Hawaii women’s volleyball: How have Rainbow Wahine fared as NCAA tournament host?

When the Hawaii women’s volleyball team takes to the Stan Sheriff Center’s court Friday against Northern Colorado, it will mark the first time since 2013 it played an NCAA tournament match at home.

You might already know that much. But do you know how the Rainbow Wahine fared that year — and in all past years they’ve been awarded hosting duties?

They’ve done very well, as you’d expect, though the days of regular hosting, and automatic wins, are long gone. UH hosted at least one match every year from 1985-1996, with the exception 1992, the only time to date the Wahine did not make the tournament. Opportunities to host since that run have gotten increasingly spotty.

UH’s overall winning percentage in NCAA tournament games at home is .857 (36-6).

Some notes:
>> UH has hosted subregionals or pre-regionals (first- or second-round matches) in 19 (corrected from 18) of the 39 years of the NCAA tournament, including this year. It is 24-1 (corrected from 22-1) in pre-regional or subregional matches in Honolulu, with the loss coming in the 2013 second round to BYU, the last time UH hosted.
>> UH has hosted regionals in 11 years, including one (corrected from two) in which it did not host a subregional. It is 12-5 (corrected from 14-5) in regional matches in Honolulu, with the most recent a five-set loss to USC in the 2011 round of 16.
>> The last time UH got out of a subregional it hosted was 2011
>> The last time UH got out of a regional it hosted was 2003
>> UH hosted the national championship in 1989 and 1999, but did not advance to the final four in either year

Below is a comprehensive list of every past year UH has hosted a subregional and/or a regional and the opponents faced, and the set score.

(As for this week’s subregional, UH is advising fans to show up early.) Cindy Luis has a summary of Thursday’s first-round NCAA matches.

UPDATE: Spectrum OC16 is televising Friday’s match against Northern Colorado.

Friday! The Rainbow Wahine are in the 1st Round of the NCAA Volleyball tournament. Tune in live at 6:30 PM, only on #spectrumoc16#specsportshi #HawaiiWVB #GoBows pic.twitter.com/lfzw6iszxr

— Spectrum Sports HI (@specsportshi) December 6, 2019

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2013 (subregional)
Idaho State, 3-1 W
BYU, 0-3 L

2011 (subregional and regional)
Northern Colorado, 3-0 W
Colorado State, 3-1 W
USC, 2-3 L

2006 (regional)
USC, 3-2 W
UCLA, 0-3 L

2003 (subregional and regional)
Idaho, 3-0 W
BYU, 3-0 W
Illinois, 3-0 W
Georgia Tech, 3-1 W

2002 (subregional)
Western Kentucky, 3-0 W
Washington, 3-0 W

2000 (subregional and regional)
Davidson, 3-0 W
Utah, 3-0 W
Long Beach State, 3-2 W
UC Santa Barbara, 3-1 W

1999 (subregional and regional)
Prairie View A&M, 3-0 W
Utah, 3-0 W
Texas A&M, 1-3 L

1998 (subregional) (corrected from regional)
Brown, 3-0 W
Miami (Ohio), 3-0 W

1996 (pre-regional and regional)
Colorado, 3-0 W
Texas, 3-1 W
BYU, 3-0 W

1995 (pre-regional and regional)
Louisville, 3-0 W
Arizona State, 3-1 W
Michigan State, 2-3 L

1994 (pre-regional)
Idaho, 3-0 W

1993 (pre-regional)
Wisconsin, 3-0 W

1991 (pre-regional)
Southwest Texas State, 3-0 W

1990 (pre-regional and regional)
Southwest Missouri State, 3-0 W
Long Beach State, 1-3 L

1989 (pre-regional)
Eastern Washington, 3-0 W

1988 (pre-regional and regional)
Cal Poly, 3-0 W
San Diego State, 3-0 W
Pacific, 3-1 W

1987 (pre-regional and regional)
Arizona, 3-0 W
Cal Poly, 3-0 W
Pacific, 3-0 W

1986 (pre-regional)
U.S. International, 3-0 W

1985 (pre-regional)
San Diego State, 3-1 W