Danny Alvarez was with the University of Hawai‘i's beach volleyball program from the very beginning, back when the Rainbow Wahine were known as the sand volleyball team in 2012.
Alvarez served as an assistant coach from 2012 to 2019, as well as during the 2023 season, spending nine seasons with the BeachBows. A graduate of both the University of Hawai‘i and nearby University Laboratory School, Alvarez is set to return to his alma mater as the new beach volleyball head coach, filling a vacancy left by Evan Silberstein, whose contract was not renewed following the 2025 season.
"Obviously, this is a lifelong dream to be able to coach at the University of Hawai‘i to be involved in the beach volleyball program," Alvarez said in a Zoom call with local media on Monday afternoon. "I was there at the beginning, so to be able to get to this point where I'm the head beach volleyball coach, I'm super excited, honored to do it, and really, really looking forward to the challenge."
Alvarez became the first head coaching hire of the Matt Elliott era. Elliott officially began his post as UH's new athletics director on June 30. The beach volleyball team did not have a permanent head coach since April 30, back when acting athletics director Lois Manin chose not to renew Silberstein's contract. Women's indoor volleyball assistant coach Nick Castello had served as the interim head coach since then.
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Danny back to the UH 'ohana," Elliott said in a Monday press release. "He helped build UH beach volleyball from the very start and played a pivotal role in creating a program that competed at the highest level. His love for the sport, his alma mater, and for our student-athletes is unquestioned and I know he'll give his absolute best effort as our new head coach."
Given its locale and the popularity of volleyball across the state, UH set big goals for itself on the sands. Under former coach Jeff Hall, the Rainbow Wahine earned a No. 1 national ranking during the 2015 season before falling in the AVCA national quarterfinals. The NCAA sanctioned the sport starting in 2016.
The 'Bows finished third nationally in both 2017 and 2018 under Hall, who was laid off by former athletics director David Matlin during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Hawai‘i most recently went 14-21 in 2025, finishing under .500 for the first time since 2013.
"When I was there at the beginning, we were just building the program. The beach volleyball landscape was nothing like it is today," Alvarez recalled. "We were one of the 14 teams. It was an emerging sport. To be kind of involved in the beginning of it and the growing of it, having a lot of success through that first portion of it, was amazing.
"And to be able to come back as the head coach and the person leading the program, I don't know if there's anything more special than that, so I'm real honored about it. And kind of in my life, I'm 55 now, so it's kind of that cherry on top. ... I'm super excited to be a part of this."
Alvarez initially stepped away following the 2019 to be more involved with the volleyball career of his son, Kaina, a 2021 ‘Iolani graduate who was a high school All-American. Kaina Alvarez went on to play for the University of Charleston, Irvine Valley College and Cal State Northridge as a setter.
"I really wanted to watch him play his junior and senior year, and that was actually during Covid, so we kind of missed that," Danny Alvarez said.
Between coaching stints at UH, Alvarez worked with some of the world's top beach volleyball players, including Theo Brunner and Punahou alumnus Trevor Crabb as they narrowly missed a bid to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He also continued to work with and mentor players at the college and junior levels.
Following the announcement of Alvarez's hire, he estimates he received approximately 150 congratulatory texts, with people from all stages in his life sharing in his excitement.
"I'm super excited. There's really nothing like playing high-level athletics. There's just no greater joy. There's no greater adrenaline," Alvarez said. "There's no greater kind of bond between you and the student-athlete when you achieve something, or you guys are all pushing in the same direction. I'm really looking forward to being back with the athletes pursuing those goals.
"There's nothing like the beach volleyball championship. It's in [Gulf Shores,] Alabama, which is kind of weird for beach volleyball, but they have beautiful sand, and it's really one of the most engaging events in NCAA sports. Now they have it on ESPN, but there's nothing like being there. It's an amazing event where everybody kind of converges on this small little southern beach and it's awesome. I look forward to bringing us back there, and then maybe kicking down the door and looking at a national championship. That's really what I want to do."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
