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The defending Big West champions are reloading for another national championship run in the upcoming years.
Hawai’i announced Thursday that high school seniors Austin Buchanan, Makua Marumoto and Jack Walmer have all committed to play for the Rainbow Warriors beginning in 2021.
“I’m very excited about the quality of volleyball players in this class,” coach Charlie Wade said in a statement. “Regardless of their position, they’ve shown they know how to compete and find ways to help their teams win. We’re looking forward to watching them finish up their prep careers and getting them on campus next year.”
Buchanan, a 6-foot-8 setter from Moscow, Idaho, was selected to attend the prestigious USA Volleyball Holiday Camp. He also is the son for Idaho women’s volleyball coach Debbie Buchanan and attends a high school in California where he earned all-conference honors last season.
Marumoto, a 6-foot-4 outside attacker from Honolulu, finished with a 4.00 kills per game average in the state tournament last season and was named to the All-Tournament Team as he led his high school to a state championship. In addition, Marumoto was an All-State honorable mention in 2019 and will spend his senior season playing at Hawai’i Baptist Academy.
Walmer, a 6-foot-3 setter from Manhattan Beach, California, was a First-Team All-State selection and the All-Area Player of the Year with his high school team last season. He also plays beach volleyball and won the AAU Southern Pacific Interscholastic League championship in October.
Hawai’i finished last season winning the Big West Tournament along with advancing to the NCAA Tournament finals for the first time in 17 years. Among the starters returning for the Rainbow Warriors include All-American opposite Rado Parapunov and All-American middle attacker Patrick Gasman.