Hawaii's star opposite hitter, Kristian Titriyski, is trading his Rainbow Warriors jersey for a professional contract, announcing he will not return for his junior season. The Bulgarian-born standout has signed with VC Levski Sofia, a top-tier professional volleyball club based in Sofia, Bulgaria, as confirmed by the team in a social media post late Wednesday. The University of Hawaii confirmed the news Thursday, sharing a heartfelt video interview with Titriyski.
"When I first arrived on this island, I was a guy who had never experienced anything quite like this place," Titriyski said in the interview. "From day one, I fell in love with everything here. It was so much better than what I was watching on TV. It felt special. I came here to play volleyball, but I leave with so much more than I could have imagined."
Titriyski's journey with the Rainbow Warriors was marked by both brilliance and adversity. Despite battling injuries over two seasons, he made an immediate impact as a freshman, earning AVCA All-America second-team honors. Over 44 career matches, he averaged an impressive 4.07 kills per set with a .316 hitting percentage, establishing himself as one of the most dynamic attackers in the nation.
His crowning moment came during Hawaii's national championship run, where he led the team in kills and delivered the match-clinching point in both the semifinal against Long Beach State and the final versus UC Irvine. "What I will always remember is the fans and their support and how much they mean to us—and winning a championship, obviously," Titriyski said Wednesday, just before the team's national championship celebration at Bankoh Arena.
With Titriyski moving on, all eyes turn to Kainoa Wade, who started 17 matches at opposite this season and appears poised to take over as the full-time starter as a junior. Wade proved his mettle during the season, earning Big West Player of the Week honors twice and AVCA National Player of the Week recognition. He finished the year with 218 kills on a scorching .411 hitting percentage and added 28 aces, ranking fifth on the team in that category.
For volleyball fans and gear enthusiasts alike, this transition marks an exciting new chapter—both for Titriyski's professional career in Bulgaria and for Hawaii's next generation of talent stepping into the spotlight.