Hawai‘i Football Faces Early Measuring Stick in Season Opener at Stanford

Hawai‘i Football Faces Early Measuring Stick in Season Opener at Stanford

Aug 26, 2026

Hawai‘i Football Faces Early Measuring Stick in Season Opener at Stanford

The expectations surrounding Hawai‘i football are different entering the 2026 season.

After a nine-win campaign a year ago, the Rainbow Warriors open Saturday at Stanford with an opportunity to immediately show whether they’re ready to take another step under fifth-year head coach Timmy Chang.

During Wednesday’s Wake Up in The Den, Ku‘ulei Agbayani and Paul Brecht discussed why the Week 0 matchup could serve as an early measuring stick for a Hawai‘i team carrying increased expectations.

Stanford enters a new era under first-year head coach Tavita Pritchard, but Brecht cautioned against viewing the Cardinal’s recent struggles as an indication that Saturday should be an easy win.

Stanford is still a Power 4 program playing at home, returns a number of talented players and has its own expectations of turning things around under Pritchard. Hawai‘i, meanwhile, enters the opener with plenty of excitement surrounding a potentially explosive offense, but questions remain about a defense featuring several new faces.

Still, if the Rainbow Warriors are going to become the team many believe they can be this season, Saturday represents the type of game they’ll need to find a way to win.

“I don’t care if it’s by one point, if it’s by 10 points, if it’s by five points, if it’s by 50 points,” Brecht said. “You gotta come out and find a way to win.”

Saturday’s matchup also carries a unique connection between the two head coaches.

Pritchard recalled taking an official visit to Hawai‘i during Chang’s playing career and watching the former UH quarterback lead the Warriors to a win over Michigan State at Aloha Stadium. Pritchard said he has “a ton of respect” for Chang and acknowledged the added significance of two Polynesian head coaches meeting in Stanford’s Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration game.

Chang returned the praise this week, calling Pritchard a “great coach, great player” and “great leader” as both programs look to build toward bigger things.

For Hawai‘i, the opportunity to show how far it has come arrives immediately.

The Rainbow Warriors and Cardinal kick off Saturday at 1 p.m. HST on the ACC Network.

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HPU Cross Country Builds on Consistency, Community in 2026

HPU Cross Country Builds on Consistency, Community in 2026

Sep 19, 2026

Hawai‘i Pacific University cross country is underway in 2026 with a 22-athlete roster and an emphasis on consistency, growth and building a strong team environment. Head coach Kevin Schwarz joined Sharks Weekly alongside sophomore Drake Hanley and...

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Hawaiian Airlines becomes first official jersey patch sponsor for the University of Hawai’i

Hawaiian Airlines becomes first official jersey patch sponsor for the University of Hawai’i

Aug 25, 2026

Hawaiian Airlines becomes first official jersey patch sponsor for the University of Hawai’i

HONOLULU – History long in the making.

In a college sports world that continues to search for new streams of revenue, the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa tapped into a longtime friend of UH athletics on Tuesday afternoon as the school announced that Hawaiian Airlines would be the first-ever jersey patch sponsor for the Rainbow Warrior football team.

“We’ve been partners with Hawaiian Airlines for many years [and] they’ve taken care of our student-athletes in a way that goes beyond just a traditional partnership,” Athletics Director Matt Elliott said during the partnership reveal at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Tuesday. “Something new has happened in college sports with the advent of us being able to add jersey patches … There was no better partner for us to move forward with the very first jersey patch partnership here at the University of Hawai’i than Hawaiian Airlines.”

Less than a month into the year, the NCAA announced that Division I teams would be able to place up to two additional commercial patches of no more than 4 square inches on uniforms and apparel for preseason and regular-season games beginning on August 1, 2026. The decision was made to allow schools and conferences to “set standards that reflect their values and serve their unique needs” in the challenging, expensive world of college sports.

The announcement comes just days prior to Hawai’i’s 2026 season opener on the road against Stanford. The iconic Pualani logo of Hawaiian Airlines will make its official debut on national television on Saturday.

