be allowed to take photos from their cars, but UH requests that no lei be brought to the event.
The UH band is slated to perform and team photos will be handed out to fans attending the celebration.
