The University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team went coast to coast to build for the future.
Patrick Gasman, a 6-foot-10 middle blocker/opposite from Clovis, Calif., and Brett Rosenmeier, a 6-5 left-side hitter from Virginia Beach, have pledged to join the Rainbow Warriors for the 2015 season.
They said they will sign on Nov. 12, the first day high school seniors may put their commitments in writing.
Gasman and Rosenmeier were teammates on a youth national team. Gasman and setter Joe Worsley, who committed to UH last week, are teammates on the Pacific Rim club that won the 17-under title at the Junior National tournament in Houston this past summer.
Gasman, Rosenmeier and Worsley are on Volleyball Magazine’s "top 25 to watch" list for this season.
Gasman, a senior at Buchanan High, had been in talks with UCLA and UC Irvine. He said selecting Hawaii was partially influenced by the opportunity to play "with teammates and friends."
Two of the Warriors’ middles — Taylor Averill and Davis Holt — will be seniors this coming season.
Rosenmeier said UH’s membership in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation was a big draw.
"Being able to play in the MPSF is a big thing I wanted to do," Rosenmeier said. "I wanted to play against the California teams. That competition really excites me."
He said his final choices were UH and Loyola. He narrowed it to one after his recent visit. One of the stops was to watch a Rainbow Wahine volleyball match in the Stan Sheriff Center.
"When I went to the women’s game there, it was insane," Rosenmeier said. "It took my breath away."
He competed in baseball early, with his youth team reaching a tournament in Cooperstown, N.Y. In high school, he switched allegiance to volleyball.
"I started playing club, and I liked it a lot," Rosenmeier said.
He also competes on the beach volleyball circuit.
Rosenmeier competes for the Coastal Volleyball Club and Cox High School, where the father of former Warrior Joshua Walker works.
During his recruiting visit, Rosenmeier hiked Kaiwa Ridge Trail (to the Pill Box), and hung out at Lanikai Beach.
"I love it there," Rosenmeier said.
