Utah Tech sharpshooter Chance Trujillo chooses Hawai’i as home

Utah Tech sharpshooter Chance Trujillo chooses Hawai’i as home

Apr 18, 2026

Utah Tech sharpshooter Chance Trujillo chooses Hawai’i as home

Dec 22, 2025; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Utah Tech Trailblazers guard Chance Trujillo (2) drives around Creighton Bluejays guard Fedor Zugic (7) during the first half at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

 

HONOLULU – The Beehive State continues to be sweet like honey to Hawai’i.

Former Utah Tech redshirt freshman Chance Trujillo announced his commitment to the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball program on Friday, joining the wave of talented players from Utah to take their skills to the islands over the past couple years.

Trujillo, 6-foot-4, was outstanding in his lone year with the Trailblazers as he matched the program record for made 3-pointers in a single season (73) and finished second on the squad in scoring at 12.3 points per game. He also grabbed 3.4 rebounds and passed out 2.7 assists each night, providing a little bit of everything at Utah Tech.

Hawai’i and Trujillo got a good look at each other last November when the Rainbow Warriors held off Utah Tech in the OUTRIGGER Rainbow Classic finale, 68-62. The 6-foot-4 guard had nine points and three rebounds for the Trailblazers, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in 31 minutes of action.

Despite the loss, the overall experience during the Rainbow Classic for Trujillo was one that stuck with him throughout the rest of the season and into the transfer portal process.

“Just being on the island, the environment was something different,” Trujillo recalled of his November trip to Hawai’i with the Trailblazers. “You could really feel how supportive the community is.”

The redshirt freshman guard went on to push his game to another level during conference play, drilling 39.5% of his attempts from long range against WAC opponents while averaging nearly a steal per game.

Trujillo appeared in 33 games (23 starts) with Utah Tech, providing a scoring punch to the lineup whenever he suited up. The shooting guard racked up 21 double-digit scoring games as a redshirt freshman, topping out with a 24-point, four-assist showing against Abilene Christian on February 26.

Hawai’i was the first program to reach out after Trujillo entered the portal, getting a text as midnight hit from assistant coach Gibson Johnson that the Rainbow Warriors were interested.

“From day one, my relationship with the staff was solid,” Trujillo said recounting his recruitment by Hawai’i. “Coach Ganot, Coach Gibson Johnson and the rest of the staff kept it real with me and made me feel like a priority. They built up that trust early and their consistency, persistence and how genuine they were through the whole process meant a lot.”

A competitive, energetic and versatile guard, Trujillo considered programs in the Big West and Pac-12 along with the Mountain West but ultimately felt that taking his shooting stroke and hard-nosed mentality to the islands was the best fit.

“I’m just excited to get to work,” said Trujillo. “Being part of something bigger, especially with Hawai’i heading to the Mountain West and competing at a high level, is huge. Playing in front of the Hawai’i fans and embracing that whole experience is going to be unreal … Building something special with the team is what I’m looking forward to the most.”

He joins Arizona State forward Marcus Adams Jr., Point Loma guard Jaden Matingou, Northern Arizona forward Zack Davidson and Seattle University center Houran Dan as additions to the Rainbow Warrior roster out of the portal. Hawai’i returns Tanner Cuff and Isaiah Kerr after last season’s Big West championship and will see prep standouts Tiger Cuff and Scotty Belnap join the program as freshmen in the summer.

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Hawai’i clinches share of Big West title after domination of CSUN

Hawai’i clinches share of Big West title after domination of CSUN

Apr 17, 2026

Hawai’i clinches share of Big West title after domination of CSUN

Louis Sakanoko (23) and Adrien Roure (7) signal for a touch during Hawai’i’s straight set sweep of No. 18 CSUN. | Photo Credit: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

HONOLULU – Championship charge.

The No. 2-ranked University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team claimed at least a share of the 2026 Big West regular season title on Friday, cruising through a sweep of No. 18 Cal State Northridge (12-13, 0-9 Big West) inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, (25-20, 25-16, 25-16).

