‘Bows beat UC Irvine 3-1 to claim third NCAA national championship

LOS ANGELES (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaiʻi men’s volleyball team is back on top, rallying to beat UC Irvine 3-1 on Monday at Pauley Pavilion to win the 2026 NCAA national championship.

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Hawaiʻi (30-5) dropped the opening set as the Anteaters pulled away for a 25-15 win.

“I think I’ve talked about this all season, I think we’re just a more mature team this year,” Setter Tread Rosenthal said. “You saw that exact same first set last year against UCLA and we couldn’t come back from it and you saw a different team this year, just understanding that we’re OK and we got three more sets of volleyball that we can win.”

The Rainbow Warriors responded by taking the next three sets to secure the title.

Outside hitter Louis Sakanoko had a pivotal run at the service line. He strung together three-straight aces, getting named NCAA tournament MVP.

“I don’t want to give up on my team,” Sakanoko said. “So I will do everything to be on the court and to be efficient and it worked pretty well.”

Setter Tread Rosenthal fought through an injury and finished with 44 assists.

It is the program’s third national championship, and its first since 2022.

“It’s a bit surreal,” said head coach Charlie Wade. “I wanted nothing more than to bring one home to the fans of Hawaii. Now to have a third, and kind of in position to compete for them and bring the fans so much joy — they support us in a way that’s unlike anywhere in the planet, so really gratifying to bring home another national championship to the state of Hawaii.”

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Back at home, fans gathered at Murphy’s Bar and Grill in downtown Honolulu to watch the game.

“You look at their faces after the first set, they didn’t look defeated. The boys looked good,” said UH fan Peter Castillo. “They looked like they had it under control.”

“It’s always great to see so many fans turn out to support Hawaii,” said UH fan Kurt Ozaki. “For me, that’s the most proudest point, seeing everyone around the country with their support.”

A public celebration is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and admission is free.

Attendees must comply with the facility’s clear bag and prohibited items policies.

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