After summer of growth, Lang looking forward to leading youthful Rainbow Wahine

HONOLULU – For the Big West women’s volleyball reigning champions, the 2024 season presents completely different challenges than one calendar edition ago. 

With the loss of eight players (6 graduations, 2 transfers) from last year’s roster that won 24 games, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and added a fourth consecutive Big West title to the trophy case, the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine volleyball program will look to take number five with a far less experienced cast in 2024. 

Sporting a roster of 13 total players, six are upperclasswomen and only four suited up in a match for UH prior to this year (Tyla Reese Mane redshirted ‘23; Morghn Monahan transferred from HPU in the offseason). With little returning on-court experience inside Stan Sheriff Center, head coach Robyn Ah Mow will have to employ some extra patience while she looks to guide the program to remain towards the Big West’s elite. 

“As coaches, I think we’re looking at the challenge,” Ah Mow said on the first day of practice. “We lost a lot of good players, but the challenge is coaching these girls up and getting them to where they need to be come August 30 … I think this year, I need to put on a little more of a patience hat.” 

While some players may escape just below the Ah Mow standard early in training camp, the veteran head coach will look at setter Kate Lang and libero Tayli Ikenaga to maintain the level of excellence expected in the program in the meantime. As the two lone seniors for an otherwise youthful team, the duo carries a weight of responsibility bigger than other seasons of their careers. 

For Ikenaga, it is a chance to return to form from an up-and-down junior season that saw her forced to contribute from the sidelines more often as she worked with the struggles of being a high-level student-athlete that has eyes on being an educator. For Lang, it is another chance to show off the year-over-year growth that led the 3-time all-Big West setter to an experience with Team USA Volleyball during the offseason. 

Much like her regular season, Lang’s offseason has been filled with never missing volleyball. From participating in the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team Open Program to holding various volleyball camps all over the place, the Keller, Texas-native has been laser focused on her love for volleyball before her last dance at Hawai’i. 

“Simply put, I have been playing volleyball,” the senior setter laughed when asked about her offseason. “I’ve been working really hard trying to prepare as much as I can and just giving it my 100 percent one last time.” 

As part of the USA Volleyball National Collegiate Team group, Lang worked with and against some of the best players in the nation as her offseason continued. With defending national champion Texas and annual powerhouse Baylor both on the schedule for the Rainbow Wahine, it was a fun chance for Lang to meet and see some of the future competitors Hawai’i will see during non-conference play. 

Her excitement for the non-Big West schedule did not end with a trip home to Texas though, as the senior mentioned matches against UNLV, SMU and others as ones she has circled on the calendar.  

“There’s such a huge Polynesian culture over in Las Vegas and I’m really excited to go there because I think there will be a big crowd for us [at UNLV],” Lang said referencing the Rebels’ Polynesian Night match against UH. “I’m super excited to play SMU at the Stan because I’m from maybe thirty minutes away from SMU so SMU and TCU – I’m like right in the middle – and being able to play both of those teams the past two years is just so special to me and I’m really thankful to my coaches for putting that together, plus I have a bunch of friends on the SMU team.” 

With the excitement has also come a focus for Lang on being the player her teammates and coaches need her to be for this season. For the Rainbow Wahine, that is leading by example and helping the standard be set. With a young team, that foundation and standard is built every day and has started already. 

Giving back as Lang helps next generation learn 

During the offseason, Lang’s focus on volleyball improvement continued to flood over into giving back in the local community. The UH setter has connected with volleyball fans throughout the islands over her years at the school, putting together multiple events for different communities to help grow the next generation of stars on the court. 

“Playing for such a wonderful school like UH, I’ve been able to connect with the community and connect with people that want to learn about volleyball or are interested in volleyball,” the senior said. “This summer, I really doubled down and was able to put together some camps and clincs and get to meet more volleyball players.”  

Something built out of her passion for the sport, the biggest reward is the connection to young volleyball players that are interested in the sport that has helped lead her to the opportunities of now. 

A chance to go to Kauai and meet another community was another step in an offseason built around giving back and getting better as the team joined along with other University of Hawai’i programs for the Koloa Plantation Days parade. 

“It was just really special being able to go over there and connect with a community that I hadn’t gone to connect with [before this year],” Lang said. 

The experience prompted Lang to consider holding a future clinic on the neighboring island, part of a hope to do volleyball clinics on every island eventually. For the setter from Texas, it is just about sharing knowledge with the next generation.