Sophomore Kainoa Wade, starting in the place of a banged-up Kristian Titriyski, led Hawai’i (25-4, 8-1 Big West) with 10 kills on 19 swings. The 6-foot-10 opposite also matched Louis Sakanoko and Tread Rosenthal with a team-high six digs as the Rainbow Warriors kept the Matadors off the mat for the majority of the night.

The flying French duo of Sakanoko and Adrien Roure also combined for five of the eight service aces by Hawai’i throughout the match. Justin Todd, Tread Rosenthal and Kainoa Wade each dealt out one ace as the Rainbow Warriors racked up eight or more service scores in a single match for the ninth time this year.

Coming off the first conference loss of the year, Hawai’i wasted little time showing last Saturday was an abnormality as Charlie Wade’s crew took nine of the first 12 rallies for an early six-point lead. The advantage grew as large as 10 in the opening frame for UH, ultimately delivering a 1-0 set lead over the Matadors.

The uber-efficient Rainbow Warriors continued gliding back towards the win column in the second frame, hitting .750 through the first half of the set to take a 15-8 advantage by the media timeout.

The “Mānoa Roofing Company” opened back up for business for the rest of the second set, racking up 5.5 blocks as a team in the stanza on the way to a calm 25-16 victory in the frame.

Hawai’i turned up the heat from the service line in the third and final frame, dealing five aces out of the deck to close out another commanding victory despite hitting a match-low .261 in the set.

Tread Rosenthal had 27 assists and seven blocks to go along with his six digs and two kills for the Rainbow Warriors. Louis Sakanoko had five kills and four attack errors on 15 swings but made up for the up-and-down offensive night with his three aces, six assists and three blocks with his six digs.

Adrien Roure had nine kills and four attack errors as well, dealing out a pair of aces and racking up a couple of blocks in the win for Hawai’i.

The victory clinched at least a share of the 2026 regular season conference title for Hawai’i, the third time in program history that the Rainbow Warriors reigned supreme in the Big West during the marathon before the postseason push.

“You win the Big West regular season [title], you absolutely are in the running to win a national championship,” Charlie Wade said after his team clinched a share of the conference crown on Friday night. “That’s certainly our goal every year. Winning league championships in [the Big West] is hard to do, no question.”

The veteran head coach emphasized that a conference title was one of the boxes to check off on the way to a much bigger goal, but that the team would appreciate what they’d accomplished in earning the No. 1 seed in the Big West Championships along with an improving resume.

Hawai’i will celebrate its singular senior on Saturday night, saying aloha to Vladimir Kubr after two seasons with the program. The 6-foot-3 setter spent the first two years of his college career at Pepperdine before spending 2025 and 2026 in the islands.

Senior Vladimir Kubr shows appreciation to the home crowd after a loud ovation. | Photo Credit: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

It will be just UH’s third time only honoring one senior on Senior Night as Kubr will join Wally Hall in 1985 and Matthew Cheape in 2013 as the smallest graduating classes in program history.

Kubr has appeared in four matches in his Hawai’i career, including in two sets on Friday night to the delight of the Rainbow Warrior fans in attendance.

Hawai’i and Cal State Northridge will go for Round 2 on Saturday night as the Rainbow Warriors look to claim the outright regular season Big West title before celebrating Kubr after the match. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. HT.

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Hawai’i snags Seattle University sophomore big man out of transfer portal

Hawai’i snags Seattle University sophomore big man out of transfer portal

Apr 17, 2026

Hawai’i snags Seattle University sophomore big man out of transfer portal

Nov 29, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Tyrese Proctor (5) shoots over Seattle Redhawks center Houran Dan (6) during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

HONOLULU – It’s the biggest add yet.

No, literally.

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team made its fourth addition of the portal cycle on Tuesday as former Seattle University forward/center Houran Dan announced his commitment to the Rainbow Warriors officially on social media.

