Hawai’i rains down from distance in comfortable exhibition win over HPU

Hawai’i rains down from distance in comfortable exhibition win over HPU

Oct 26, 2026

Hawai’i rains down from distance in comfortable exhibition win over HPU

Hawai’i G Jaden Matingou brings the ball down during a home exhibition. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

 

HONOLULU – Sweet shooting to a win over the Sharks.

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team enjoyed themselves in an 89-60 exhibition victory over Hawaii Pacific University on Sunday evening as the Rainbow Warriors connected on 14 3-pointers and saw five of the 10 players that were active finish in double figures in front of 1,500 fans inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

Point Loma transfer Jaden Matingou paced the Division I hosts, looking like he was back in the PacWest with a 19-point, three-rebound, three-steal debut against the Sharks. The senior guard drilled two of his three attempts from long range while shooting 7-of-8 overall from the field.

Utah Tech transfer Chance Trujillo put his elite shooting on display with a team-high five made triples, posting 16 points in 28 minutes of work for the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai’i G Chance Trujillo fires away from 3-point range during a season-opening exhibition against Hawaii Pacific University. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Zack Davidson, Bol Dengdit and Tiger Cuff rounded out the double-digit scorers for Hawai’i, tallying 15, 14 and 12 points apiece. Davidson grabbed a team-best six rebounds in 26 minutes of action while Cuff showed off his talent from range with all four of his makes coming from behind the arc.

Four players did not suit up for the Rainbow Warriors on Sunday, seeing Seattle University transfer Houran Dan, Davidson transfer Manie Joses, Swiss product Aloïs Leyrolles and captain Isaiah Kerr all out for the exhibition. Freshman guard Maïdy Douglas also did not play, though he is expected to redshirt the 2026-27 campaign before suiting up next year for UH.

Hawaii Pacific started out hot, taking a 10-5 lead over Hawai’i after the first four minutes of action. Graduate forward Will Woodward had five of his 10 points on the night in the span, cutting backdoor for the game’s first points before drilling a three to grab the early advantage for the Sharks.

Back-to-back triples from Trujillo and graduate guard Tanner Cuff put the Rainbow Warriors in front by the time the night’s first media timeout hit. The Rainbow Warriors would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the exhibition.

Dengdit scored eight of the next 16 points for UH, but a three from HPU guard Nemanja Sarenac that was sandwiched by a pair finishes by Marino Dubravcic helped keep the Sharks within seven with just over six minutes remaining in the first half.

Hawai’i extended the lead out to 12 by halftime as Davidson and Trujillo took turns tormenting the HPU defense, connecting from all three levels as the offense continued to click for the Rainbow Warriors.

Matingou helped UH hold off an early push from Hawaii Pacific in the second half, scoring the first seven points out of the locker rooms before Trujillo and Tiger Cuff got hot from long range to help extend the lead to 20 for the Rainbow Warriors with just under 14 minutes to play.

The lead grew as large as 31 for Hawai’i in the second half as the hosts continued to push the tempo and tally multiple threes down the stretch. Hawaii Pacific outscored the Rainbow Warriors in the paint and matched the rebounding output of their Division I foes, but 20 turnovers and eight less makes from behind the arc sunk the Sharks in their first game-like action of the 2026-27 campaign.

Sarenac led the way in the loss for HPU, scoring 18 points while drilling six 3-pointers in 30 minutes of action. The third-year wing also collected five rebounds and two steals for the Sharks.

Hawaii Pacific G Nemanja Sarenac fires away on one of his six 3-pointers against the University of Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Northern Iowa transfer Marino Dubravcic, who missed the 2025-26 season for the Panthers with an injury, ended the night with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field in his first game action in over a year.

Bellevue product Will Woodward gave 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds to the Sharks while returning guard Avi Halpert chipped in 10 points and six assists while shooting 50% from the floor.

USC-Beaufort transfer Evan Kilminster struggled to find the touch on his shot as he collected five points in total on the night but showed off strong playmaking chops as he dished out eight assists in 31 minutes of work.

