In the first minutes of Day 1 of fall camp, new Hawaii women’s volleyball coach Joshua Walker didn’t wait to name his team captains.
Fourth-year junior Tali Hakas and third-year players Miliana Sylvester and Victoria Leyva were bestowed the honor by a coach they hadn’t had much time to be around.
For Walker, the decision was simple. It wasn’t a matter of his getting to know the players first. The players themselves knew exactly who the leaders already were.
“The girls had been around each other long enough for them to understand who has been the most influential and who has been the best leaders in the gym,” Walker said. “For me it was just a reflection of like, have they earned it based off everything they have done before this staff got together. It’s been a different year and I trust their ability to go through it and decide who they feel is the strongest. They’ve checked all the boxes from me as far as how I have interacted with them.”
The Rainbow Wahine, after having their weekend trip to the Big Island canceled due to Hurricane Lala, will hopefully take the floor tonight for an exhibition against Chaminade at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
The match is scheduled for 7 p.m., weather permitting, and admission is free to the public.
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Leyva, who didn’t miss a set last season as the team’s starting libero, averaged 4.14 digs per set last season, ranking fourth in school history.
UH brings back eight returnees along with seven newcomers. Part of Leyva’s excitement for tonight’s match is to see how the entire team has come together over the last two-plus weeks.
“I think the biggest thing is probably going to be team chemistry. Kind of seeing what product we put out,” Leyva said. “That’s going to be the biggest thing and to see how we kind of react in actual game situations instead of the practice gym.”
The Rainbow Wahine will run a brand new system under Walker, who is treating tonight’s match like a regular season game.
The two teams will play four sets, regardless if one team wins the first three.
UH sophomore outside hitter Cha’lei Reid, who led the team in kills last season, said one of the goals of practice is not waste any time while out on the court.
“I feel the the intensity is the same and it’s more just being super efficient with all of the drills,” Reid said. “Just being able to grow as a player and as a team I think it has been super beneficial for us.”
Assistant coach Kolby Kanetake, who was the first official hire by Walker for his staff, will get a chance to coach against his former team.
Kanetake spent the last six years at Chaminade, including the last three as the associate head coach.
Head coach Kahala Kabalis Hoke joked last month that Walker “owes her a solid.”
“He got a good one,” Kabalis Hoke said. “Kolby Kanetake has been just a blessing for us. Everything he has done for me and the program, you can’t help but want to support his dreams and his goals and his ambitions. When he mentioned (the UH job) to me, I pushed him all the way. He has so much passion and love for the game.”
The Silverswords are coming off a 16-14 season with a 9-3 mark in the PacWest. The two teams have only played once before with Hawaii earning a sweep in September 1989 at McCabe Gym.
RAINBOW WAHINE VOLLEYBALL
At Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
Hawaii vs. Chaminade
>> When: Today, 7 p.m.
>> TV: None
>> Radio: None