The 6-foot-10 sophomore appeared in all 35 games for the Redhawks last season, averaging 5.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 15 minutes of action per night while helping the West Coast Conference members go 21-14 overall and earn a bid into the National Invitation Tournament.

Dan received interest from a multitude of schools after entering the portal on April 7 but said that Hawai’i stood out among the crowd and continued to separate from the other programs as he learned more about the Rainbow Warrior program and coaching staff.

“The coaching staff, style of play and overall environment really stood out to me,” Dan said of Hawai’i. “I felt like it’s a place where I can grow both as a player and a person … I’ve always liked Hawai’i too, so it just felt like the right place for me.”

Growing up in Neimenggu, China, Dan didn’t begin playing basketball until he was 13 years old. The son of a pair of former professional basketball players, the younger Dan had full focus on his studies before taking an interest in hooping himself.

Once he started though, he was fully invested.

He rapidly developed, earning a spot on China’s U19 team in time for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. While in Hungary, China secured a 10th place finish among the 16-team field and Dan averaged 4.9 points and 3.0 rebounds across seven games while playing behind 2025 first round NBA draft pick Yang Hansen.

Dan flashed his collegiate potential throughout the event, including with a 10-point, 2-rebound, 1-block performance in 18 minutes against the United States. He also had six points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks in just 14 minutes during a victory against Korea.

The center prides himself on being a high-effort player, pointing to Derrick Rose as his favorite NBA player for the energy he brings and for the guard’s perseverance through injuries.

Dan brings a similar level of intensity, attacking the glass and the rim consistently. Across two seasons with Seattle, Dan shot better than 56% from the field and showed competence at the free throw line by shooting 67.5% on more than 115 attempts.

An analytics darling, the 6-foot-10 sophomore was effective in limited action as he tallied a total rebound percentage above 10.5% in his Redhawks career. He takes pride in creating extra opportunities for himself and his teammates as well.

“I love competing,” Dan said when describing his personality. “I’m a competitor who plays hard every possession.”

He joins Arizona State forward Marcus Adams Jr., Point Loma guard Jaden Matingou and Northern Arizona forward Zack Davidson as the newest additions to the Rainbow Warrior roster. Hawai’i returns guards Tanner Cuff and Isaiah Kerr after last season’s Big West championship and will see prep standouts Tiger Cuff and Scotty Belnap join the program as freshmen.

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Hawai’i Pacific reels in former Baylor, Northern Iowa big man Marino Dubravcic

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Apr 16, 2026

Hawai’i Pacific reels in former Baylor, Northern Iowa big man Marino Dubravcic

Mar 20, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears forward Marino Dubravcic (22) dribbles during practice at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

HONOLULU – Making friends in the front court.

The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team went back to the Division I ranks to help replenish the roster on Thursday, picking up the commitment of 6-foot-10 forward Marino Dubravčić out of the transfer portal.

Dubravčić, 6-foot-10, spent last year at Northern Iowa but missed the entirety of the 2025-26 season with an injury. He began his college career at Baylor as a scholarship player in 2024-25, seeing limited action across 18 games before entering the transfer portal.

Before coming over to the United States, Dubravčić played in the FIBA U18 European Championship for Croatia and averaged 6.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.7 blocks while helping his country win three of the seven games they played in.

Dubravčić is a high-energy player who displays his biggest impact when attacking the glass, moving without the ball as guards penetrate and when using his strong frame defensively. The Croatian sophomore has shown a comfort operating from each block and using both hands to finish around the basket, though he doesn’t create much for himself or others offensively.

He comes to the islands with two years of eligibility remaining and a massive opportunity to get onto the court. The 6-foot-10 forward provides a strong body down low, helping the Sharks mitigate the loss of multiple post players from last year’s NCAA Tournament rotation.

Hawaii Pacific has done well over the past few seasons when attacking the transfer portal, finding impact players from the Division I ranks that slip through the cracks while giving opportunities to players from other levels to show how much the talent line has been blurred between Division I, II and III along with junior college and NAIA programs.

