Hawai’i basketball rolls into brand new era with brand new roster

Hawai’i basketball rolls into brand new era with brand new roster

Sep 24, 2026

Hawai’i basketball rolls into brand new era with brand new roster

Hawaii F Manie Joses drives to the rim during practice. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

 

HONOLULU – There’s plenty different about this year’s Rainbow Warriors.

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team officially opened up practice for the 2026-27 season on Monday, embarking on the program’s first journey through a new conference after spending the last 14 years competing in the Big West.

Coming off of an NCAA Tournament appearance and conference tournament crown last year, the Rainbow Warriors welded together a fresh cast of faces for their inaugural Mountain West campaign.

Gone and graduated are fan favorites Dre Bullock and Isaac “Big Fish” Johnson, along with starting point guard Hunter Erickson and last year’s captain Harry Rouhliadeff. Key reserves Gytis Nemeikša and Yacine Toumi also ran out of eligibility while four other former Rainbow Warriors hit the transfer portal after the championship season.

The six Rainbow Warrior seniors were honored on senior night in the regular season finale. | Photo: Daniel Fujita, HSRN

That eventually led to the addition of 13 new players to the program – 14 new players overall if you want to include guard Tanner Cuff, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

“Obviously, we’re still to be determined in a lot of ways,” head coach Eran Ganot said of the roster for the Rainbow Warriors. “The sooner you know your team, the better. We know them better than we did in June, but there’s a lot of work still to be done.”

Hawai’i got a chance to work on chemistry and comradery a bit before the typical regular season began, taking a week-long international trip to Australia and getting a chance to compete against a pair of NBL squads at the start of August. As part of the foreign tour, the Rainbow Warriors got an extra 10 practices to coalesce before college actually started back up.

“You can’t judge a player or a team’s true talents until they’re in shape, which they should be … or [until they’re] comfortable, which takes time,” Ganot continued. “Not just new system but learning how to play together … We’re getting better, we know we have a way to go, it’s going to be rocky and there are going to be challenges and ups and downs and all that great stuff, but that’s awesome. It’s a blessing.”

Despite the change in faces and conference foes, the Rainbow Warriors want the program’s defensive and disciplined identity to remain the same. They’ve continued introducing players to the standard expected of them through identity series presentations and with the help of the growing leadership of Cuff and lone rotational returner Isaiah Kerr.

Ganot also added multiple familiar faces to the coaching staff after multiple key departures from last year’s bench, bringing back Adam Jacobsen, John Montgomery and Cody Kelley to the islands as assistant coaches while elevating Gibson Johnson to the associate head coach chair.

By bringing in a balanced group of coaches that know the previous standards and expectations of the program but have spent multiple seasons away from UH, Ganot believes there will be new ideas and improvements made simply from the continued career maturation of his assistants.

“They know Hawai’i, they know our program, they know our university but … they’ve been gone for some years and they come in with new ideas,” the 12th-year head man said. “We have this expectation for our guys to get better. Well, we better get better as coaches and I better get better, and I enjoy that part.”

Ganot expects the Mountain West to present plenty of challenges on a night-to-night basis, seeing teams that will be able to play big, play small, slow the tempo down or race down the floor every chance they get.

The roster for the Rainbow Warriors reads the same way with 11 of the 15 players on the team listed at 6-foot-6 or taller, adding an influx of athleticism into the rotation.

Cuff, who stands at 6-foot-7, provides a point guard who can post up and play outside the arc depending on the night. Davidson transfer Manie Joses, who is also listed at 6-foot-7, displayed elite defensive chops with the Wildcats and showed throughout the summer that his 7-foot-1 wingspan and leaping ability can be a plus on the fast break for UH.

The frontcourt also will have some optionality with 6-foot-10 Houran Dan and 6-foot-11 Bol Dengdit each presenting different profiles for the center spot.

Dan, a transfer from Seattle University, has a desire to dunk everything around the rim that he can and could be the most athletically freaky player on the team. Dengdit, who spent last year at UC San Diego and had multiple high-major programs after him in the portal, profiles more as a player who can stretch the floor from the center position and hold his own when he needs to play in the post.

Guards Chance Trujillo and Jaden Matingou also bring plenty of athleticism despite being on the “shorter” end of the roster at 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-3, respectively. Trujillo is built like a linebacker and has the quickest trigger on the roster, adding a high-level shooter to any rotation he’s a part of.

