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The field is set for one of the most prestigious annual non-conference events in college men’s volleyball.
Hawai’i as part of unveiling its 2024 regular season schedule Wednesday announced the Outrigger Invitational in March will feature Grand Canyon, Lewis and UC Irvine.
The Outrigger Invitational started 1995 and is one of the longest running men’s volleyball in-season tournaments. The four-team round-robin event traditionally has multiple nationally ranked teams, including the host school Hawai’i.
Hawai’i, Grand Canyon and UC Irvine all finished last season in the top 10 of both the national coaches poll and national media poll.
The Rainbow Warriors lost in the NCAA Tournament finals and were attempting to become the first program in almost 30 years to win three consecutive NCAA championships.
Despite having to replace multiple All-American starters, Hawai’i returners All-American middle attacker Guilherme Voss and All-American outside attacker Spyros Chakas. The team in the offseason also added former All-American setter Kevin Kauling, who transferred from Lewis.
Grand Canyon in 2023 advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Among the Antelopes starters returning includes pin-hitter Jackson Hickman, who was among the MPSF leaders with a 3.07 kills per game average last season.
UC Irvine reached the Big West Tournament finals last season and finished at No. 5 in the national coaches poll.
All-American outside attacker Hilir Henno highlights the starters returning for the Anteaters. Henno was named the 2023 National Server of the Year after setting a single-season school record with 87 aces.
Lewis ended last season in fourth place in the MIVA and reached the conference tournament semifinals. All-MIVA opposite Christian Prayer also was among the conference leaders averaging both 3.23 kills per game average and 0.40 aces per game.
The Outrigger Invitational will feature two of the seven non-conference matches that the Rainbow Warriors will have against teams that finished last season nationally ranked.
Hawai’i will open the season with two matches against Loyola and then will have a two-match series versus Stanford in February. It also will play a road match against Ball State on Jan. 28.
Hawai’i 2024 regular season schedule
Jan. 3 vs. Loyola
Jan. 5 vs. Loyola
Jan. 10 vs. Emmanuel
Jan. 12 vs. Emmanuel
Jan. 25 at Purdue Fort Wayne
Jan. 26 at Purdue Fort Wayne
Jan. 28 at Ball State
Feb. 2 vs. Tusculum
Feb. 4 vs. Tusculum
Feb. 7 vs. Stanford
Feb. 9 vs. Stanford
Feb. 22 vs. Missouri S&T
Feb. 23 vs. Missouri S&T
March 1 vs. Sacred Heart
March 3 vs. Sacred Heart
March 7 vs. Lewis (Outrigger Invitational)
March 8 vs. Grand Canyon (Outrigger Invitational)
March 10 vs. UC Irvine (Outrigger Invitational)
March 15 at Long Beach State
March 16 at Long Beach State
March 22 vs. CSUN
March 23 vs. CSUN
March 29 vs. UC Santa Barbara
March 30 vs. UC Santa Barbara
April 5 at UC Irvine
April 6 at UC Irvine
April 12 at UC San Diego
April 13 at UC San Diego