Hawaii Pacific will kick off a loaded non-conference schedule against St. Edwards University (TX) on Friday, October 30 for the Hoops in Hawaii Tip-off Classic, one of three Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) sanctioned events across the country in Division II to open up the 2026-27 basketball season.

The University of Hawai’i will tip-off the season at home on November 2 at 7:00 p.m. HT, playing host to Seattle University inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

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Justin goes back-to-back as Hawai’i remains towards top of Mountain West

Justin goes back-to-back as Hawai’i remains towards top of Mountain West

Oct 26, 2026

Justin goes back-to-back as Hawai’i remains towards top of Mountain West

Hawai’i GK Kennedy Justin jumps for a save during Saturday’s shutout win over Grand Canyon. | Photo Credit: Stacy Sur, HSRN

HONOLULU – DJ, play that song again.

University of Hawai’i women’s soccer goalkeeper Kennedy Justin earned her second consecutive Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week honor on Monday morning after posting her third straight clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Grand Canyon last Saturday.

Justin and the Rainbow Wahine “No Goal Patrol” shut down GCU’s high-volume attack on the way to the narrow win, holding the Lopes to seven shots and one total shot on frame. It was the eighth clean sheet of the season for the junior goalkeeper, setting a new Rainbow Wahine single season record and putting her one shutout shy of the program’s career record of 16.

Hawai’i has allowed three goals over the past two months of game action and only one goal at home over the last seven matches in Mānoa. Justin has climbed to a tie atop the Mountain West goalkeeper leaderboard with Wyoming’s Haley Bartel, each collecting eight shutouts – though Justin has done so in 14 games to Bartel’s 16 appearances.

Justin also leads the conference in save percentage (.825) and average goals against (0.75 per game), both of which would be career best marks for the three-year Rainbow Wahine veteran.

The win over the Lopes extended UH’s win streak to six games, good for the fourth-longest active win streak in the country. Hawai’i will be back in action on Wednesday, October 28 with test against UNLV, who enters the match coming off a five-goal explosion in a victory over Nevada last Saturday.

The Lady Rebels have scored in six of the team’s eight conference matchups and put up multiple goals in four Mountain West matchups, though have struggled defensively as they’ve allowed the second-most goals per game against conference opponents.

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Alejado grabs third career Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week award

Alejado grabs third career Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week award

Oct 26, 2026

Alejado grabs third career Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week award

HONOLULU – Alejado Air is back online.

University of Hawai’i sophomore QB Micah Alejado was named the Old Trapper Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week on Monday morning, becoming the first Rainbow Warrior to receive offensive conference recognition and fifth different quarterback in the league to win the award this season.

It’s the third time in Alejado’s career that he’s earned the top weekly offensive honor in the Mountain West. The award comes after the sophomore signal caller recorded his third 300-yard game of the year, putting up 323 yards through the air at Northern Illinois (0-7, 0-3 Mountain West) over the weekend as the Rainbow Warriors grabbed their first conference win.

Alejado posted his second-best completion percentage in a single game this year, connecting on 68.8% of his throws while tossing a season-high three touchdowns in the victory.

Hawai’i (2-6, 1-4 Mountain West) looked closer to the team that many preseason predictions thought them to be against the winless Huskies, scoring 56 points and eclipsing 500 yards of total offense for the first time this year. It marked the first time that the Rainbow Warriors eclipsed 50 points under fifth-year head coach Timmy Chang and tied the program record for most points scored against a Mountain West opponent.

Senior LB Jamih Otis is the only other UH player to pick up one of the league’s “Player of the Week” honors during the 2026-27 campaign, earning the Defensive Player of the Week nod after his Week 2 performance that included an interception, a fumble recovery and six tackles in a 29-19 win over New Mexico State.

Alejado and the rest of the Rainbow Warriors will enjoy a much-needed bye week this Saturday before returning to action on the road, facing off with UTEP (1-6, 0-3 Mountain West) on Saturday, November 7 in El Paso. Like NIU, the Miners are still searching for the team’s first Mountain West win in their inaugural campaign in the new conference.