While the parties declined to share financial details of the agreement, it was revealed that Hawaiian Airlines would continue as the exclusive charter airline for the Rainbow Warrior football team during the 2026 season.

Hawai’i plays on the road on six separate occasions in 2026, trekking across the continental United States from California to Texas to Illinois and everywhere in between. Hawaiian Airlines will charter each leg for all six road trips for the Rainbow Warriors.

As part of the deal, Hawaiian Airlines also plans to engage with UH fans through game day activations, promotions and digital content with student-athletes.

“As everything we know, this is the first partnership between a college athletics department and an airline in the country,” Elliott shared. “This partnership was very important to us to be specific to football.”

Hawai’i AD Matt Elliott addresses the media after announcing a historic jersey patch deal between the Rainbow Warrior football program and Hawaiian Airlines. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

Elliott reiterated that the jersey patch sponsorship with Hawaiian Airlines was unique to the football program at UH and that the school will have different sponsors or partnerships for the jersey patches of other sports.

“You’ve seen at other schools maybe one jersey patch for an entire department. We didn’t think that was right for us,” he said. “What we thought was right for us was to try to find the right partner for each team and match those up. So, that’s what we did and what we pursued.”

The current iteration of the sponsorship contract runs as a one-year deal, which Elliott said will be the case for all jersey patches for UH during the 2026-27 athletics season.

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Three players to watch as Hawai’i hosts San Jose State

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HONOLULU – Stakes are high. Hawai’i football’s slow start to the 2026 campaign has allowed pessimism to permeate the fanbase, but there are still eight games left for the Rainbow Warriors to right the ship and earn their way into a bowl game for...

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Aluli, Dianda help Hawai’i secure first win of the year over Idaho

Aluli, Dianda help Hawai’i secure first win of the year over Idaho

Aug 23, 2026

Aluli, Dianda help Hawai’i secure first win of the year over Idaho

The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine soccer team celebrate after a goal against Idaho. | Photo Credit: Stacy Sur / Special to Hawaii Sports Radio Network

HONOLULU – Tally one in the win column.

The University of Hawai’i women’s soccer team put together a cohesive 90 minutes of action on Saturday afternoon, posting the team’s first shutout and first multi-goal match of the season in a 2-0 victory over the Idaho Vandals (2-1-1) to close out the 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational.

The Rainbow Wahine (1-3) got goals from senior striker Anuhea Aluli and freshman forward Olivia Dianda, each finding the back of the net for the second time in the young season.

Junior goalkeeper Kennedy Justin was able to register her first clean sheet of the season, tallying six saves as she turned away all six of Idaho’s shots on frame.

Aluli, who spent the first four years of her college career at Oakland before transferring back home to Hawai’i for her final year of eligibility this past offseason, pocketed her second score of the year in the 24th minute off of a corner kick opportunity.

Freshman midfielder Jas Cayetano floated the corner kick to the back post and Laule’a Ah Mook Sang got a head on ball for a shot to start the madness. Ah Mook Sang’s header was deflected by a Vandals defender before being re-directed by Piper Bertani across the six-yard box and in front of Aluli, who calmly cashed in on the prime scoring chance.

Hawaii F Anuhea Aluli dribbles down the sideline during Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Idaho. | Photo Credit: Stacy Sur

Despite Idaho’s continuing offensive attack producing eight chances in the game’s opening 45 minutes, Justin and the Rainbow Wahine defense held firm to keep the 1-0 advantage safe heading into halftime for the hosts.

Hawai’i would add the insurance goal from Dianda in the 79th minute on an incredible left-footed strike from outside the 18-yard box that looked like a crossing pass until it continued to knuckle towards the back of the net, giving the Rainbow Wahine a two-goal advantage with about 10 minutes to play.

Idaho did not go quietly, firing off five more shots (two on frame) in the final minutes to try and stage a miraculous comeback but were staunchly denied by the UH defense once again.

“We closed it out, we did what we had to do with one day rest against a very, very good team,” Hawai’i head coach Michele Nagamine said in her postgame interview with K5. “Idaho is always competing for their conference championship, so I have a ton of respect for their coaching staff … We knew this was going to be a game and for us to come out and get the first win on our home field, sure does feel good. I’m really happy for the women.”

