The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa men’s volleyball team fell in the NCAA Championship match in four sets against Long Beach State University (LBSU) on Saturday night, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Walter Pyramid. LBSU successfully defended its national title on its home court, winning 3–1.
The loss ended a historic season for the Rainbow Warriors (28–3). They set program records for most wins, longest win streak, and longest set win streak, which obliterated an NCAA record. Making its third finals appearance and first in 17 years, UH Mānoa suffered its third loss to LBSU this season. Hawaiʻ’s senior class of Brett Rosenmeier, Dalton Solbrig, Stijn van Tilburg and Joe Worsley finished as the winningest class in program history with 90 wins.
It was the fourth time in 23 days that Hawaiʻi has squared off with LBSU, who won three of the four matches. The match-up featured the only teams to ascend to the No. 1 spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll this year. UH Mānoa’s Colton Cowell, Rado Parapunov and Joe Worsley were all named to the all-tournament team.
