Wednesday checkin
Carry over from yesterday’s thread.
Wade was on the morning show, recapping pretty much what he told me yesterday
One new thing, however, was the postseason tourney.
As mentioned, UH will be putting in the bid to host. They really are the only one who has a arena large enough, other than Long Beach State. But no one comes close to 10,000
UCI’s Bren is nice but UCI often has conflicts with ASB events.
This morning Wade mentioned going to a neutral site: Vegas. Given how many people from Hawaii used to go when the WAC held its tournaments there, hardly neutral.
Someone asked about Pestolesi. He will be a volunteer coach. Hasn’t been officially announced. UH posted the job opening on May 23 for Ah Mow-Santos’ replacement. Closes June 8. Temporary through Dec. 31, 16
Hmm, let the theories begin on that.
http://workatuh.hawaii.edu/Jobs/NAdvert/23118/3859938/1/postdate/desc
One other question: Will UH have to pay travel subsidies for men’s volleyball.
Don’t know the answer yet but my thinking.
Since UH will not pay for any new school that joins the conference after UH did, according to the contract, it would follow that any new sport would fall under that agreement. But will check.
What does it mean that Wade is an Ad Hoc NCAA VB Member?
i like this move by the big west to launch a men’s vball conference.
i wonder how wade will fill out the schedule. playing mpsf teams of course. maybe travel to the midwest and/or east? maybe another corporate sponsor will start another early season tournament so that more teams can be invited here?
lots of possibilities.
Finally in 2018 I’ll be able to watch live UH men’s volleyball since Big West mandates free live streaming. So they can’t restrict viewing to Oceanic Cable subscribers only. Hurrah!
The Oceanic streaming of the TV telecasts for all UH sports was discontinued recently.
I guess this will be Shoji’s last year.
Hey Kazu, where is this comment coming from? I was hoping that Shoji stays a wee bit longer.
http://www.asugrizzlies.com/news/2016/5/27/womens-volleyball-vb-croson-signs-with-adams-state.aspx
Jane Croson will play for Adams State.
#1 setaone: Ad Hoc as used in this case implies that his membership was limited and scoped to address just the issue at hand, standing up Div. I Men’s Volleyball in the Big West Conference.
#6 TAKU: Lot’s of reasons to think this could be his last year. If folks keep predicting it eventually they’ll be right. No one knows, he may not know. My own gut tells me he likely won’t have a better year to go out on. Pestolesi wanting to make it out here this year for a volunteer stint sort of reinforces that line of thinking, along with the position listing for Ah-Mow Santo’s replacement only lasting through the end of the year. They could have, likely have, their own independent reasons, but if so they also have the look of stars aligning toward a preciptice moment.
#7 noblesol: Thanks….Just my thought, when Shoji retires he’ll let us know. Why speculate, enjoy the time we have with one of the GREAT ONES. And, enjoy next year’s team, we should have a very good season playing at a high level, starting with Wis w/ Carlini as setter.
When 2018 recruit Liliana Light committed she mentioned she couldnt wait to play for a legend , I doubt Shoji would be lying to a recruit so he’s sticking around till the 2018 season IMO.
9. I recall Shoji saying in an interview that he no longer tells recruits to come to play for him, but rather to come because they like Hawaii, the school, etc. Also, he very well could leave his long-term future unclear by saying he hasn’t made any decision yet on retiring, etc., just as he has said every year in recent history when asked about his career plans by reporters. There is too little info to read much into Liliana’s statement–her answer is typical of what we have heard in the past from recruits. It is the obvious response to what they are looking forward to as an incoming player. I like tako’s response on 8 above. Enjoy the present, don’t worry about the future. We have a legit final four team next year, and should be most excited about that.
So now I’m going to reject my own advice in 10 and speculate on the future. Noblesol makes some strong points in 7. Shoji hasn’t has such a strong team since the 2009 final four squad, and I think this team has better talent. It will be a veteran-dominated team as far as the starters are concerned. I believe future squads won’t be as strong, and don’t think the 2017/2018 recruits are of the caliber of our veteran players, at least on paper (but you never know; case in point, Maglio). Clearly this will be Shoji’s best chance in some time to win the title.
The short duration of the posted assistant position is inexplicable other than in the Shoji retirement scenario. It is a fairly strong signal to the applicant not to expect to be retained as a new head coach is probably coming. Better question is who will apply for it? Not clear UH will attract a strong coach for just one season. But some applicants may just want a resume builder. Maybe a former player who, like Pestolesi, wants to coach with Shoji before he retires.
If Shoji retires, who would be the likely top candidates? Top two in my book are Mike Sealy and Scott Wong. Both are former assistants and how head coaches, both have shown they can recruit (Sealy has finally gotten the recruiting machine going at UCLA with a top class this year and Wong recruited most of the players on the current roster), both have strong recruiting contacts in California (required for UH, IMO) and both have a strong affinity for Hawaii. Sealy has the clear edge in terms of experience and his NCAA title, but not sure UH can afford him. But if he makes the move because he loves Hawaii, then that will go a long way to maintaining the program’s quality. Regardless, I think having a Hawaii connection and strong CA recruiting contacts should be key requirements. I don’t want the next head coach to view UH as a steppingstone job. Some have mentioned Dan Fisher of Pitt, a former UH men’s assistant. Good coach, not sure about his recruiting strength in the West. Don’t think Jeff Hall will get it as he doesn’t have head coaching experience. And Charlie Wade will stay as the men’s coach. He’s got recruiting going and that program is on the upswing with him at the helm. Other than these, no other obvious candidates to my knowledge.