Hawai’i will be back in action on Saturday, August 29 at 4 p.m. as they play host to Hawaii Pacific University.

PHOTOS BY STACY SUR

HPU Cross Country Builds on Consistency, Community in 2026

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Hawai‘i Pacific University cross country is underway in 2026 with a 22-athlete roster and an emphasis on consistency, growth and building a strong team environment. Head coach Kevin Schwarz joined Sharks Weekly alongside sophomore Drake Hanley and...

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From Kalihi to Flushing Meadows: Andre Ilagan’s Journey Reaches the U.S. Open

From Kalihi to Flushing Meadows: Andre Ilagan’s Journey Reaches the U.S. Open

Aug 20, 2026

From Kalihi to Flushing Meadows: Andre Ilagan’s Journey Reaches the U.S. Open

Photo credit: Hawaii Athletics

Andre Ilagan grew up spending four or five hours a day on the tennis courts at Kalaukaua District Park.

Next week, he’ll step onto a much bigger stage.

The Farrington High School graduate and former University of Hawai‘i standout earned one of nine wild-card entries into the qualifying tournament for the 2026 U.S. Open, becoming the first Rainbow Warrior men’s tennis player to compete at the major tournament.

It’s a historic accomplishment for the UH program. For Ilagan, it’s also the latest step in a journey that began in Kalihi with some cheap tennis rackets and a challenge from his family to find a way to pay for college.

“Coming out of Kalihi in general is cool,” Ilagan said during a media availability Wednesday. “I love it. It just builds character for me. I take pride in it every time.”

An Unlikely Start

Tennis wasn’t necessarily supposed to be Ilagan’s sport.

He grew up in a basketball family and remembers his brother suffering a sprained ankle before seeing tennis on television and deciding the family should give it a try.

They found some inexpensive rackets — Ilagan remembers it being either Goodwill or a swap meet — and headed to the court.

Eventually, what started almost by accident became an opportunity.

“Dre, you’re not gonna be that tall,” Ilagan recalled his family telling him. “We’re not gonna pay for your school. So find a way to get a full scholarship somewhere at school and dig in.”

Ilagan did exactly that.

Growing up in Kalihi, he became known as the kid who seemingly lived on the tennis court, playing seven days a week and spending hours each day at Kalaukaua District Park.

There were early mornings and plenty of sacrifices along the way. Ilagan remembers Saturday practices at 7 a.m. when he’d rather stay home, only for his father to challenge him on how badly he really wanted it.

That discipline eventually took him from Farrington to the University of Hawai‘i.

‘It Changed Who I Am’

At UH, Ilagan became one of the most accomplished players in program history, earning ITA All-America honors in 2023 after advancing to the NCAA Singles Championship Round of 16.

But when asked what his college experience did for him, Ilagan didn’t start with tennis.

“It changed who I am, for sure,” he said.

He openly admits he didn’t arrive at UH with everything figured out. During his first semester, Ilagan said he did enough academically to get by before teammates challenged him to take the same approach to life that he said he wanted to take with tennis.

Ilagan had told them he wanted to become a professional player.

Their response was essentially: then start acting like one.

“I had a reality check — accountability,” Ilagan said.

He credits his teammates and coaches with creating an environment where the emphasis wasn’t simply on winning the next match, but becoming better on and off the court.

“It’s always, ‘All right, do the right thing, and if you win, cool. If you lose, hey, keep doing it again,’” Ilagan said. “Just sticking to it, and that’s pretty much who I am today.”

That foundation became especially important once his college career ended.

Finding His Way as a Pro

Ilagan admits his first few years of professional tennis weren’t easy.

“I’ll be quite honest, my first few years were a bit rough, especially my first year,” he said.

The transition was more than simply facing better competition. At UH, Ilagan played for teammates and coaches. On the professional tour, he suddenly had to figure out what he was playing for when everything became about himself.

It took time.

Now, Ilagan says part of his motivation comes from the people back home and showing what may be possible for someone who didn’t necessarily grow up with every advantage.

