University of Hawai’i to host 3 future Big West men’s & women’s volleyball championships
BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED OCT 20, 2023
HONOLULU — The Big West is bringing the league’s biggest events to the islands.
BREAKING: @BigWestSports announces partnership/multi-yr renewal to bring 3 championship volleyball events to UH-Mānoa over the next 3 years — including Big West men’s volleyball championships in 2024 & 2025 and the women’s volleyball championships in 2026.@HIsportsradio pic.twitter.com/KvDVoPQ8zQ
— Paul Brecht (@12brecht) October 20, 2023
The conference announced on Friday a multi-year renewal of a wide-ranging partnership with the Hawai’i Tourism Authority that will bring three championship volleyball events to the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, sharing that SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center will be the site of the men’s volleyball championship tournament for the 2024 and 2025 seasons before the women’s volleyball championship tournament takes a turn on O’ahu in November of 2026.
“The Big West is truly excited to bring these three premiere championships to the Hawaiian Islands and this partnership with HTA,” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said Friday in Mānoa. “It is our shared goal with HTA to deliver a positive impact for the community, fans and the talented student-athletes competing for these championships.”
Butterly also noted that the rabid tenacity and passion of the fans in Hawai’i at similar prior Big West events played a part in the return of the championships to the islands.
The agreement allows the HTA to continue to serve as an official “Corporate Partner” and as the “Presenting Sponsor” for the three events on UH’s campus. In addition to the partnership, all three tournaments will be broadcast for the public on either Spectrum Sports within Hawai’i or on the ESPN family of networks on the mainland.
In addition, Outrigger Resorts and Hotels will serve as the title sponsor for the 2023 Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship that will be played at Walter Pyramid on Long Beach State’s campus from November 22-25, 2023. The marketing partnership between Outrigger Resorts and the Big West will also see Outrigger sponsor the men’s volleyball championships through 2026.
The men’s tournament returns to the island after a brief one-year hiatus, last taking place in Irvine, California last season. UH hosted the tournament three straight times with the 2019, 2021 and 2022 events taking place at Stan Sheriff Center.
Tickets for the 2023 Outrigger Resorts and Hotels Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship are available now at LongBeachState.com/tickets while information for The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2024 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship will become available as soon as January 2024.
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