No. 1 UCLA men’s volleyball (16-0, 5-0 MPSF) will travel to Manoa, Hawaii, to compete at the Outrigger Invitational in a three-game gauntlet that runs from Thursday to Saturday at SimpliFi Arena. UCLA will square off against No. 3 Hawai‘i (15-2) on Saturday night in a rematch of the 2025 NCAA semifinal game in which the Bruins swept the Rainbow Warriors. Daily Bruin sports contributor Jaelyn Chung analyzes Hawai‘i’s strengths and weaknesses entering the top-three matchup.

Coach: Charlie Wade
Best Player: Kainoa Wade
Strength: Defensive resilience
Weakness: Service errors
X-Factor: Quintin Greenidge

Hawai‘i enters the Outrigger Invitational after a home doubleheader against No. 6 Pepperdine, where it relied on its backcourt defense and pin hitters to generate offense.

Opposite Kainoa Wade has been the primary engine for Hawai‘i, averaging 3.72 kills per set while hitting at a .429 clip. Despite being just a sophomore, the United States National Team member has become Hawai‘i’s primary offensive option, and he leads the team with seven attacks per set.

Setting him up for success is setter Tread Rosenthal, an AVCA First Team All-American. The Austin, Texas, local has spearheaded efficient ball distribution, totaling 574 assists and 25 aces, unveiling his ability to convert valuable points. The 6-foot-11 junior is also second in the country in assists per set with 11.25, leading the nation’s most efficient offense.

Senior setter Andrew Rowan – another AVCA First Team All-American – has demonstrated his own capabilities in his final collegiate season, logging 662 assists and 27 aces, but he has also boasted inconsistent serving with a team-high 69 service errors. While Rowan provides the Bruins with a high-risk, high-reward serve, Rosenthal’s value lies in his precision and ability to keep the Rainbow Warrior offense steady even under pressure.

Hawai‘i’s backcourt – spearheaded by libero Quintin Greenidge – forces its opponents to get creative.

Ranked 15th nationally in digs per set, the Cambridge, Canada, local doesn’t just keep the ball alive – he restarts the offensive engine, allowing Hawai‘i to transition from scrappy defense to terminal kills. With international experience under his belt, Greenidge boasts elite ball coverage.

And Hawai‘i will need his pristine passing against one of the strongest offensive teams in the nation.

To top off Hawai‘i’s defensive capabilities, its blocking game is not one to underestimate. The Rainbow Warriors have closed the block effectively, with 141.5 total blocks this season, compared to their opponents’ 113. Outside hitter/middle blocker Justin Todd leads the unit with 47 blocks this year.

Blocking the ball at the net and performing scrappy defense will be key against UCLA. Hawai‘i ranks 10th in the country in opponent hitting percentage, holding foes to a sub-.200 clip.

However, serving errors consistently cut short Hawai‘i’s offensive runs.

Hawai‘i has tallied 246 serving errors – 4.32 per set – this season, which has prevented them from maintaining an offensive rhythm.

This theme is analogous to the Bruins, who have racked up 297 serving errors and are continuing to perfect their side of the court against high-caliber teams.

With UCLA’s offensive rhythm and perfect record, Hawai‘i will have to lean into its blocking game and backcourt hustle to prevail at SimpliFi Arena in front of its home crowd.

In this high-leverage matchup, the game will not be won by the most powerful swing but by keeping the ball in play. Both programs have struggled to find a rhythm behind the service stripe. Whoever minimizes their own errors and forces their opponent out-of-system will emerge from SimpliFi Arena victorious.