“For someone that didn’t have much growing up, and just being — not saying you can make it — but have the option to be a professional tennis player,” he said.

His results have started to reflect that growth.

Back-to-back appearances in ATP Challenger finals helped Ilagan earn his U.S. Open qualifying wild card and put him on the doorstep of the Top 200 in the world.

To advance into the U.S. Open main draw, he’ll need to win three qualifying matches.

And while reaching one of tennis’ biggest stages carries obvious significance, Ilagan was also refreshingly candid about another benefit: the paycheck.

Professional tennis doesn’t come with a guaranteed salary. Ilagan explained that players largely have to support themselves or find people willing to invest in their careers.

“Obviously playing the U.S. Open for the first time, it’s good for the bank account, that’s for sure,” he said. “It helps me continue my career.”

For Ilagan, that’s what the money represents — the ability to keep playing.

But there’s also something much harder to quantify about this opportunity.

The players Ilagan once watched on television — or sometimes on his laptop while sitting in class at UH — are now the players standing across the net from him.

“I’ve reached a level to the point where I was watching these guys on TV, now I’m playing against them,” Ilagan said. “And then I can beat them now.”

Through it all, he’s learned to stop worrying about how everyone else approaches the game.

“Just going out there, just doing it my way, my style, don’t care what anyone thinks,” Ilagan said. “You can lose yourself because it’s like, ‘Oh, but this guy did that, but this guy…’ Like, who cares at the end of the day? We’re all human beings.”

“Just compete.”

It’s a philosophy that has taken Ilagan a long way from those public courts in Honolulu.

From Kalihi to Farrington. From Farrington to UH. From UH to the professional tour.

And now, to the U.S. Open.

HPU Cross Country Builds on Consistency, Community in 2026

HPU Cross Country Builds on Consistency, Community in 2026

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Training Camp Q&A with Hawaii Football OL Dean Briski

Training Camp Q&A with Hawaii Football OL Dean Briski

Aug 19, 2026

Training Camp Q&A with Hawaii Football OL Dean Briski

Dean Briski enters his final season with the Hawai‘i football team taking on a new challenge along the offensive line.

The 2022 Samoana High School graduate and Pago Pago, American Samoa, native played 783 of his 788 total snaps at the left tackle position in 2025. This season, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound redshirt senior is moving to right tackle, where he will protect the blindside of left-handed quarterback Micah Alejado, the Mountain West Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Briski is one of two returning offensive line starters for the Rainbow Warriors, joining center Ethan Spencer. Hawai‘i lost guards Zhen Sotelo, Kuao Peihopa and right tackle James Milovale to graduation after going 9-4 in 2025 and winning the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl.

Briski has also shown his versatility in the past, seeing action as a backfield tight end off the line of scrimmage in Hawai‘i’s 34-13 victory over Nevada in 2024.

Hawai‘i Sports Radio Network caught up with Briski during training camp to discuss his move to right tackle, his final season and the expectations surrounding the Rainbow Warriors in 2026.

Note: The text for some of the questions and answers have been edited for clarity.

Dean Briski lines up at left tackle in Hawaii Football’s 2025 season opener against Stanford. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

HSRN: How do you feel like right now and what do you feel like the mood of the team is right now?

Dean Briski: “Just super blessed to be out here, doing this for a long time. We’re also just very confident in our offseason. Coach (Bobby Thomas) got us right in our bodies and how we move. It’s really exciting to see what it does to us on the field. It’s just about putting it all together.”

HSRN: You’re one of the returning starters on the offensive line, but you guys did lose couple big pieces in Zhen (Sotelo) and Kuao (Peihopa). How do you feel that unit is looking especially with some of the newcomers coming in?

Briski: “Zhen and Kuao really held a big point in our group, especially with our mentality and stuff, but the O-line is building a new culture with a new group of boys. It’s more of just work and alignment kind of so the younger boys know who to follow, who to listen to and it’s just following your leaders kind of thing and knowing your role.”

HSRN: You talk about work and alignment — you’re moving from the left side to the right side. Maybe stance is a little bit different, arms a little bit different. Talk about the transition moving to the right side?

