Outside hitter Hanna Hellvig, the University of Hawaii volleyball team’s most prolific attacker last season, will not return to the Rainbow Wahine for her sophomore season, head coach Robyn Ah Mow announced today in a release.

“This has been a very tough decision for me to make, but with the ongoing situations and uncertainty with COVID-19 in the United States right now, it doesn’t feel safe for me to go back from the other side of the world,: said Hellvig, who grew up in Sweden, in a news release. “I want to make it clear my withdrawal has nothing to do with the team or the coaches. I am beyod thankful for the opportunity to play volleyball and represent the state of Hawaii. I am also grateful for all the dedicated fans who came to every single game and always supported the team. I will miss the girls and the coaching staff a lot, and I will be cheering them on from Sweden from now on. They are great people and deserve nothing but the best.”

As a true freshman in 2019, Hellvig led the Rainbow Wahine to the NCAA Regionals. She was named the Big West Freshman of the Year, as well as being named to VolleyballMag.com’s Freshman All-America team.

Hellvig had a team-high 348 kills (3.11 per set) while playing all 30 matches, 29 as a starter.

“Hanna was a huge part of our team’s success last year,” Ah Mow said in a release, “but we understand her concerns and her decision. She is obviously a very talented volleyball player, but also a great person, and we wish her continued success in whatever she decides to do.”