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Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans Athletics

HAWAI'I HILO VULCANS ATHLETICS
UH Manoa Exhibition
Spencer Honda / Hawai‘i Hilo Sports Information

Women's Volleyball Hawai‘i Hilo Sports Information

Volleyball to Host UH Manoa for Season-Opening Exhibition

HILO, Hawai'i – Hawai'i Hilo Volleyball will host the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Women's Volleyball team for an exhibition match on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

The preseason contest marks the Rainbow Wahine's first trip to Hilo since the 1980s. Last year, the Rainbow Warriors Men's Volleyball team took the plane ride over for an intrasquad scrimmage at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

"The last time we played them was in the '80s and so I think it's a great connection for us to play a Division-I team," second-year Hawai'i Hilo head coach Reed Sunahara said.

"Hilo fans are great. The volleyball community is awesome. But we got to continue to win. The model is the (UH Manoa) men right now. They're selling out and it's great excitement. That's what we want to bring to Hilo. I was fortunate to have great coaches and great people that helped me through throughout my athletic career. Now coming back home, I'm fortunate that people still want to support me and the program so this is why I want to give back and also make sure that we produce a good product."

The Vulcans posted a 20-9 record in 2025 and finished tied for No. 3 in the Pacific West Conference standings to qualify for the four-team PacWest Championships postseason tournament.

UH Manoa holds an official 24-0 record against Hawai'i Hilo and enters its first season under new head coach Joshua Walker — an AVCA All-American athlete with the men's volleyball team (2006-2011) and former assistant coach for the Rainbow Warriors (2016-2022).

Hawai'i Hilo officially opens its season Aug. 10 with first official matchups Aug. 20-22 hosting the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

EXHIBITION vs UH MANOA TICKETS

  • Adults: $15
  • Seniors (65+): $10
  • Middle/High School Students: $10
  • Kids (12 and under): $5

GAME NOTES

  • UH Manoa holds a 24-0 all-time record against Hawai'i Hilo.
  • The two teams played 14 matches against each other in Hilo from 1980-1984. Nov. 1980 matches were held at the Civic Auditorium. The rest were at the current on-campus Vulcan Gym (opened in 1980).
  • Last official matchup was Sept. 1990 on O'ahu.
  • UH Manoa also played in Hilo at the Civic Auditorium in 1978 against Pepperdine in October and BYU in November. Vulcans played the UH Manoa "B Team" during those 1978 road trips.
  • 1980 matchups featured the two defending AIAW National Champions after UH Manoa (Division I) and Hawai'i Hilo (Division II) claimed the 1979 national titles.
  • 1983 matchups featured the defending NCAA National Champion (UHM) and NAIA National Champion (UHH). Both teams went on to repeat as respective national champs that season.
  • 1984 again featured defending national champions with the same stipulations as the previous season. Hawai'i Hilo completed a four-peat as NAIA National Champions at the end of that season.
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