Briski: “I’m right hand dominant so I feel like I can really strike something. It’s just getting more repetition, repetition, we still got couple more weeks till first game so it’s just doing it over and over again until you get confident and doing it. It’s just all reps.”

HSRN: Talk about what you bring to the table as an offensive lineman.

Briski: “I feel like I got a fire. I just want to be like that guy they need to open up a gap or do this, do that. I just want to be that person to light someone up, open the hole up. I just really like the aggression part of being an O-lineman. I like being savvy too.”

Dean Briski plays TE in the Hawaii Football game against Nevada in 2024. | Photo: Michael Lasquero

HSRN: I want to talk to you about the offensive transformation — talk about the changes on the offense that you’ve seen over these past two seasons.

Briski: “Definitely a lot when coach (Anthony) Arceneaux came in and coach Winterhawk (Leighton) really helped us too in our run (game). It’s just the pieces we have too. Micah (Alejado), it’s a whole different thing now. Our running backs, Cam Barfield. It’s just so much elevated when I first got here and I feel like our offense is just more electric now.”

HSRN: Who are some of the young bucks coming in on the offensive line that you’re really seeing them taking a step and we’re probably going to know their names by the time the season is over?

Briski: “I’m going to go with Uluaki Taukiuvea. Uluaki is a right tackle from Utah, but he was kind of in the same position as me. He played quarterback in high school. He trusted our coaches that them telling him he would be a better offensive lineman, he trusted it and he put it in all his effort into his work. He’s our second string right tackle. I feel like teaching someone who’s more raw how to play, because they don’t have any bad habits so the coaches did a good job teaching him good fundamentals and how our offense moves and how the plays go. He’s just really coachable.”

HSRN: You guys were so close to making it to the championship game last year in the Mountain West so what do you guys have to do better or differently to make sure that you guys are in that game?

Briski: “Probably starting fast. I think that’s something that we didn’t really do a good job last year. But this year we’re trying to start fast, start fast in our plays. It just all starts in practice. We have to start fast in practice, before practice, activation. When we wake up, it’ has to be a whole mentality flip a whole new thing because whatever we did to get to where we’re at, we have to do it like times two now.”

HSRN: Share about your Polynesian background and how much does that mean to you?

Briski: “It means a lot. I got recruited from Samoa and I’ve been here for a long time and I just love seeing them pouring out to my islands, still trying to recruit kids out there. It’s good hearing my language in the locker room again. When I first got here it was Penei (Pavihi), Blessman (Ta’ala), Maurice (Ta’ala), JT (John Tuitupou). We were all speaking it. Now it’s a new group of boys, I can hear them saying stuff. It makes me happy they still bringing in people who still have the language, the culture, the humor, all that it’s still in the locker room.”

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UNLV dominates Hawai’i as Mountain West title hopes disappear

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Hawai’i rolls in preseason tune-up against Chaminade

Hawai’i rolls in preseason tune-up against Chaminade

Aug 17, 2026

Hawai’i rolls in preseason tune-up against Chaminade

Outside hitter Panna Ratkai celebrates during a scrimmage against Chaminade. The Dayton transfer had a match-high 13 kills in three sets against Chaminade. | Photo Credit: HSRN

HONOLULU – Welcome back, Rainbow Wahine.

The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team swept through four sets of exhibition action against Chaminade on Monday, (25-20, 25-16, 25-10, 25-13), seeing all 15 players on the roster get action as the Rainbow Wahine took each of the three frames in regulation along with the pre-match mutually agreed fourth set regardless of the results prior.

Dayton transfer Panna Ratkai led Hawai’i with 13 kills in her fall debut with the program while returning junior middle blocker Miliana Sylvester turned in an exceptionally productive night with 11 kills and only one attacking error on 16 swings while adding a team-best six blocks (2 solo, 4 assisted) in the first three sets.

Sylvester spoke about energy in the building and amongst the team after the match, expressing how finally playing another team other than themselves brought up the excitement for the night by itself.

