HONOLULU – Despite losing half their 2023 starting lineup, the 2024 version of Chaminade University women's volleyball team isn't in rebuild mode; they've reloaded.
A year after setting a program record with 30 wins and establishing themselves as a west region power, the Silverswords are hoping to take that next step which will catapult them into a national championship run.
The 'Swords, who are ranked No. 12 in the AVCA Top 25 Preseason Poll, open their campaign on Thursday with an exhibition against Brock University from Ontario, Canada, before getting started for real with the Hawai'i-Alaska Challenge at McCabe Gymnasium on Thursday.
Chaminade meets the University of Alaska Anchorage in Thursday's tournament opener at noon followed by a 6 p.m. meeting against the University of Alaska. Hawai'i Hilo and Alaska will square off in Friday's lone match of the day at noon.
The Silverswords' match against Brock will start at 6 p.m. and the teams will play all five sets. Tickets from the university's new ticketing partner,
vivenu, are on sale now at this
link. As a courtesy for fans, Tuesday's exhibition will be video-streamed free. All home matches starting Thursday will be on a pay-per-view basis.
The first order of business for the 'Swords would be to reclaim the mantle of the Pacific West Conference title, which was won by Point Loma last year. The Silverswords and Sea Lions were selected by the conference coaches tied atop the conference preseason poll with both teams getting seven first-place votes.
Returning starters from last season are AVCA Freshman of the Year and All-PacWest setter
Leilani Ama (Spokane, Wash./Mt. Spokane), the conference's Newcomer of the Year, middle blocker
Lizanyela Lopez (Lima, Peru/Trinity Valley CC/Saco Oliveros HS) and outside hitter
Mahala Ka'apuni (Hilo, Hawai'i/Alaska Anchorage/Hilo HS).
Two Division I transfers, Letitiza Cammillucci from San Jose State and
Anna Stucchi from Santa Clara University, are among the candidates for the vacant outside hitter and middle blocker spots. Fifth-year seniors
Kendall Rios (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) and
Brooklyn Poling (Gilbert, Ariz./Western Carolina Univ./Perry HS) along with
Tabby Allen (Leander, Texas/Rouse) are also vying for right-side hitter.
There is also healthy competition at libero among
Nanna Inoue (Kula, Maui, Hawai'i/Tyler JC/King Kekaulike HS), the 'Swords' 2023 starter,
Allexis Iramina (Honolulu/Moanalua),
Kyra Pagud (Honolulu/Moanalua),
Grace Talpash (Temecula, Calif./University of Oklahoma/Great Oak HS) and freshman
Sina Bauer. Starting this fall, a new NCAA rule allows for two liberos each set, although only one can be on the court at the same time and serve in just one position.
Also back this season are
Mykelle Brainard (Carlsbad, Calif./Pacific Ridge),
Heavenly Campbell (Waialua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/College of Southern Idaho/Damien HS) and
Reina Krueger (Fort Collins, Colo./Liberty Commons).
Following this weekend's Challenge, the Silverswords will then run a gauntlet of quality opponents. All four teams they face in the Yotes Classic in San Bernardino, California, during the first weekend of September, are ranked in the AVCA poll including preseason No. 1 and defending national champion Cal State Los Angeles.
From there, it's on to the Colorado Premier Classic, long considered as Division II's top non-conference volleyball tournament. The 'Swords open with No. 4 Wayne State of Nebraska followed by a meeting against Wheeling University which is receiving votes in the AVCA poll. Then in bracket play, the 'Swords will likely see one or two nationally ranked foes which wraps up their brutal non-conference slate.
Chaminade returns home to face PacWest newcomer Menlo in their conference opener on Sept. 19, then Dominican University of California on Sept. 20. Because of conference expansion, the PacWest schedule is unbalanced with the 'Swords' only meeting against Point Loma coming Nov. 15 in San Diego. Vanguard, one of the other new members to the conference which advanced to last year's NAIA national championship match, comes to Honolulu on Oct. 25 in the team's lone matchup of the season.
Other dates of note are the annual rivalries with the University of Hawai'i Hilo (Oct. 19 at McCabe Gym and the Nov. 23 regular season finale in Hilo) and Hawai'i Pacific University (Oct. 18 at the Shark Tank and Aloha Senior Night on Nov. 21 at McCabe Gym).
The NCAA Regionals are set for Thursday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Dec. 8 at campus locations with the eight regional winners moving on to the championships in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, from Dec. 12-14.