11.
You can want either coach all you want but the real question is would they even want to leave their current positions to coach at UH? I believe both are currently coaching at their alma maters right?
12. Very true, but you have to start with a list of candidates before sending out feelers to gauge interest. The only folks you wouldn’t have are lifers like Shoji, Rose, Wise, etc. who have helmed top programs for a long time and are not going to move voluntarily. Sealy will be the more difficult to attract because he is an alum coach of a top Pac-12 program and he probably makes bank. Not clear on how important coaching at his alma mater is, but Wong is heading a good WCC program that isn’t at UH’s level. Not everyone wants to coach at his/her alma mater for life.
Coach Wong has very young Children, and I believe all Grandparents of his kids, are still living in Hawaii, one thing in UH’s favor I would think.
I personally think Coach Fisher would be a great choice, pittsburgh is not an easy school to recruit volleyball talent too, and he just wins period.
I am probably off base but I could see Tom Pestolesi taking the reins from Dave Shoji after a year of “apprenticeship”. He is considered an excellent coach, he can recruit, and he and his family love Hawaii. On the minus side, both he and his wife have a good life where they are located now and a move would be very disruptive. If we could get Scott Wong with his strong family ties to Hawaii, that would be very good for the future of Wahine volleyball. Or how about Kevin Wong, I know no experience.
what about Kaha Wong while we are on the Wong’s. Oh sorry wrong sport. Nice to have the blog back up and running.
I don’t know why anyone seriously thinks Mike Sealy would leave UCLA to come coach UH! He used his asst job here as his stepping stone! I think Scott Wong is the shoo-in. Just hope he can garner some success at Pepp which might bode well for him being successful at UH. I would love to get someone like Barry Goldberg from American! Very successful long-time coach there, but believe his success and style of coaching could translate well to UH. And he might like to test his chops at this higher level. Just need him for one 4-yr contract term which could keep UH’s winning tradition on track and help us all transition to “life after Shoji”!
Barry who?? Seriously? No thanks.
UH will get someone with some hawaii tie, or that is currently coaching at a big time program.
Agree with 18. Lots of good coaches out there with no Hawaii ties (for example, the Wichita State coach), but UH needs someone who loves Hawaii and the program. Need that passion to come through in recruiting, which is already very difficult given geographic issues. And if UH can get a successful coach already at a big-time program (which I believe will be very difficult), then that would be a coup. But as has been mentioned before, lots of big time coaches are impressed with how Shoji has been able to recruit and maintain the program despite geography. Unless such coaches have love for Hawaii, hard to see them moving from a big program to a more difficult recruiting situation.
Yes there are recruiting hurdles but the wahine volleyball program is special and is the one sport at UH that manages to keep (mostly) all the top in state players home, Unfortunately talent in the islands has been down lately which is why UH hasn’t gotten a local verbal since Granato.
Mike Sealy or Dan Fisher. I think I remember reading Sealy got his dream job at UCLA and would only consider leaving for the UH head coach spot. Dan fisher has done a great job at Concordia and Pittsburgh, would love to see him or Sealy take over.
20. Very true. Keeping talent at home has been a critical part of the program’s success. I’m sure the football program is envious as most top high school football talent commits elsewhere. UH did well to have kept Nikki Taylor and Kanani Danielson (and there are others). Wish Hawaii produced more great players, but at least the program doesn’t often lose a local blue chipper to the mainland. All the more reason to have a coach who has great recruiting contacts in California.
It will be interesting when Shoji does decide to retire.
Think the highest profile candidates will be Sealy, Wong and Fisher. As many have said, there needs to be an understanding of Hawaii.
Also interesting about Croson going to Adams State. Only option was to play non-DI since she had already transferred once.
As for the UH contract wording, it’s pretty standard language. It is only for one season likely with a roll-over option.
As for Pestolesi … don’t see him wanting the UH head job. All he has ever told me is that he wanted to coach with Shoji before Shoji retired.
But will check in with Tom and Diane when they are here later this month. As mentioned previously, Diane will be honored by the UH school of nursing as one of its 50 distinguished graduates.
How is Croson still eligible to play? She played three straight years from 2011 to 2013. She sat out two years, and is now again eligible for a sixth year. Was she injured at one point in those two years she didn’t play?
Per volleytalk, commitment from Trinity Castaneda 6-1 OH 2018.
I am impresssed, Her website lists her birthdate and she is a very young Sophomore (she just turned 15 in late February) meaning technically she would be just 17 her entire freshmen season at UH.
She could grow another inch or two before she plays for the wahine and looks very quick and agile and has a nice armswing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBWpZkCz6V0
Thanks WF for the youtube. I have never seen a girl that young play as well as she did in the video. The setter wasn’t bad either.
It’s funny I was a little worried about recruiting a few months ago, and now, UH is basically done with 2017 and halfway with 2018 recruiting.
Trinity and Liliana replacing Kalei and Kendra. plus 2 more scholarships to offer in 2018
Would love UH to get two more pin hitters. since I think they are set everywhere else.
I think Emma Smith will be able to step into the libero role after Savannah.
By the time Dave retires most if not all of the team will have been recruited to Hawaii by Dave or more likely Jeff Hall who would have probably been the point recruiter for most of them. It would be hard to give the job to anyone else if the program is still successful when the next coach is chosen. Agree with others that Trinity does show a huge upside. Going to be fun to follow her progress thru high school.
25. Croson played 2 years at UH, 1 at Arizona. Sat out last two years.
She had one year left, may have applied for a medical hardship. Don’t really know other than she’ll be at the DII level this fall.