Hawaii faces Long Beach State today in NCAA semifinal clash

LOS ANGELES — Friday’s mid-day practice was the first time inside Pauley Pavilion for nearly the entire Hawaii men’s volleyball team.

The site of today’s NCAA Tournament semifinals had the Rainbow Warriors program bouncing balls off the Teraflex floor for the first time since UH swept Long Beach State to win the second of back-to-back national championships in 2022.

Four years later, Hawaii returns with a roster of no holdovers from that team. After missing the tournament outright two seasons ago, UH made it to this point last year before it was swept by UCLA in Columbus, Ohio.

Five of the seven starters from last year’s loss will be back on the floor tonight, along with Kristian Titriyski, who missed last season’s tournament with an injury.

The circumstances surrounding the ’Bows this season entering the men’s volleyball version of the Final Four are much, much different.

“Last year, we were so young with so many new guys on the roster that I really felt getting into the Final Four and getting into the NCAA Championship was really important,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said during Friday’s press conference. “Here we are again with a lot of the same guys and there’s no question that the familiarity with it and just kind of understanding what it takes to navigate this week, there’s a benefit from being here before, for sure.”

Just getting here isn’t the goal for any player on this team. Hawaii (28-5), the No. 2 seed, has a real opportunity to win a third national championship this decade.

The ’Bows are 4-1 against two of the three teams still playing. UH has won both matches against UC Irvine (20-8), which plays No. 4 seed Ball State (26-4) in the first semifinal at 12:30 p.m.

Hawaii, which did not play Ball State this season, then plays No. 3 seed Long Beach State (25-4) in the second semifinal at 3:30 p.m.

UH beat the Beach twice in the regular season before losing in the Big West tournament final two weeks ago in five sets. UH had a 2-1 lead in the match and had five match points in the fourth set before letting LBSU steal the match.

“I’ll just say it’s personal,” junior libero Quintin Greenidge said.

Greenidge and sophomore middle blocker Trevell Jordan are UH’s two newcomers who have entered the starting lineup this season and rounded out one of the best starting groups in the country.

Greenidge earned honorable mention All-America honors after leading the Big West in digs, averaging more than two per set.

Jordan ranks in the top 10 in blocking in the conference and also averages 1.36 kills per set while hitting near .500.

They were UH’s two featured player speakers at Friday’s press conference.

“One of the reasons I picked them to come up here today was to kind of get the full experience,” Wade said. “Couldn’t be more thrilled not just because they are great volleyball players but they are great young men that have represented themselves and the program well all year.”