Hawaii makes quick work of NJIT to start the 2026 season
The Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors celebrate after a point against NJIT on opening night. | Photo: Brian Bautista
MANOA — The Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion, sweeping New Jersey Institute of Technology in straight sets Friday night at Bankoh Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Rainbow Warriors needed just 95 minutes to secure the victory, winning 25-11, 25-16, 25-14 before a crowd of 6,721. Hawai‘i hit .517 as a team, totaled 13.5 blocks and served six aces in the season opener.
The win marked Hawai‘i’s 13th consecutive season-opening victory — a streak dating back to 2014 — and came in the earliest season opener in program history.
“Overall, pretty efficient, dominant performance,” Hawai‘i head coach Charlie Wade said. “Blocking was impressive. We spent more time in the fall this year than we have in a long time being more deliberate in what we’re doing in the blocking.”
Sophomore opposite Kristian Titriyski led all players with 12 kills while hitting .455. He also added two aces, four digs and two blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Adrien Roure followed with eight kills on 13 swings and just one error, finishing with a .538 hitting percentage.
Junior setter Tread Rosenthal guided a sharp Hawai‘i offense, finishing with 26 assists as the Rainbow Warriors committed just four hitting errors on 60 attack attempts. Hawai‘i had only two hitting errors through the first two sets.
“Our guys showed that they could play smart and efficient,” Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal also contributed two kills, including a one-handed dump to end the match, tied his career high with eight blocks and led the team with three aces.
Middle blocker Trevell Jordan, a transfer from Grand Canyon, added four kills and six blocks in his first appearance at Bankoh Arena.
“It was electric,” Jordan said. “It blew what I thought it was going to be like. The crowd was crazy. You could just hear how much they are involved and interacting with the game and staying locked in.”
Wade praised the home crowd, which filled the arena for the season opener.
“That’s something that we’re never going to take for granted,” Wade said. “We’re so appreciative of people taking the time, spending their money, coming out here and supporting us.”
NJIT hit just .045 as a team and did not record a block or an ace in the match.
The Rainbow Warriors (1-0) and Highlanders (0-1) will meet again Sunday at 5 p.m. at Bankoh Arena.
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