Matingou, much like Isaiah Kerr, is a winner that brings a toughness and competitive grit after spending multiple years at the Division II level. The Point Loma transfer has more bounce off the dribble than one might expect and is a capable defender and shooter that will only get more comfortable as his first season at UH progresses.

G Jaden Matingou handles the ball during his first official practice with Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

The 15-player roster will now embark on a six-week sprint to prepare for the start of Hawai’i’s non-conference slate and the regular season as a whole, hoping to build on the success from last year and take the program to places never seen before in the islands.

“I don’t think it’s ever been done in Hawai’i history where they’ve won the conference back-to-back,” Trujillo said ahead of the opening day of practice. “So especially going to a new conference in the Mountain West … I mean, that’s the expectation for us. And Hawai’i has never been to the Sweet 16, so… we know those are lofty goals but that’s why we’re pursuing them.”

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Rainbow Wahine Fall to UCLA in Five-Set Battle to Close Lucky Aces Invitational

Rainbow Wahine Fall to UCLA in Five-Set Battle to Close Lucky Aces Invitational

Sep 21, 2026

Rainbow Wahine Fall to UCLA in Five-Set Battle to Close Lucky Aces Invitational

LAS VEGAS — Hawai‘i came within two points of closing its non-conference schedule with a win over UCLA, but the Bruins rallied late to hand the Rainbow Wahine an 18-16 fifth-set loss Sunday at Orleans Arena.

Hawai‘i (8-3) fell 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 17-25, 16-18 in the 80th meeting between the programs. The marathon match featured 37 ties and 17 lead changes.

Neither side could seize control for long. Hawai‘i took the opening set, UCLA answered in the second, and the Rainbow Wahine reclaimed the advantage with a third-set win. The Bruins responded again in the fourth, sending the longtime rivals into a fifth set that ultimately came down to the final few points.

Fifth-Set Finish

Hawai‘i carried an 8-4 lead into the changeover and later went up 14-11, seemingly putting the match away on the next rally. The Rainbow Wahine began to celebrate, only for a net violation to overturn what appeared to be the match-winning point and keep UCLA alive.

The Bruins took advantage of the second chance, fighting off three match points and eventually moving ahead, 15-14. Panna Ratkai answered with a kill to extend the match, but UCLA ultimately completed the comeback, 18-16.

Miliana Sylvester said the Rainbow Wahine had to quickly regroup after the call.

“The moment we knew that we were still playing, we just dialed back in on what rotation we’re in and how we can move forward.”

Sylvester Leads at the Net

Sylvester turned in one of her strongest performances of the season, finishing with 16 kills on .344 hitting along with seven blocks. Ratkai led Hawai‘i with 19 kills and added 10 digs, while Tali Hakas posted 14 kills. Setter Adrianna Arquette dished out 47 assists and Victoria Leyva anchored the back row with 23 digs.

UCLA’s Maggie Li led all players with 20 kills, while the Bruins held a 15-10 advantage in team blocks.

Despite the loss, head coach Joshua Walker saw progress, particularly with Hawai‘i’s blocking, while acknowledging the Rainbow Wahine didn’t play their cleanest volleyball.

“We still somehow had a chance at the end to win it,” Walker said. “You see a lot of good takeaways from the non-conference segment.”

Up Next

Hawai‘i now turns its attention to Mountain West play. The Rainbow Wahine return home to open conference action with back-to-back matches against New Mexico on Friday and Saturday at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

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Hawai’i win streak rolls to six straight behind Ratkai, efficient night of offense

Hawai’i win streak rolls to six straight behind Ratkai, efficient night of offense

Sep 18, 2026

Hawai’i win streak rolls to six straight behind Ratkai, efficient night of offense

The Rainbow Wahine celebrate a point against UC San Diego. | Photo: Riley Guillermo

Taking to the road for the first time this season, the University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team looked right at home.

The Rainbow Wahine (7-2) opened up the Lucky Aces Women’s Volleyball Invitational with a dominant victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2-6) on Friday night, hitting a season-high .471 as a group while sweeping through the Islanders in straight sets inside Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, (25-17, 25-13, 25-13).

Senior outside hitter Panna Ratkai continued her scorching-hot start to her UH career, leading the team in kills for the sixth straight match as she racked up 16 kills while hitting a season-best .556 against the Islanders.

