The second-ranked Hawaii men’s volleyball team won’t have to board another plane this week to keep its season alive.
Despite losing to Long Beach State in five sets in the final of the Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship on Saturday, the Rainbow Warriors earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will host a three-team regional this weekend at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Hawaii (27-5) will play the winner between Belmont Abbey and Southern California on Saturday in a regional final at 4 p.m.
The winner will advance to the NCAA Final Four May 9-11 at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
“Thrilled with that. I think it’s historic. I think it’s the first time we have ever played in a NCAA postseason match at home so we’re looking forward to the opportunity,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said Sunday.
The format for the tournament changed this season with 12 teams making the field.
Four different regionals were established with three teams each trying to advance to the NCAA Final Four.
No. 1 seed UCLA will host the winner between UC Irvine and Penn State. Defending national champion Long Beach State, which lost twice to Hawaii in the regular season before beating the Warriors in five sets on Saturday night at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif., is the No. 3 seed and will host the winner between Loyola Chicago and Saint Francis.
MIVA champion Ball State earned the No. 4 seed and will host the winner between Pepperdine and Fort Valley State.
Hawaii last played USC last season in the final of the Outrigger Invitational, losing in four sets.
The Trojans return senior outside hitter Dillon Klein, who had 21 kills and hit .588 in the win over the Rainbow Warriors. USC advanced to the championship match of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament before losing to UCLA.
“I think the (committee) did a nice job,” Wade said. “It just seemed like with all of the metrics, there wasn’t any way we weren’t going to be in and host. Look, when you get into playing a match to get to the Final Four, everyone is going to have to play a really good team.”
Hawaii will take Monday off before returning to the practice gym.
This is the first time 12 teams will compete for a national championship in men’s volleyball.
“I think it’s great,” Wade said. “We’ve been adding not only teams, but whole leagues, and there is more coming online next year. I think it’s just great for the growth of the sport.”
Hawaii, which won the Big West last season, advanced to the NCAA semifinals last season before losing to UCLA in straight sets.
UH won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and ’22.
The NCAA regional package goes on sale Monday at 9 a.m. USC and Belmont Abbey will play at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Single match tickets will be made available to the public on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Southern California (19-7) vs. Belmont Abbey (20-5), 5 p.m.