For the 23rd year, the University of Hawai’i men’s volleyball team will host the Outrigger Resorts Volleyball Invitational. This year’s field includes the seventh-ranked Rainbow Warriors, No. 15 Ball State, Princeton and Erskine and will be played Jan. 5-7 at the Stan Sheriff Center. Matches are 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., each day.
The Outrigger has a long tradition of featuring some of the nation’s best teams and this year is no different. UH’s opener is against Erskine, who competed in last year’s NCAA Championship Play-In match after earning Conference Carolina’s automatic bid. Ball State finished in a tie for second in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association last season while Princeton competed in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association title match as recently as 2014.
Defending Outrigger champion and host UH has an all-time Outrigger record of 37-27 with seven tournament titles. BSU is making its fifth Outrigger appearance following trips in 1996, ’98, 2008, and ’11. Princeton and Erskine are making its first tournament appearances.
Tournament Schedule
Jan. 5 Princeton vs. Ball State 4:00 pm
Hawai’i vs. Erskine 7:00 pm
Jan. 6 Erskine vs. Ball State 4:00 pm
Hawai’i vs. Princeton 7:00 pm
Jan. 7 Princeton vs. Erskine 4:00 pm
Hawai’i vs. Ball State 7:00 pm
Matches #1-3
What: 23rd Outrigger Volleyball Invitational
Who: No. 7 Hawai’i (0-0), No. 15 Ball State (0-0), Erskine (0-0), Princeton (0-0)
Where: Stan Sheriff Center; Honolulu, HI
Television Coverage: OC Sports will televise UH’s matches against Princeton and Ball State live with Kanoa Leahey (play-by-play) and Chris McLachlin (color).
Streaming Video: None
Radio Coverage: NBC Sports Radio 1500AM (Thursday & Saturday) and ESPN 1420AM (Friday) will broadcast all UH matches live with Tiff Wells calling the action.
Audio Webcast: NBCSportsRadioHawaii.com or espn1420am.com
Live Stats: Available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Tickets: Lower – Adult $14-16, Senior Citizen (ages 65+) $10, Student (4-HS) $5; Upper – Adult $14, Senior Citizen $10, Student $5; UH-Manoa students receive admission with validated ID.
Promotions: Outrigger Resorts, the official tournament sponsor and UH Athletics Diamond Corporate Partner, will award awesome prizes throughout the weekend. Pre-game, visit Gate A to “Escape Ordinary” with Outrigger Resorts’ Signature Experiences by creating your own kukui kupe`e (kukui-nut bracelet). Plus, #WarriorBall fans can register to participate in the promotional contest during intermission for the chance to win a two-night stay at an iconic, beachfront Outrigger Resorts property in Waikiki. Outrigger Resorts will also award “Lucky Seat” prizes at each UH match and toss exclusive, limited-edition tournament t-shirts into the crowd during intermission.
Tournament History
One of the nation’s premiere early season tournaments, the Outrigger Invitational began in 1995 with all of the matches played in the 10,300-seat Stan Sheriff Center. This year marks the tournament’s 23rd anniversary. Hawai’i has won the title seven times, most recently last year. The only other teams to put their names on the trophy are UCLA (9 times), Brigham Young (twice), Penn State (twice) and UC Irvine and Shanghai, China (once). Regular participants over the 20-plus year history of the Outrigger include national powers Penn State and UCLA. Penn State has competed in 20 tournaments – missing only the 2012 and ’16 events – while UCLA has made 14 appearances.
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