The University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team returned to Manoa in triumphant fashion this afternoon, NCAA championship trophy in hand, after capturing their third national title in program history.
Junior outside hitter Louis Sakanoko, fresh off being named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four, had the honor of being the first off the team bus, clutching the coveted trophy. The AVCA first-team All-American was greeted by a crowd of roughly a few dozen fans in the security area behind Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Warriors touched down after a dominant four-set victory over UC Irvine at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Monday, capping off a historic season. Sakanoko was a force throughout the tournament, posting a blistering .422 hitting percentage with 24 kills, 11 digs, five blocks, and three aces. Despite his heroics, even he had to chuckle when asked about the trophy's whereabouts during the flight home.
"I think the coaches were dealing with it," Sakanoko said with a smile.
Head coach Charlie Wade, now a three-time national champion, revealed that associate head coach Kupono Fey—who became a father just last week—was tasked with bringing the trophy aboard the plane. However, details got a little hazy from there. Sports information director Derek Inouchi corrected Wade, noting that the flight crew actually stowed it in the first-class area.
"I could have sat in that seat instead of flying back in coach," Wade joked.
The trophy will soon take its rightful place alongside the 2021 and 2022 hardware, a testament to Hawai'i's incredible run. With this victory, the Rainbow Warriors have now won as many national championships in men's volleyball this decade as every other school combined.
The title run wasn't without its challenges. After dropping the first set to the Anteaters, Hawai'i stormed back to win the next three, outscoring UC Irvine by 19 points and securing the first 30-win season in program history. Earlier in the tournament, the Warriors eliminated defending champion Long Beach State in four sets during the semifinals—marking the first time since Ohio State in 2012 that a reigning champ failed to repeat.
"I dreamed of bringing back one championship to the state, and now to have done it three times in the last six years, it's gratifying to see how much this means to so many people," Wade said.
As Sakanoko walked into the postgame press conference on Monday, he bumped into UC Irvine coach David Kniffin and delivered a confident parting shot: "See you next year."
With the transfer portal already open, Wade emphasized that the work to repeat begins immediately.
"We've got to get right back at it," Wade said. "There will be plenty of time to appreciate the win, but we're not going to get another win if we don't start working on it like today."