Tali Hakas followed right behind her roommate as the junior outside hitter tallied eight kills and only one attacking error on the night. Hawai’i only recorded five attacking miscues as a team against TAMU-CC, the least amount of attack errors in a single match for the Rainbow Wahine since September of 2017 against Cal State Fullerton.

“Obviously, great performance overall,” head coach Joshua Walker said after the dominant win. “Started off a little slow from the service line but once that steadied out, I think we did a good job consistently throughout the night just executing what the scouting report was.”

The Rainbow Wahine seemingly got hands on every swing by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, posting 9.0 blocks while the Islanders managed just 2.0 through the three frames. Already ranked among the top 25 in the nation for opponent attack percentage entering the night (.151), Hawai’i held TAMU-CC to a .099 hitting clip across the sweep.

Hawai’i started off slow, allowing TAMU-CC to jump out to a 5-3 lead before rattling off five straight points to force a timeout from the Islanders. The stoppage did little to slow the Rainbow Wahine back down, rolling to a 25-17 victory in the opening frame behind Maëli Cormier’s perfect five kills on five swings.

“I think it’s that sense of urgency and that mentality in which you’re not letting somebody off the hook,” Walker said after his team broke out of the slow start on the way to their sixth straight victory. “We kind of got rid of the plays that we’re shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit. So, when teams are struggling, we’ve been able to capitalize on it and we haven’t looked back.”

The Rainbow Wahine continued to push the throttle forward in the follow-up frame, jumping out to a 15-8 advantage by the media timeout in the second set. Ratkai moved into double figures in kills by the end of the stanza, sending down her 11th kill of the match to clinch a 2-0 lead over the Islanders for Hawai’i.

Well on their way to a third consecutive sweep, Hawai’i handled business again in the night’s final set as they raced to a nine-point advantage by the frame’s media timeout. The Rainbow Wahine pushed the advantage out to as large as 15 before taking five chances to wrap up the win.

Cormier closed out with seven kills on 10 swings for UH, adding a pair of blocks as she helped set the tone early for the tournament hosts. Miliani Sylvester continued her highly efficient start to her junior season, tacking on seven kills and three blocks of her own while hitting .455 for the Rainbow Wahine.

Freshman middle blocker Rachel Purser, who prepped at Coranado High School in Nevada before making her way to the islands, tallied five kills on six swings while recording a trio of digs and four blocks in her return to her home state.

TAMU-CC outside hitter Ally Saleh, who entered the weekend leading the team in kills (85), had a muted impact as the Rainbow Wahine defense held her to a season-low three kills on 13 attempts. Senior outside hitter Kenna Buchanan picked up the slack for the Islanders, hitting .500 while leading the way with eight kills on the night.

Hawai’i will be right back in action on Saturday afternoon, putting the six-match win streak on the line as they take on Iowa State at 1:30 p.m. HT. The Cyclones had a slow start of their own in the Lucky Aces Invitational, falling in straight sets in the day’s first match against UCLA.

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Hawai’i completes roster with addition of standout U20 French guard Douglas

Hawai’i completes roster with addition of standout U20 French guard Douglas

Sep 18, 2026

Hawai’i completes roster with addition of standout U20 French guard Douglas

via Hawaii Athletics

HONOLULU – C’est magnifique.

The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team has finished up filling out the roster ahead of the 2026-27 season, announcing the addition of French guard Maïdy Douglas on Friday afternoon.

Douglas, a 6-foot-4 guard from Paris, comes to the islands after developing in the Espoirs Pro A U21 league with Nanterre 92. The 19-year-old combo guard led the team in scoring, pouring in 23.3 points per game while shooting 50.8% from the field and 34.5% from 3-point range across 23 appearances. He was named the league’s most valuable player at the end of the 2025-26 season.

He also starred over the summer for the French U20 national team, helping his country earn a semifinal appearance and fourth-place finish at the 2026 FIBA U20 EuroBasket tournament this past July. Douglas averaged a team-best 13.9 points across seven contests, turning in his biggest outing of the tournament in the semifinals against eventual champion Slovenia with 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting in a one-point loss for France.

Between his big season for Nanterre 92 and strong showing at the U20 EuroBasket tournament, Douglas piqued the interest of multiple high-major and mid-major programs in the United States.

“I had the best feeling about Hawai’i,” Douglas said of picking the Rainbow Warriors over other options at the Power 4 level. “It was the perfect fit for me and my transition to the NCAA.”

