On top once again.
The University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball team won its third national championship of the decade and first since 2022 with a 15-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 victory over UC Irvine at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.
Hawai‘i finishes its season 30-5 overall, good for the first 30-win season in program history. Meanwhile, UC Irvine, which defeated No. 1 UCLA and No. 4 Ball State in order to reach Mondayʻs championship match, finishes its 2026 campaign 21-9.
UH, which advanced to the national championship with a win over rival Long Beach State in Saturday's semifinals, fell behind to the Anteaters early. UC Irvine pounced on the Rainbow Warriors early, jumping out to a 16-5 lead in the first set en route to its 1-0 lead.
From there, the Rainbow Warriors took control over the next three sets. Kristian Titriyski had a match-high 16 kills for the ʻBows, while Adrien Roure added 15 and tournament MVP Louis Sakanoko had 12 kills on 20 swings to go with his six digs, three blocks, three assists and three service aces.
In reaching the 30-win mark, UH finished one win above their 29-3 record in 2023 in which it lost in the national championship match.
In 2026, the ʻBows won the national title despite never ranked No. 1 in the AVCA poll. Heading into the tournament, they were the No. 2 seed nationally.
"It wasn't a perfect year but it finished in a perfect way," head coach Charlie Wade said in his postmatch interview.
National championship celebration
On Wednesday, May 13, the University of Hawai‘i will hold a free national championship celebration at the Stan Sheriff Center. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., while the event begins at 6. Parking will cost $10 at the UH-Mānoa structure and concessions will not be open.
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
