CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM / APRIL 6
The career of Hawaii’s four seniors, from left, Brett Rosenmeier, Joe Worsley, Dalton Solbrig and Stijn van Tilburg, coincided with the coaching career path of alum Josh Walker, a fourth-year assistant.
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Hawaii’s 2019 senior class of Brett Rosenmeier, Dalton Solbrig, Stijn van Tilburg and Joe Worsley had the most victories (90) of any four-year group of Rainbow Warriors.
One could add a fifth Warrior to that in fourth-year assistant Josh Walker. The 2010 second-team All-America hitter never had a 20-win season during his playing career, but he’s had two during his time on the bench, including this season to set a program record with 28 victories.
“As an alum, you always want to think you contribute in some way, feel you helped get the program to where it is,” Walker said. “With this group, it wasn’t just me. A lot of alums came back, whether it was physically to talk to the guys or doing videos. And I was getting emails from (former Hawaii coach) Mike Wilton during the season.
“It was good for both sides (current and former players) to make sure we’re building that camaraderie together. I think everyone latched onto this team. It was a family group effort.”
Walker was in a unique position to watch as his No. 5 spot on the program’s all-time kill list was threatened by van Tilburg. The Dutch national finished at No. 7 with 1,410, 19 kills shy of passing Walker (1,428).