“I think it’s really cool to have our whole team on one side of the net and rallying for the same thing,” Sylvester stated. “In the practice gym, you know, it’s [A-side vs. B-side], or it’s kind of mixed up and we’re dogging on each other. To be on one team and face a different opponent that’s not ourselves, we don’t necessarily know their tendencies. It’s cool to see how we adjust.”

In front of a crowd of a few thousand fans, both programs took a little time to get moving after a weekend filled with cancelled practices and chaotic weather. Despite some sluggishness, the Rainbow Wahine and Silverswords each felt the night was productive overall as the regular season approaches for each.

“We’re very glad we had this exhibition, so we make sure we’re translating the things we’ve been working on in practice to the games,” Hawai’i head coach Joshua Walker said after making his debut as the head man in charge of the UH women’s volleyball program. “I think we definitely had some cobwebs early and then we were able to steady up.”

Chaminade, who has been a PacWest powerhouse under the leadership of 15th-year head coach Kahala Kabalis Hoke, showed plenty of fight in the opening two stanzas of the night despite dealing with a plethora of cancelled practices ahead of Monday’s action but ultimately ran out of gas against an aggressive Rainbow Wahine group.

In total, the Silverswords held less than a handful of practices ahead of the exhibition against the Rainbow Wahine.

“[Just] a huge benefit to be able to get out there tonight and see what we have,” Kabalis Hoke said following the match. “We had some adversity moments that I really got to see some people come through, unfortunately we couldn’t sustain it so now, [we’re] working on a way to maintain that focus [going forward].”

The opening stanza was the best of the night for Chaminade, playing within a point of their University of Hawai’i counterparts, 18-17, before the Rainbow Wahine scored seven of the final 10 points of the frame.

Chaminade remained within striking distance in the second set until the midway media timeout, seeing a 15-12 deficit quickly get away for a 25-16 decision in favor of the Rainbow Wahine.

Hawai’i progressively got smoother as the night’s action progressed, raising their hitting percentage in every frame from .319 as a group in the debut stanza before raising up to .344 in the second set.

Sylvester and Ratkai each got into double digits for kills by the end of the second set, each tallying 10 putdowns to pace the Rainbow Wahine and give way to a few more experimental rotations for Walker and staff throughout the evening.

The third and fourth frames provided an opportunity for Walker and company to get a longer look at younger players, seeing freshmen like libero Cameron Holcomb, setter Manon Baudrillard and outside hitter Mano Antiga get valuable game-like reps in front of a crowd at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Baudrillard appeared in full control of directing the offense, handing out six assists in the third set while registering a pair of digs as well before staying on for the fourth set that didn’t keep track of statistics.

Antiga delivered a set-clinching service ace before enjoying extended action in the fourth set while Holcomb clearly displayed more comfort and a rhythm on the floor with every passing rally in the fourth frame.

Outside hitter Tali Hakas also had five kills and seven digs in her return to the floor. The 5-foot-11 junior missed the majority of the 2025 season with a shoulder injury but appeared to be fully healthy and engaged in the action from the very first serve.

Chaminade was led by senior outside hitter Tabby Allen, who racked up six kills on 19 swings but dished out a match-high three service aces in the original three sets of action. In all, eight different platers registered kills for the Silverswords.

The Silverswords are set to officially start off the season on Thursday, August 20 in Hilo for the Hawaii-Alaska Challenge, a small tournament that features the University of Hawai’i-Hilo, Alaska Anchorage and No. 16 Alaska Fairbanks. First serve for Chaminade is scheduled for 1 p.m. HT and can be seen on the PacWest Network.

Hawai’i now turns attention to preparing for the 2026 Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic in 11 days, hosting Georgia Southern, San Diego and No. 21 Baylor from August 28-30 for a three-day round robin tournament to kick off the 2026 campaign. First serve against Georgia Southern is at 7 p.m. HT on August 28 inside the Stan Sheriff Center.

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Hawai‘i Pacific University cross country is underway in 2026 with a 22-athlete roster and an emphasis on consistency, growth and building a strong team environment. Head coach Kevin Schwarz joined Sharks Weekly alongside sophomore Drake Hanley and...

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