Fans will have to wait before they see Douglas in action as the 19-year-old sits out of competition during the 2026-27 season on the way to completing eligibility requirements. He will be able to practice and attend team-related events and activities during the academic redshirt season and will have four years of eligibility when he finally takes the floor next year.

When asked about how Hawai’i got onto his radar in the first place, Douglas alluded to the Rainbow Warriors getting one final assist from one of last season’s stars.

“I watched Dre Bullock’s videos on YouTube,” the dynamic scoring guard revealed over the phone. “I’m excited to play for [Hawai’i] and on this beautiful island with the entire staff and [for] all my teammates to have the best year possible.”

Douglas is the 13th different player to join the Hawai’i program after last season’s Big West Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. He continues the international flavor on the Rainbow Warrior roster as well, becoming the sixth player on the 2026-27 team from overseas and the second player in head coach Eran Ganot’s tenure to hail from France.

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Rainbow Wahine Take Winning Streak on First Road Trip to Las Vegas

Rainbow Wahine Take Winning Streak on First Road Trip to Las Vegas

Sep 17, 2026

Rainbow Wahine Take Winning Streak on First Road Trip to Las Vegas

Hawai’i celebrates following a point during a straight set victory over Utah Tech. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU — After opening the season with eight consecutive matches at home, the University of Hawai‘i women’s volleyball team will take its five-match winning streak to Las Vegas for the Lucky Aces Women’s Volleyball Invitational.

The Rainbow Wahine (6-2) will face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday, Iowa State on Saturday and UCLA on Sunday at the Orleans Arena. Hawai‘i will serve as the host team for the inaugural tournament in conjunction with the arena and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

First Road Test

The trip will technically be UH’s second attempt to travel this season. The Rainbow Wahine were scheduled to visit UH-Hilo for an exhibition match on Aug. 15, but the trip was canceled due to the approach of Tropical Storm Lala.

Head coach Joshua Walker had hoped to use the Hilo match as an early opportunity for the team to practice its road routine. Instead, Las Vegas will provide the first true test away from Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for a roster featuring several newcomers.

“Everybody’s pretty excited to see if we can continue what we’ve been able to do at home on the road,” Walker said.

Walker emphasized the importance of treating the weekend as a business trip and learning how to manage a tighter schedule, unfamiliar routines and limited free time.

“The hardest thing to do is go on the road and be able to play the same way you do at home,” Walker said. “For us, it’s just making sure what we’ve seen at home travels on the road.”

University of Hawai’i Women’s Volleyball head coach Joshua Walker media availability ahead of first road trip of the season.

Defense and Serving Lead the Way

Hawai‘i enters the weekend leading the Mountain West and ranking 22nd nationally by holding opponents to a .151 hitting percentage. The Rainbow Wahine also rank second in the conference with 13.97 digs per set and fourth with 2.11 blocks per set.

UH closed its season-opening homestand with back-to-back sweeps of Central Arkansas. The current five-match winning streak is the program’s longest since a seven-match run late in the 2023 season.

Walker said Hawai‘i’s ability to apply pressure from the service line will remain critical against a talented tournament field.

“We’ve been able to get teams out of system with our service,” Walker said. “We’re going to have to continue to do that because that’s helped us win.”

Senior outside hitter Panna Ratkai leads the Rainbow Wahine with 97 kills and 3.23 kills per set. The senior outside hitter has recorded double-digit kills in five straight matches and also leads the team with 11 service aces.

Junior middle blocker Miliana Sylvester has provided a steady presence in the middle, ranking second in the Mountain West with 35 total blocks and 1.13 blocks per set. She posted 20 kills on .469 hitting in the two wins over Central Arkansas and surpassed 500 career kills.

Hawaii OH Panna Ratkai attempts a kill from the left side against UC San Diego. | Photo: Riley Guillermo

Homecoming for Purser

The weekend will be especially meaningful for freshman middle blocker Rachel Purser, a Las Vegas native and graduate of Coronado High School.

Purser has quickly established herself in the UH lineup, leading the team with a .328 hitting percentage while hitting above .300 in five consecutive matches.

“I’m so excited to see all my friends and family, and especially them coming out and watching me play in person,” Purser said.

She is also looking forward to a familiar taste of home.

