1. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
>> Records: 26-2, 9-1 BWC
>> AVCA ranking: 1
>> NCAA RPI: 3
>> Friday’s opponent: UC Santa Barbara-UC San Diego winner
>> Head coach: Charlie Wade
>> Story line: Setter Jakob Thelle spent seven nonconference matches on the bench resting his knees, and the early downtime appears to be paying off late in the season. The dynamic left-hander directed the Warriors to a league-high .390 hitting percentage in Big West matches and .375 overall while leading the nation with 10.76 assists per set. He’s also one ace away from tying the program’s career record of 121. Opposite Dimitrios Mouchlias leads the Big West with a .395 hitting percentage (among those with at least 3.0 attempts per set) and is second with 3.93 kills per set. UH’s Greek combo of Mouchlias and Spyros Chakas (3.59 kps, .345) have both earned an AVCA National Player of the Week award this season. Middle Guilherme Voss is second in the Big West and fifth nationally with 1.13 blocks per set.
>> Player to watch: Chaz Galloway struggled to score late in the nonconference schedule, but has been tough to stop since the start of BWC play. The high-flying junior hit .398 in conference matches while averaging three kills per set — up from .211 and 2.08 through 17 matches — whether from the left side or out of the back row. His passing is also a key in helping Thelle keep Voss and Cole Hogland involved in the attack.
2. Long Beach State Beach
>> Records: 20-3, 9-1 BWC
>> AVCA ranking: 4
>> NCAA RPI: 4
>> Friday’s opponent: UC Irvine-Cal State Northridge winner
>> Head coach: Alan Knipe
>> Story line: The Beach spent much of the season atop the NCAA’s blocking chart before slipping to second behind UCLA. Still, they average 2.87 blocks per set, with 6-foot-10 Simon Torwie leading the nation at 1.62. Opposite Clarke Godbold is the most productive pin blocker in the conference at 1.10 per set while also averaging 2.80 kills on .302 hitting. Outside hitter Spencer Olivier has continued to elevate his efficiency over his career to hit .367 with 2.82 kps as a senior. All-America libero Mason Briggs (2.40 digs per set) can impact opposing gameplans with his floor defense and knack for keeping setter Aidan Knipe (9.61 aps) in system.
>> Player to watch: Sotiris Siapanis, a 6-3 sophomore, has delivered on-court verve along with a team-high 3.24 kills per set and 38 aces since transferring from Ohio State, where he was an All-MIVA first-teamer and the conference’s Newcomer of the Year.
3. UC Irvine Anteaters
>> Records: 16-10, 6-4 BWC
>> AVCA ranking: 5
>> NCAA RPI: 9
>> Thursday’s opponent: Cal State Northridge
>> Head coach: David Kniffin
>> Story line: The Anteaters were the last undefeated team in Big West play at 6-0 before being swept in a series with UH and again last week against Long Beach State. They led 2-0 in the regular-season finale before the Beach spoiled senior night in the Bren Events Center with the comeback. Opposite Francesco Sani, a 6-8 junior, leads the conference with 3.99 kill per set while hitting .312 and is part of one of the nation’s most dangerous attacks from the service line. UCI ranks fourth nationally with 1.97 aces per set, with sophomore Hilir Henno demonstrating an ability to mix speeds in landing 80 aces in 89 sets.
>> Player to watch: Setter Joe Karlous’ save from the press table in a match with UH went for naught but illustrated the energy the junior exudes on the court. The Pepperdine transfer averages 9.30 assists per set for an attack hitting .316.
4. UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
>> Records: 7-16, 3-7 BWC
>> AVCA ranking: RV
>> NCAA RPI: 26
>> Thursday’s opponent: UC San Diego
>> Head coach: Rick McLaughlin
>> Story line: The Gauchos struggled with injuries and in finishing matches (including six five-set losses) until sweeping last week’s series with CSUN to jump into the fourth seed. Punahou graduate Ryan Wilcox led UCSB to the 2021 Big West title as the tournament’s MVP and remains the featured attacker as a senior. He leads the team with 3.23 kills per set and has posted double-figure totals in 20 of 23 matches this season. His 31 aces, 19 in BWC play, also lead the team. Former UH setter Jack Walmer ranks third in the league with 9.55 assists per set and is also a threat from the service line with 27 aces.
>> Player to watch: After playing in six of UCSB’s first 16 matches, 6-foot-7 opposite Nick Amoruso averaged 3.84 kills per set over the last seven matches of the regular season and put away 16 kills on .394 hitting in Saturday’s win over CSUN.
5. UC San Diego Tritons
>> Records: 8-16, 2-8 BWC
>> AVCA ranking: none
>> NCAA RPI: 29
>> Thursday’s opponent: UC Santa Barbara
>> Head coach: Brad Rostratter
>> Story line: Rostratter, hired in October to replace 17-year head coach Kevin Ring, has leaned heavily on the right arm of senior outside hitter Ryan Ka. The 6-3 senior’s 753 total attacks is third in the Big West and he also ranks third with 3.86 kills per set. A left-hander off the court, he has a season high of 31 kills against Ball State and put away 20 kills in 45 swings in UCSD’s four-set loss to UH last Friday. Nine of those kills came in the first set when the Tritons scored on 22 kills on .600 hitting. But efficiency has otherwise been an issue while hitting a league-low .177 in Big West play and .244 overall.
>> Player to watch: Outside hitter Josh Schellinger figures to be the favorite for BWC Freshman of he Year after claiming the conference’s weekly award four times. He trails Ka with 2.58 kills per set.
6. Cal State Northridge Matadors
>> Records: 115, 1-9 BWC
>> AVCA ranking: RV
>> NCAA RPI: 27
>> Thursday’s opponent: UC Irvine
>> Head coach: Theo Edwards
>> Story line: A CSUN alum, Edwards spent 12 years as an assistant before being elevated following Jeff Campbell’s retirement in December. The Matadors jumped into the AVCA poll thanks to an eight-match winning streak bookended by wins over Stanford, but they’ve dropped 10 straight entering the BWC tournament. Kyle Hobus, a first-team All-Big West pick last year, remains the Matadors’ workhorse with 3.63 kills per set in 776 total attempts. Slowing down attacks has been a challenge, with opponents hitting .314 against CSUN in conference matches.
>> Player to watch: While CSUN dropped both matches with UCSB last weekend, senior Luke Krzmarzick enjoyed a breakout series. He had 11 kills on Friday in place of an injured Hobus and made his first start since the season opener in Saturday’s rematch, when he led the Matadors with 16 kills in just his fifth appearance of the season.
