NCAA Tournament: Golden State Warriors secure anticipatable second seed

Rewritten Article:

The University of Hawaii's men's volleyball squad finds itself seeded second in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, much to their apparent satisfaction, following their triumph over Long Beach State in the Big West Men's Volleyball Championship last weekend.

Despite clinching a double victory against Long Beach State, including their four-set win in the championship final on Saturday, the Rainbow Warriors find themselves ranked behind the Beach in the tournament. They'll kick off their NCAA Tournament journey on May 8 at the Covelli Center in Columbus, Ohio, against the victor of a preliminary duel between Penn State and Daemen University[1][3].

The Rainbow Warriors, boasting a 26-5 record, will revisit the Covelli Center, the site of their 2021 national championship victory. They upended UC Santa Barbara and Brigham Young in that tournament[2]. Given the tournament's expansion to nine teams, Hawaii needs to notch three wins in just five days to secure their third national title in five years[1][3].

Charlie Wade, Hawaii's coach, expressed a sense of predictability about their seeding, viewing it as a prospect he had foreseen while interpreting the "ti leaves"[1][4].

In the opposite half of the bracket, Long Beach State (27-3) – whose only defeats came at the hands of Hawaii and UC Irvine – awaits the next round[2]. The tournament's other at-large bid was won by two-time defending champions UCLA, who currently rank third. The Bruins will compete against No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey, while MPSF champions Pepperdine are positioned fifth, facing off against No. 4 seed Loyola Chicago[2].

Wade emphasized the significance of focusing on their game against the Penn State-Daemen winner, irrespective of potential subsequent opponents, suggesting that they are "really, really good"[2].

The Rainbow Warriors reached four consecutive NCAA finals before their absence in the tournament last season. The team's sophomore setter, Tread Rosenthal, a member of the All-Big West first team, felt positively about this season's tournament selection, voicing relief after a more disappointing experience in his debut year[3][1].

Amidst his praise for his teammates and the season as a whole, Rosenthal underscored the significance of their victory over Long Beach State, considering them the team with the highest potential to clinch the national championship[3].

Wade, who recently surpassed Mike Wilton as Hawaii's record-holding head coach, revamped the team's roster during the offseason, integrating 11 newcomers. Despite the absence of injured freshman opposite Kristian Titriyski, who leads the team in kills and aces per set, the Rainbow Warriors managed to secure their championship[4].

"Winning is hard," Wade reminded his players, underscoring the importance of hard work and consistency to sustain success. The Rainbow Warriors' 10th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament marks their latest chance to demonstrate that hard work[3][1].

The quarterfinal match will take place on May 8 at 7:30 a.m. Hawaiian time, and will be broadcast on ESPN+. The semifinals will follow on Saturday, May 10, with the final scheduled for Monday, May 12.

[1] NCAA Men's Volleyball Bracket – 2023 – CBS Sports

[2] Hawaii men's volleyball team handed No. 2 seed in NCAA Tournament – StarAdvertiser

[3] Hawai'i men's volleyball team celebrates NCAA title but knows the real work is just beginning – Honolulu Star-Advertiser

[4] Hawaii men's volleyball team defeats Long Beach State to claim Big West championship – Fansided

The University of Hawaii's men's volleyball team, who are seeded second in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, will return to the Covelli Center, having previously won the national championship there in 2021.
Brigham Young University was one of the teams the Rainbow Warriors defeated en route to their 2021 national championship victory at the Covelli Center.
Anytime the Rainbow Warriors step onto the court in the NCAA Tournament, Coach Charlie Wade emphasizes the importance of focusing on their game against the opposing team, considering them "really, really good".