“Definitely In-N-Out,” Purser said with a laugh when asked what she missed about Las Vegas. “I’m so excited.”

Purser credited Sylvester with helping her adjust to the college game. Before the question about their relationship could even be completed, Purser jumped in with her assessment of the veteran middle blocker.

“Oh, she’s the GOAT,” Purser said. “She’s given me so much advice. She’s always telling me what I need to be doing when I’m in the air. She always helps me out.”

Freshman middle blocker and Las Vegas native Rachel Purser media availability ahead of her homecoming in Las Vegas for the the Lucky Aces Women’s Volleyball Invitational.

Three Different Challenges

Hawai‘i will open the tournament against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2-5) in the first meeting between the programs.

The Rainbow Wahine will then face Iowa State (5-3). UH won the teams’ only previous meeting, defeating the Cyclones in four sets during the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

The weekend concludes with the 80th meeting between Hawai‘i and UCLA, the most-played series in Rainbow Wahine history. UCLA leads the series 41-38 and has won the last three meetings.

The tournament will serve as UH’s final preparation before opening Mountain West play at home against New Mexico on September 25.

Lucky Aces Invitational Schedule

  • Friday, Sept. 18: Hawai‘i vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 3:30 p.m. HT
  • Saturday, Sept. 19: Hawai‘i vs. Iowa State, 1:30 p.m. HT
  • Sunday, Sept. 20: Hawai‘i vs. UCLA, 11:30 a.m. HT

All three Hawai‘i matches will be televised on K5 and streamed on Mountain West Network.

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Hawai’i handles New Mexico State behind big nights from Uiliata, Harris

Hawai’i handles New Mexico State behind big nights from Uiliata, Harris

Sep 13, 2026

Hawai’i handles New Mexico State behind big nights from Uiliata, Harris

HONOLULU – It didn’t have to be perfect. Heck, it didn’t have to be pretty.

But it needed to be a win.

The University of Hawai’i football team bounced back from a slow start to the 2026 season on Saturday night, using contributions from all three phases to hold off New Mexico State for a 29-19 victory inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex and remain perfect all-time in the islands against the Aggies.

Sophomore QB Micah Alejado tallied his first 300-yard game of the year and sixth of his career, completing 33-of-45 passes for 346 yards in the win as the offense found a way to score in all four quarters on the way to posting season highs in points, yards and first downs.

“What you saw out there was the Run-N-Shoot,” Alejado said of the offensive success. “Guys being on their Ps and Qs and coming out being ready to play. We found out a lot about ourselves these past two weeks and I think that’s the result you get … When your back is against the wall, you have to figure out what you’re going to do.”

Micah Alejado rolls to his left while escaping a defender during Hawai’i’s 29-19 victory over New Mexico State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Tama Uiliata and Audric Harris had breakout performances for the Rainbow Warriors as each wideout eclipsed the century mark in yards for the first time in their careers.

After being held without a catch last weekend and getting three total targets, Uiliata led the team with a career-high 10 receptions and 107 yards on 11 targets while also tossing a 7-yard touchdown to TE Frank Abreu late in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for Hawai’i.

“I think [Uiliata] is one of the best Waipahu football players that ever came out of that high school,” head coach Timmy Chang said after the sophomore’s big performance. “We fully trust him in all these positions because that’s what we saw when we recruited him … Tama is just a special player and we’re lucky he chose Hawai’i to be his home.”

Harris also had his best game of his college career, racking up multiple long receptions on the way to a 105-yard night on four catches in his first collegiate start. Reunited with his high school QB in Alejado, the transfer from Washington recorded the longest offensive play of the season for the Rainbow Warriors in the opening quarter as he took an Alejado pass 55 yards to set up a score.

WR Audric Harris celebrates after a big catch-and-run. | Photo credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The defense set the tone early for the Rainbow Warriors, forcing a fumble on the game’s opening drive as Wynden Ho’ohuli punched the ball out and Jamih Otis hopped on top of it to secure the team’s first forced turnover of the season.

It was one of three turnovers by the New Mexico State offense, also seeing QB Trey Hedden toss a pair of interceptions after halftime as the Aggies failed to score a point on offense after the midway break.

The early takeaway by Hawai’i quickly turned into points as Alejado and the offense scored a touchdown on their game-opening drive for the first time this year. Alejado went 5-of-5 on the scoring drive, passing for 50 yards before RB DeVon Rice scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 7-yard scamper to the front right pylon.

