Hawai’i claims outright Mountain West title behind Reid’s 20-kill night

HONOLULU – What started as a season-long goal has become a reality.

After exiting the Big West in 2025 after the program’s worst-ever finish in the conference standings, the University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team entered the 2026 season with eyes on making a big splash in their new home in the Mountain West.

Under the leadership of first-year head coach Joshua Walker, the Rainbow Wahine set a multitude of goals for their inaugural campaign in a different conference. Along with desires to show consistency and discipline, Hawai’i had a hunger to return to the top of a conference leaderboard.

“I had a lot of success as a player and me coming in as a coach, one of my biggest goals is to have [the players] have a great experience,” Walker said. “I do it because I want them to come to the University of Hawai’i and just have a great experience playing here, playing for our fanbase, playing for each other.”

They officially clinched that goal on Thursday night, taking down the Air Force Falcons in four sets, (25-17, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22), to secure the outright regular season conference crown and the top overall seed in the 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Women’s Volleyball Championship tournament.

“I’m just really happy that the work they put in, that they’ve been able to see the results right away,” Walker continued.

Cha’lei Reid paced the Rainbow Wahine, posting 20 kills for just the second time in her sophomore season.

“I’m just having fun out there,” Reid said after posting her 10th double-digit kill night in the last 11 outings. “Definitely being able to connect with [Adrianna Arquette] and knowing that the back row and the cover is there for me … Being able to be comfortable and trust in my team and in my teammates. It’s been pretty fun just staying loose and playing my game.”

The sophomore outside hitter was one of three Rainbow Wahine to finish with double-digit putdowns in the victory, seeing senior Panna Ratkai and junior Miliana Sylvester chip in 14 and 12 kills respectively.

Ratkai helped Hawai’i get off to a quick start, posting three of her 14 kills in the opening frame while adding five of her nine total digs in the frame on the way to a 25-17 victory for the hosts. Air Force struggled to get the attack going to begin the night, hitting .079 as a group in the initial set of action.

The defense was dialed up a notch in the second frame for UH, securing five of the team’s 13.0 blocks in the set to help take an early advantage over the Falcons. Behind Reid and sophomore outside hitter/opposite Maëli Cormier, the offense followed in lockstep with the Rainbow Wahine defense as the team took a 2-0 set lead over Air Force to extend the set win streak at home to 34 straight stanzas.

Air Force broke the streak in the third frame as the Rainbow Wahine committed 10 attacking errors, helping the Falcons to a 25-23 victory to force a fourth frame and delay the championship celebration for Hawai’i.

The team and fans wouldn’t have to wait much longer, clinching the match and the outright conference title with a 25-22 win in the fourth and final set. Cha’lei Reid powered the Rainbow Wahine in the stanza, putting down five of her 20 total kills in the last set.

It marked the 29th regular season title in Hawai’i program history and a return to the standard of excellence that’s come to be expected out of the Rainbow Wahine on the court.

“Really happy all the work we’ve been able to put in,” head coach Joshua Walker said of the outright crown claimed by the Rainbow Wahine, “[To] have a chance to do it on our home court in front of our fans was big and we know there’s another level that we have tomorrow night … Just really proud of the group [for] accomplishing one of goals tonight and now we can set our eyes to what’s next.

Adrianna Arquette recorded a season-high 54 assists while finishing one dig shy (9) of her ninth double-double of the year in the victory. It was the 13th time that the junior setter recorded nine or more digs in a single match for the Rainbow Wahine.

Hawai’i will celebrate three seniors in the rematch on Friday night as Tali Hakas, Panna Ratkai and Leilani Lopez say aloha to Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center. Fans are asked to wear white and stay through the senior night celebrations following the match.