deserves a new thread

for those of you who don’t get the S-A, the gist of Ann’s story today. someone questioned Ann’s use of ‘prolific’ in terms of Kastl. my answer was Kastl No. 8 in the pac-12 424 kills, 3.82 ups. No. 8 in overall points 465.0 considering ASU was 10th in the Pac 12 5-17, 9-22, I’d say she did pretty well.

And, no mention of Fonoimoana because there is nothing to mention.

Two liberos, one of the most prolific hitters in the country’s premier volleyball conference and a 6-foot-4 middle are heading to Hawaii next month.

Ali Longo, Penn State’s starting libero last season, is transferring to the Rainbow Wahine, along with Arizona State hitter Ashley Kastl, who was eighth in Pac-12 kills last year. Both have two years of eligibility remaining.

Stephanie Hagins, a 6-4 middle from Washington State, also is coming to Manoa, in part because of her friendship with Wahine Kaela Goodman. She has three years left.

The fourth new face — and only freshman — is not so new to Hawaii. Katie Spieler will join a large group competing to bolster the Wahine back row. Her aunt is Lisa (Strand) Ma‘a, who started on UH’s 1982 and ‘83 NCAA championship teams.

Dave Shoji  cannot comment on the new players until they are enrolled in summer classes in July, but the new players clearly fill a void.

Returning libero Emily Maeda, who just graduated, has one year of eligibility left and goes into the fall at the top of the depth chart. Longo and Spieler will be right there as Hawaii attempts to minimize the loss of three-time All-American Kanani Danielson, one of the country’s best ballhandlers.

Hagins was recruited to Washington State by Andrew Palileo, who left in her first year, when she redshirted. Her friendship with Goodman and the Asics Rainbow club team led her to contact Hawaii. Now she has been accepted by UH and will be here in July for summer classes, just like the three other new players and Punahou graduate Manu Tai-Olevao, who committed early.

for those asking about those NLIs. if you want Wade’s comments, complete release up at Hawaiiathletics.com.

Charlie Wade announced the signing of Max Wechsung and Aniefre Etim-Thomas of Long Beach City College and Garrett Komisarek of Irvine Valley College for the 2013 season.

In addition local products Kolby Kanetake of Moanalua High School and Daniel Aina, Jr., of Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i will also join the team.

Wechsung, a 6-foot-7 setter, graduated from St. John Bosco High School in 2010 while Etim-Thomas is a 6-foot-3 middle blocker and graduate of Wilson High School. Both played two seasons at LBCC and will have two years of eligibility remaining at UH.

The duo helped LBCC win the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship while both earned all-tournament team honors. On the season, Wechsung played both setter and opposite and was named Western State Conference Most Valuable Player. He averaged 2.20 kills, 6.25 assists, 1.49 digs, and 0.90 blocks per set and also led the conference in service aces per set (0.41).

Etim-Thomas, a first-team all-conference pick, averaged 1.97 kills on .560 hitting, which led the state. He also finished second in the state in blocks per set (2.08). During the state playoffs, he averaged 4.25 kills and 2.25 blocks and hit .583.

Komisarek, a 5-foot-8 libero, graduated from Saint Francis High School in 2010 before attending IVC. He played in 31 sets as a freshman and averaged 1.50 digs per set and last season finished fifth in the state at 2.77 digs per set while earning second-team all- Pacific Coast Athletic Conference honors and all-tournament team honors at the state championship.

Kanetake and Aina were among four players from the state of Hawai‘i named to the AVCA High School Boys Senior All-American watch list. Overall, they are among 74 players from 13 states who are eligible to earn All-America first team or second team honors. In addition, both were recently named to the all-tournament team at the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division I Championships in which Aina’s KS-Hawai‘i team finished runner-up and Kanetake’s MHS squad placed third for the second straight year.

Kanetake is a two-time all-OIA East first-team selection who also was named to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Fab 15 boys’ all-state team as a junior. Aina is a four-time all-BIIF selection.

A very tough regional for Hawaii IMHO.

updated time.

The University of Hawaii softball team will face Notre Dame on Friday in an NCAA tournament regional hosted by Arizona. ITwill be televised on ESPNU (Oceanic Channel 219) 1130 am HST.

The 64-team bracket was announced today and the Rainbow Wahine (44-7) — the Western Athletic Conference’s regular-season champions — were selected to the NCAA tournament for the 10th time in the program’s history and the fourth time in the last six years.

The Hawaii-Notre Dame game is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Hawaii time and will be televised on ESPNU. Arizona, the tournament’s 13th seed, will face North Dakota State on Friday.

The winner of the Tucson, Ariz., regional will face the winner of the regional hosted by Oklahoma in the best-of-three super regional.

WAC tournament champion BYU was sent to the regional hosted by 11th-seeded Oregon.

California was named the tournament’s top seed, followed by Alabama, defending national champion Arizona State, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Those teams will host Super Regionals if they advance out of the regionals.

The next eight seeds were Missouri, Georgia, Oregon, UCLA, Arizona, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisville and Washington.

The Wahine changed plans late Saturday and stayed in Las Cruces, N.M., today rather than return to Honolulu.

so much for the speculation

As mentioned elsewhere, Maar has decided to stay in Canada

Shane Welch, who played sparingly after an injury, is gone as well.

‘by mutual decision’ according to Stephen Tsai. Thanks ST!

Team USA sweeps Canada 28-26, 25-18, 25-20 tonight at The Pyramid.

Stanley with 12 kills 1 block and 2 aces for 15 points, team-high.

This will be Clay’s third Olympics. Way to go Bird!