Last season, the Sharks snatched guards Quentin Meza and Nemanja Sarenac from the Division I level and saw both players maintain key roles throughout an 18-win season. Meza became the latest transplant to earn All-PacWest honors in his first season with HPU, joining Joshua West, Diggy Winbush, Marquis Moore and Maj Dusanic as players to transfer to the islands after their college careers began and develop into all-conference players.

Dubravčić joins Evan Kilminster as the first players in Hawaii Pacific’s 2026 transfer class, providing a pair of sturdy building blocks to add to returners Avi Halpert, Nemanja Sarenac, Zane Gaul, Ike Sutton and Shawn Villanea.

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Hawai’i adds former Northern Arizona leading scorer Zack Davidson from portal

Hawai’i adds former Northern Arizona leading scorer Zack Davidson from portal

Apr 16, 2026

Hawai’i adds former Northern Arizona leading scorer Zack Davidson from portal

Nov 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) fouls Northern Arizona Lumberjacks forward Zack Davidson (5) during the first half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

HONOLULU – Relationships matter.

Former Northern Arizona forward Zack Davidson announced his commitment to the University of Hawai’i on Thursday, adding another talented scorer to the 2026-27 roster for the Rainbow Warriors.

Davidson, a 6-foot-9 redshirt sophomore, started 13 of the 14 games he appeared in last year with the Lumberjacks and led NAU in scoring before suffering a season-ending foot injury in the first week of January.

Before his injury, Davidson looked primed to be one of the biggest mid-major breakout stars as he led the Big Sky in field goal percentage (61.7%) and ranked top 25 nationally in two-point efficiency.

Davidson posted double figures in nine of his 14 games and tallied four 20-plus point games, including his season-opening 29-point explosion against Drake.

The middle of three basketball-obsessed brothers, Zack graduated from California prep powerhouse Mater Dei in 2023. A teammate of UH commit Scotty Belnap, Davidson also was recruited by Hawai’i head coach Eran Ganot and the Rainbow Warrior staff coming out of high school but ultimately chose to spend his first two years at Montana instead.

He redshirted the 2023-24 campaign and appeared in 16 games off the bench for the Grizzlies the following season, making his collegiate debut against the University of Hawai’i-Hilo and recording seven points and six rebounds in 13 minutes of work against the Vulcans.

Still seeing limited action, Davidson decided to transfer and found a spot at Northern Arizona that allowed him to put his skills on display. The Lumberjacks struggled throughout Big Sky play without the efficient forward, going 5-13 without Davidson with nine of the losses coming by 10 points or more.

Davidson hit the portal again following the tough-luck season and quickly heard from a familiar program:

The University of Hawai’i.

“They recruited me out of high school,” Davidson shared while talking with HSRN. “I felt a great connection with the coaching staff and loved what they are about … they were a big reason I chose Hawai’i and I’m looking forward to playing and learning from them.”

Davidson also heard from multiple other schools, mulling UC Irvine and Saint Mary’s over the most while deciding if the islands would be his home next season. Ultimately, Hawai’i had a few more roses to offer the redshirt sophomore that helped push the Rainbow Warriors over the top.

“There’s so many things I’m excited about,” Davidson said of picking UH. “My best friend since preschool [Scotty Belnap] is going to be an incoming freshman, getting to play for UH in the Mountain West Conference and play in front of the incredibly supportive fan base Hawai’i has.”

The California-born Davidson also joked that the Hawai’i sun didn’t hurt his decision, though he was sure to emphasize that beach days would be limited to “off-days only” during the season.

Davidson joins Marcus Adams Jr. and Jaden Matingou as the newest additions out of the transfer portal to the Rainbow Warrior roster for 2026-27 campaign. Belnap and Tiger Cuff make up the prep class and will join UH with four years of eligibility after returning from two-year church missions.

Tanner Cuff and Isaiah Kerr are the lone two returning players from last year’s Big West Championship roster, seeing Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, Ike Finlinson, Hunter Carter and AJ Economou each enter the transfer portal and six seniors graduate.

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