NCAA Tournament: Warriors secured a 'foreseeable' second seed position
The Hawaii men's volleyball team wasn't bothered in the slightest after learning they'd be seeded second for the upcoming 2025 NCAA Tournament. Despite walloping Long Beach State twice, including a four-set victory in the Big West Men's Volleyball Championship final, the Rainbow Warriors found themselves ranked below the Beach. They'll kick off the NCAA Tourney on May 8 in Columbus, Ohio against the winner of a play-in game between Penn State and Daemen University.
Hawaii victoriously returned to the Covelli Center on Ohio State University's campus, the same venue where they snatched their first national championship in 2021 with sweeps over UC Santa Barbara and Brigham Young. The expanded tournament, now boasting nine teams, will require the Warriors to win three matches in a span of five days to clinch their third championship in five years.
Coach Charlie Wade forecasted their seeding, stating, "Reading the ti leaves, it looked like a predictable spot for us to be in." UH and Long Beach State find themselves in opposite brackets, with the Beach enduring its only losses of the season against Hawai'i and UC Irvine.
UCLA, the two-time defending national champion, snagged the other at-large bid and took the No. 3 seed. The Bruins will face off against No. 6 seed Belmont Abbey, while MPSF champion Pepperdine grabbed the No. 5 seed and will square off against No. 4 seed Loyola Chicago.
"Anytime you're getting into the semis, there's only four teams left," Wade said. "We'll be focusing on that Penn State game and the winner, and if we're fortunate enough to advance, we're preparing for a damn fine team."
Hawaii exclusively reached the NCAA finals four straight years prior to falling short of the tournament in 2023. Sophomore setter Tread Rosenthal, a first-team All-Big West selection, was overjoyed about their selection this year, contrasting it greatly from his first-year experience.
Rosenthal masterfully guided Hawaii's offense to a .411 hitting percentage in their win over the Beach, marking their highest percentage against a Big West team for the season.
"We needed to get back and put in the work required to win. Last year, we kind of strayed a bit off that track," Wade said. "Winning is tough. It takes a substantial amount of dedication and time to reach the point of victory. Any team can have a great game against a solid opponent, but to consistently be the best, that's a whole different story. These guys have taken our philosophies to heart, and now we're here, playing our best ball, and have a shot to win."
In the offseason, Wade gutted the roster, bringing in a dozen newcomers. The 2025 squad started three freshmen and two sophomores in their championship game, winning despite the absence of injured freshman opposite player Kristian Titriyski, their team leader in kills and aces per set.
This will mark Hawai'i's 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Their quarterfinal match takes place on May 8, starting at 7:30 a.m. Hawaii time, and will be broadcast on ESPN+. The semifinals will be held on Saturday, May 10, with the final on Monday, May 12.
[1] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/05/06/sports/college/hawaii-earns-second-overall-seed-in-upcoming-ncaa-tournament/[2] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/05/07/sports/college/hawaii-downs-long-beach-state-in-four-sets-to-claim-big-west-title/[3] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/05/06/sports/college/hawaii-battles-beach-to-gain-big-west-title-and-advance-to-ncaa-tournament/[4] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/05/09/sports/college/hawaii-readies-for-ncaa-tournament-folding-emphasis-on-winning-that-elusive-third-national-championship/[5] https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/05/08/sports/college/daemen-prevails-in-play-in-game-to-face-hawaii-in-ncaa-tournament/
- Regardless of the second seeding, the Hawaii men's volleyball team felt confident, having already claimed their first national championship at the Covelli Center in 2021 against Brigham Young.
- Coach Wade, forecasting their seeding, implied that the expanded NCAA Tournament, featuring nine teams, would demand victory in three matches within five days for the Warriors to clinch their third championship in five years.
- UCLA, also aiming for a national title, presented a formidable opponent, having previously secured the title for two consecutive years. Incidentally, Covelli, associated with Ohio State University, played host to a significant portion of this volleyball history.
- The Road to the championship for Hawaii would be marked by a tournament game against Penn State or Daemen University, followed by potential encounters against exceptional teams such as UCLA, Pepperdine, Loyola Chicago, and even Long Beach State, given the bracket setup.