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Hawai’i sweeps UNLV again to extend win streak to 10 straight

Hawai’i sweeps UNLV again to extend win streak to 10 straight

Oct 25, 2026

Hawai’i sweeps UNLV again to extend win streak to 10 straight

Hawai’i OH Cha’lei Reid smiles wide on her way to leading the Rainbow Wahine in kills for the sixth straight match. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU – Somehow a night that started with the national anthem and Hawai’i Pono’i being played on the electric guitar only got more rocking as time went on.

After assistant coach Will McDonald shredded to start the night, the University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team completed a weekend of sweeps over UNLV (8-13, 4-6 Mountain West) on Saturday night with a takedown of the Lady Rebels in straight sets for the second straight evening, (25-21, 25-11, 25-23), inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

The victory extended UH’s season-long win streak to 10 straight matches in front of a season-high crowd of 6,603 fans, who helped power the Rainbow Wahine to an impressive rally in the third frame to complete the sweep.

Sophomore outside hitter Cha’lei Reid led the way for the sixth straight match for Hawai’i, hammering down a match-best 15 kills on 28 swings. Senior outside hitter Panna Ratkai added 13 kills and nine digs while junior setter Adrianna Arquette posted her third double-double in the last four matches and eighth of the year with 35 assists and 13 digs in the victory.

Junior middle blocker Miliana Sylvester was the third and final UH player to post double-digit kills, adding 10 putdowns and a pair of blocks as the Rainbow Wahine defense held the Lady Rebels to .127 on the attack as a group. It marked the 15th straight and 18th match overall that Hawai’i held an opponent under .200 hitting.

Reid recorded seven of her 15 kills in the opening frame while Arquette dealt out both of her service aces on the night to help the Rainbow Wahine rally from a three-point deficit at the technical timeout to a 25-21 win in the night’s first set.

Hawai’i handled business handily in the second stanza, sprinting out to a 10-3 lead and forcing UNLV to burn through both timeouts before the midway media break. Arquette continued firing away from behind the service line following the Lady Rebels’ second timeout, pushing the advantage out to 11 points before finally sending a serve into the net.

The Rainbow Wahine continued to roll after taking a 15-4 lead into the technical timeout as they hit an absurd .500 as a group in the second set on the way to a 25-11 domination of the Lady Rebels and a 2-0 set lead in the match.

UNLV seemed primed to push the night to a fourth set after holding an 18-12 lead in the third, but the Rainbow Wahine rallied behind the raucous Stan Sheriff Center crowd as the Lady Rebels began to misfire on multiple attacks.

Cha’lei Reid started to sizzle again in the final frame as well and Adrianna Arquette turned in a pair of blocks and a timely over-on-two attack to help Hawai’i grab a 23-22 lead late in the third. After UNLV’s Jada Ingram tied it back up at 23, Panna Ratkai put the Rainbow Wahine ahead for good with her final kill of the night.

A pair of freshmen combined to close it out for Hawai’i on the very next rally as Rachel Purser and Mano Antiga denied UNLV’s Basia Latos at the net to wrap up UH’s second straight sweep of the Lady Rebels.

Latos led the way in the loss for UNLV, tallying eight kills and seven digs while Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year pick Jaida Harris had seven kills, five blocks and a pair of digs for the Lady Rebels.

Hawai’i (18-3, 10-0 Mountain West) looks to keep rolling next Friday and Saturday, traveling to the continent to take on UC Davis (11-10, 7-3 Mountain West) in a clash of the conference’s top two teams during Halloween weekend.

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Explosive first half helps Hawai’i to blowout win at Northern Illinois

Explosive first half helps Hawai’i to blowout win at Northern Illinois

Oct 24, 2026

Explosive first half helps Hawai’i to blowout win at Northern Illinois

Now THAT’S more like it.

Behind a balanced offensive attack and opportunistic defense, the University of Hawai’i football team stepped on the gas and never looked back during a 56-21 victory at Northern Illinois (0-7, 0-3 Mountain West) on Saturday.