“I think the biggest thing for the coaches was just re-evaluating and being very detailed in what we were doing out there,” Chang said. “We can give [our guys] a chance to execute. That’s what I think happened on the first drive was more execution happening consistently.”

Hawai’i added on four minutes later as the defense forced a quick punt and the offense glided back into the redzone before settling for a 32-yard field goal from Sean Olvera-Harle, giving a 9-0 lead to the Rainbow Warriors before the first quarter ended.

It didn’t stop there for the hosts after forcing another fast punt, taking the first possession of the second quarter back to paydirt as Rice hurdled a defender to cap off an 11-yard scoring run and 6-play, 71-yard scoring drive that made it a 16-0 lead for Hawai’i.

The defense bent briefly in the second quarter, allowing the Aggies to get on the board after a pair of third down conversions kept a possession alive. Senior RB James Jones capped off the scoring drive with a two-yard push, capitalizing on a defensive pass interference call against the Rainbow Warriors in the redzone.

New Mexico State drew within a field goal with just over a minute left in the first half after a beautiful throw from Hedden dropped directly into WR TK King’s hands for a 33-yard touchdown, bringing a slight level of uneasiness to the 11,807 fans taking in the game at T.C. Ching Complex.

Hawai’i did not flinch, buckling down to drive the field and tack on another three points before the break as Olvera-Harle hit on a career-long 42-yard field goal to send his team into the locker room with a 19-13 lead.

After Titan Lacaden returned the third quarter’s opening kickoff 69 yards to set up the offense inside NMSU territory, it looked like the Rainbow Warriors might roll over the Aggies.

The visitors had other plans, hammering Alejado on a third-down scramble to force a fumble that was scooped up for an 84-yard score by Aggies DB De’Marcus Peters to tie the game at 19.

QB Micah Alejado stays down in pain after getting his helmet knocked off and fumbling at the start of the 3rd quarter. | Photo credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i again responded as a banged-up Alejado trotted back onto the field and shook off the hit (and fumble) to lead a go-ahead scoring drive that ended in Olvera-Harle’s third made field goal of the night, giving the Rainbow Warriors a 22-19 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

DB Jaylon Edmond gave UH a boost to finish out the third quarter with his first interception as a Rainbow Warrior and the defense stepped up again at the start of the fourth as they forced a turnover-on-downs out at midfield.

Buoyed by the sturdy performance from the defense, Hawai’i’s offense bought some breathing room after starting in plus territory. After getting into the redzone and being faced with a 4th-and-5 decision, Chang and the Rainbow Warriors rolled the dice and went for the kill shot.

Coming out of a timeout by NMSU, Chang reached deep in the playbook and dialed up a direct snap to Uiliata, who rolled to his right and delivered UH’s lone touchdown pass of the night to Frank Abreu to put the Rainbow Warriors up by 10 with 5:41 left to play.

Chang pointed to analytics for his decision to go for a touchdown on fourth down rather than kicking a short field goal.

“Three points doesn’t really do anything for you,” Chang said about not kicking while up by three points with under six minutes to play. “A decision like that, you go for it [and] get it, we’re in a good position … and if you don’t get it, at least you’ve got them pinned down in that area, try to make it a long field to score.”

It didn’t matter anyway as LB Jamih Otis jumped another Hedden pass on the next drive for his second career interception, allowing Hawai’i to waste NMSU’s timeouts and drain the majority of the clock on the way to the team’s first win of the season.

Hedden finished the night completing 19-of-35 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown while tossing two interceptions. RB James Jones had the best showing for the Aggies, tallying 13 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown while forcing his own fair share of broken tackles throughout the loss.

DeVon Rice finished the night with 16 carries for 59 yards and two rushing touchdowns, becoming the first UH running back to have multiple rushing scores in the same game since Dedrick Parson had three against Nevada in 2022.

Kai Kai Carvalho also turned in a big night at the office as the redshirt freshman received his first career start, totaling nine catches for 82 yards in the victory for the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai’i now gets a chance to reset as the team enters a bye week for the first time this season, soaking in the win for an extra weekend before heading to Wyoming on September 26 to close out the first month of the season against the Cowboys.

“We’ll get these guys all healed up [and then] we’ve got a tough game ahead of us,” Chang closed out saying in his postgame press conference before the bye.

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

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