Warriors finished
a bit short of goals
The shock and sting are still there for the Hawaii volleyball team after Thursday's playoff loss to Brigham Young. It is a familiar postseason fate -- the Warriors have been eliminated by the Cougars in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoffs three previous times (1994, 1997, 1999). But by all accounts, that wasn't the way the Warriors were planning to go this season.
"The four-word summary is 'We didn't have it,' " Hawaii coach Mike Wilton said. "It was a great season with a disappointing ending. But it was a great season that had a turning point Feb. 21. We basically played some pretty good volleyball, practiced real hard. What happened came as a shock to all of us. BYU played the way I expected us to. We played the way I expected BYU to play."
Wilton said he has few expectations for next season.
Hawaii loses an extraordinary class of seniors. The Warriors will have to replace virtually their entire offense, from two-time conference Player of the Year Costas Theocharidis to primary passer Eyal Zimet. Senior Tony Ching led Hawaii in kills in his final match and probably made a case for All-America honors this season. Middle blocker Brian Nordberg came back strong from surgery.
Who will step up for Hawaii offensively is the question everyone is pondering this summer. Wilton says "stay tuned" for next year.
"We're losing four really good guys, but don't write us off," Wilton said. "I'm fully expecting to be good next year."
Hawaii returns six players who have started or seen substantial playing time. The Warriors' quarterback will probably be Kimo Tuyay, back for his senior year.
Pushing him will be Daniel Rasay and incoming Fab 50 freshman Brian Beckwith of Loyola High School (Los Angeles), perhaps the setter of the future.
Middle blockers Delano Thomas and Josh Stanhiser can be great offensive options, both hit above .400 for the season. Thomas may have an expanded role next year, hitting out of the back row. But first he'll attempt to be a dual-sport athlete, competing with the Warrior football team in the fall.
Stanhiser must improve his blocking to see more playing time. He has proved he can hit, destroying the Warriors' starting team in practice, as did outside hitter Matt Bender, who will challenge for court time.
Libero Jake Muise returns for his senior year. He will have time this summer to heal the sprained wrist that hampered him most of the season. Muise and Tuyay will be the link between the past and future of Warrior volleyball.
"One of the greatest things about having four seniors like that is the opportunity to play with them," Muise said. "Something that they leave behind is the work ethic and character. They taught us to play the way we did.
"Me, Kimo and Daniel (Rasay) will be the only ones to have been here for four years. I know me and Kimo will be ready to take a leadership role. For the people who have been here a few years, they know what it takes to go through this program. They know how to work hard and be successful."
One of the guys working hard this season without playing time was outside hitter Jose Delgado. The sophomore redshirted this year and will have three more seasons to play.
"I'm expecting a lot out of Jose next year," Wilton said. "When Jose was a freshman, there was a time when Tony was injured, he played very well. He played like an all-league guy.
"He's as smart a hitter as we have next year. He's done a lot to improve his physicality. I'm expecting a lot out of Jose. Pedro (Azenha) is a guy that should be in a position to help us next year. I'm expecting a lot out of Delano."
To patch up the other holes on the court, Hawaii has signed a 6-foot-5 outside hitter from Canada. Transfer Matt Carrerre can pass and attack out of the back row and could replenish Hawaii's needs on many fronts. Carrerre completed his associate degree and will have two seasons with the Warriors. The Warriors may also have a chance at landing a 6-8 middle blocker from Serbia who has connections to former Hawaii standout Dejan Miladinovic.
Predicting how next season will turn out is difficult, but the Warriors can say with certainty that they want to be one of the final four teams in 2004. Hawaii hosts the NCAA championship and would love the opportunity to win it all in front of its beloved fans.
"Hawaii volleyball is an amazing cycle of teams," Muise said. "The most odd people and characters together and somehow they all become a part of a team and a family. We're going to have some charismatic players next year. We've got guys who have flair every day in practice. Next year will be more than an experience."
Notes: In the MPSF's annual meeting next week, Hawaii will raise the question of hosting the MPSF tournament again. Two years ago, the conference's administrators rejected a proposal to have the Warriors host a 12-team tournament because of an unfair competitive advantage for Hawaii.
Pepperdine gets at-large bid: Hawaii won't be defending its NCAA title at this year's tournament.
Pepperdine received the tournament's lone at-large bid, the NCAA said yesterday.
The announcement came the day after Pepperdine lost to Brigham Young in the championship match of the MPSF Tournament. Hawaii had lost to BYU in the MPSF semifinals.
On Saturday, the Cougars rallied to beat top-ranked Pepperdine 25-30, 31-33, 30-28, 32-30, 15-7 in front of 1,678 fans in Malibu, Calif.
Lewis, of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, and Penn State, winner of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, will join BYU and Pepperdine in the national tournament that begins Thursday in Long Beach, Calif.
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