The Rainbow Warriors (2-6, 1-4 Mountain West) leaned on the legs of DeVon Rice and Cam Barfield early and often, getting 200 total yards and four rushing touchdowns from the Bishop Gorman duo. Barfield found the end zone for the first time this season while tallying 70 yards receiving and another 58 on the ground and Rice chipped in 71 rushing yards and three touchdowns across 12 carries for Hawai’i.

The improved ground attack opened up the air for Micah Alejado and the UH receiving core as the offense posted a season-high 504 total yards on the way to the program’s first 50+ point performance under fifth-year head coach Timmy Chang.

Hawai’i got off to a quick start, finding paydirt on the team’s opening possession for just the second time in eight games this year as Rice rumbled into the end zone from three yards out to cap off the 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive.

NIU answered right back with the help of blown coverage as QB Taron Dickens delivered a 49-yard touchdown strike to a wide-open DeAree Rogers to tie the game up, 7-7. Hawai’i hit back quickly with the help of a fantastic 46-yard catch from Audric Harris, setting up the Rainbow Warriors on the doorstep of the redzone before Alejado hit redshirt TE Frank Abreu for a 13-yard touchdown reception four plays later to give a 14-7 advantage to the visitors through 15 minutes of action.

Dickens and Rogers hooked up again at the start of the second quarter, connecting for a 25-yard touchdown to tie things up at 14 with 13:46 left in the opening half.

Then, Hawai’i decided to take it to another level.

DeVon Rice rushed through a massive hole untouched on the way to a go-ahead 33-yard touchdown and Cam Barfield set the Rainbow Warriors up on the very next drive by taking a screen pass 62 yards to the doorstep of the end zone before pushing in from a yard out two plays later to help Hawai’i double-up the Huskies, 28-14, with just over five minutes left before halftime.

Jeremiah Hughes grabbed his third interception in the past two games on the next drive, giving UH’s offense one more chance to add on before the break. Alejado hit Harris again for a 40+ yard gain to put Hawai’i on the NIU 23-yard line as the two-minute timeout hit and then connected with Abreu on an incredible toe-tap touchdown grab to send the Rainbow Warriors into the locker room with a new season high in points in just 30 minutes of action.

After a shanked punt by NIU set Hawai’i’s offense up at the Huskies’ 35-yard line, redshirt freshman WR Titan Lacaden helped the visitors convert on a third-and-6 with a 22-yard catch-and-run to set up first-and-goal for the offense. Rice did the rest, wrapping up his hat trick of touchdowns to extend the lead to 28 for the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai’i added on once more before the end of the third as Alejado hit a wide-open Josiah Fetui for a 44-yard touchdown, the first score of the sophomore’s college career.

Elijah Porter gave a chance for the home fans to cheer in the fourth frame, extending out to break the plane for a three-yard touchdown run with 8:55 left to play and end a run of 35 straight points by Hawai’i.

True freshmen closed out the fantastic day for the Rainbow Warriors as RB TJ Fo’ilefutu rumbled into the end zone from six yards out for his first career touchdown to push UH over the 50-point mark and DB Kydel Stone wrapped up the game with his first career interception on the final defensive drive.

Alejado completed 22-of-32 passes in the victory for Hawai’i, eclipsing the 300 passing yard mark for the third time this year with 323 yards through the air and three touchdowns along with a late interception.

Audric Harris needed just two catches to lead the receiving room with 90 yards. Hawai’i finished the day with 12 different players recording a catch, tying a season-high for a single game. Frank Abreu set a new career-high with 31 receiving yards and two touchdowns across three catches.

Julian Smith and Wynden Ho’ohuli each forced fumbles for the UH defense while Hughes and Stone each snagged interceptions, setting a new season-best of four total takeaways by the unit.

Elijah Palmer led the defense with eight tackles (six solo) while sophomore DT Ozzy Pollard added a season-high six total tackles (three solo) in the victory.

Hawai’i enters a much-needed bye week after enduring through a five-game gauntlet, returning to action next on November 7 with a matchup on the road against UTEP.

HAWAI’I FOOTBALL COVERAGE ON HSRN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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