[ THE FINAL FOUR ]
Penn State's Rhonee Rojas, from Mililani, let out a cheer after a point during practice yesterday.
Rojas’ career comes
full circleThe former University standout
is back home for the final four
Rhonee Rojas took the long way to close out his collegiate volleyball career.
With volleyball in his backyard, Rojas opted for a school as remote as UH but without the attractive weather. The choice paid off for the Penn State senior, who is the only player from Hawaii to compete in today's final four at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The 6-foot libero has come full circle. Rojas will play his last match in the arena where he told coach Mark Pavlik that Penn State was his pick. Rojas didn't need to remind his teammates during the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association finals how much a trip home mattered. They knew.
The Final Four
All games at Stan Sheriff Center:Today
» No. 2 Long Beach State vs. No. 7 Penn State, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
» No. 1 BYU vs. No. 13 Lewis, 8 p.m. (approx.)
"I could hear my teammate Josh Mowrey saying, 'Rhonee, we're taking you home,' " recalled Rojas, who expects 10-15 family members in the crowd today and several more watching on TV. "I didn't put any pressure on them. I put a lot of pressure on myself to get here. I wanted to end my career here in Hawaii cause that's what where all this started."
Actually, it started across the street from the UH Manoa campus. Rojas was a four-sport letterman (tennis, track, swimming, volleyball) at the University Lab Schools and a frequent fan at Hawaii volleyball matches. It was up in the stands of the Stan Sheriff Center that Rojas knew his future would be more than 10,000 miles from home and his college colors would be blue and white.
The former Jr. 'Bow felt a connection to the Penn State program and envisioned being part of the school's tradition. There have been few regrets among a slew of victories (Penn State is 98-24 in Rojas' four years) and first experiences include seeing snow fall for the first time.
Rojas hasn't had much playing time in four seasons. His career highs (eight kills, 10 digs and two aces, all in different matches) are modest by most standards, but his value isn't measured in passing efficiency and digs. Rojas has contributed from all parts of the court, and off the court he's the unofficial "big brother" of a team dominated by underclassmen. His teammates turn to him to without hesitation.
"The guys always know what they've got with Rhonee. He's never moody," Pavlik said. "Rhonee's someone who is pretty low-maintenance. He loves the game. He's meshed with his teammates from day one.
"His personality is so steady ... It's awesome. He's done that whether he's been an outside hitter, a setter, a libero, a defensive specialist, a serving specialist. He's played opposite at times when we haven't had enough guys in practice. When you throw him in a position, you get everything and more. It's been fun to have him."
Rhonee Rojas slammed a kill during yesterday's practice for the NCAA men's volleyball final four, which begins today.
The fun side is what Pavlik hoped would stick with Rojas when they had their first meeting more than four years ago at Rec Hall. Since then, Rojas has steadily become faster, stronger and more explosive on the court while enthusiastically embracing whatever the sport has thrown at him. Pavlik has even joked about using Rojas in practice as a middle blocker so the University product can say he did it all for the Lions.
PSU starting libero Ricky Mattei doesn't doubt that Rojas could see success at any position. Mattei, the 2001 Volleyball Magazine libero of the year, credits Rojas with making him work hard for four years to keep his starting job.
"Rhonee's awesome. I can't imagine anyone better," said Mattei. "I've known him since we were 14 years old. ... We always had an admiration for each other. I always loved playing against him. Then we got to Penn State and we're on the same team. It's been a good four years.
"We don't see each other as one being on top of each other, one being better than each other, but we push each other hard. ... I can honestly tell you I wouldn't be here if it we're for Rhonee. You need someone to push you."
The final push starts today when Penn State plays Long Beach State in the first NCAA semifinal at 6 p.m. Rojas' journey back to Hawaii is not at all astonishing. It would have been more shocking if Penn State, winners of 16 EIVA championships and the true beast of the East, didn't return.
That Rojas lasted this long in Pennsylvania was the biggest surprise. His stay at State College exceeded his parents' expectations. They never voiced it to him, but they figured Rojas wouldn't survive more than a year before wanting to be home.
"It's not that they had no faith in me," Rojas said. "It's just that a lot of the kids from Hawaii go to the mainland and they come back a year or two later. My parents thought the same thing. I proved them wrong."
The third-seeded Nittany Lions would like to do the same on the 10th anniversary of their first and only men's volleyball championship.
It would be like coming full circle.
