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Three players who helped the United States qualify for the upcoming FIVB Youth World Championship are among the latest recruits to commit to Hawai’i.
Hawai’i announced Friday that six high school seniors have all signed national letters of intent to join the Rainbow Warriors beginning in the 2016 season.
“Our 2015 recruiting class is a great collection of talented athletes and exceptional students,” coach Charlie Wade said in statement. “We were able to fulfill our needs at setter, outside hitter and middle with players we had rated among the best in this class. Each has an impressive resume as a player, and shares our belief that the University of Hawai’i is the best option for those looking to combine elite Division I athletics, study at a top level university, be a part of a culture that is committed to winning, all while living in the best place on the planet.”
Incoming recruits Patrick Gasman, Brett Rosenmeier and Joe Worsley each helped lead the U.S. Boys Youth National Team to a gold-medal finish at the NORCECA U19 Continental Championships this summer. That title qualified the United States for the 2015 Youth World Championship and all three players could return to the U.S. roster for that international tournament.
Gasman, a 6-foot-9 middle attacker and opposite from Clovis, California, along with winning a title this year with the United States helped his club team win the gold medal at the recent USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships. He also has received multiple all-tournament honors playing for his high school.
Rosenmeier, a 6-foot-5 opposite from Virginia Beach, Virginia, was named the 2014 state player of the year as a senior with his high school team. In addition, Rosenmeier earned all-tournament honors at the last two Boys Junior National Championships as his club team had back-to-back top-five finishes.
Worsley, a 6-foot setter from Moraga, California, is a two-time high school all-conference selection and won the most valuable player award at the Boys Junior National Championships this summer. Despite playing as a libero for the United States, Worsley will be a setter with Hawai’i.
Along with the three U.S. Boys Youth National Team members, all three other Hawai’i recruits have significant high school playing experience.
James Anastassiades, an outside attacker from Huntington Beach, California, earlier this year relocated from Cyrus to the United States after spending the last three years as a member of the Cyprus Men’s National Team. In addition, Anastassiades led his former high school in Cyprus to a sixth-place finish at the 2014 World Championship.
Dalton Solbrig, a 6-foot-6 outside attacker from Lindenhurst, Illinois, played for the USA Volleyball Boys Select A1 team. The outside attacker also earned all-area honors as a sophomore and junior with his high school team.
Brandon Rattray, a 6-foot-5 outside attacker from San Diego, is a four-sport high school athlete who first-team all-league honors in volleyball last season. Rattray as a junior led San Diego County with 447 kills.
This the nation’s largest early signing recruiting class among the teams that have already announced their newest recruits.
Hawai’i finished last season in ninth place in the MPSF and missed the eight-team MPSF Tournament for the second time in the last three years.