Hawaii Warrior World

Formerly about Rainbow Warriors basketball, but now covering all University of Hawaii sports.

About the blog host

Brian McInnis has covered sports on Oahu full time since 2007, when he joined the Honolulu Star-Bulletin staff as a general reporter. He was the UH basketball beat writer from the 2008-09 season through 2017-18. Follow him on twitter @Brian_McInnis

Latest news

Hawaii soccer: Another Kayla (Watanabe) strikes as Wahine dispatch UC Irvine

By Brian McInnis on October 11, 2019

Kayla Watanabe did not one, but two emphatic, leaping fist pumps after scoring the first goal of her Rainbow Wahine soccer career. Two was fitting, as it turned out to represent one for each of her scores in Hawaii’s 3-0 win over UC Irvine on Thursday night at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. Watanabe’s two goals — one in each half, each assisted by freshman midfielder Eliza Ammendolia — staked the Rainbow Wahine (4-6-1, 2-0 Big West) to a 2-0 lead and […]

Hawaii soccer: Wahine shoot for unprecedented 2-0 Big West start

By Brian McInnis on October 10, 2019

The Hawaii soccer team, by virtue of its Big West-opening comeback win over Cal State Northridge last week, is already in uncharted territory. UH (3-6-1 overall) can explore further off the map with a win, or even a draw, against UC Irvine (3-9, 2-0) tonight at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. (UPDATE: The Rainbow Wahine ran away from Irvine, 3-0, for their first win over the Anteaters in four tries as a Big West member at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. Kayla […]

Hawaii women’s volleyball: Iosia still a hit when it counts

By Brian McInnis on October 9, 2019

Hawaii needed every weapon at its disposal to come back to defeat last-place Cal State Fullerton in five sets on Saturday night. One of those required weapons was senior setter Norene Iosia, who broke out her old role as an all-around threat — hitting to go with her veteran setting, tough serving and passing — in a time of desperation for the reeling Rainbow Wahine. Starting in the third set, coach Robyn Ah Mow made a couple of moves: she went […]

VIDEO: Hawaii football ain’t afraid of no ghosts

By Brian McInnis on October 8, 2019

The ghosts of road struggles past had no hold on Hawaii football when it took to Chris Ault Field at Mackay Stadium field on Sept. 28. UH entered that game 1-8 all-time against Nevada in Reno. That, and constant drizzle in chilly weather mattered not as the Rainbow Warriors put together their most complete game of the season — and arguably in years — in steamrolling the Wolf Pack 54-3. Now the Rainbow Warriors (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West) prepare to embark for […]

Hawaii women’s volleyball: Braelyn Akana rises to desperate occasion

By Brian McInnis on October 6, 2019

Another disaster was nigh. Hawaii, which had its foundations rocked by UC Irvine’s reverse sweep of the Rainbow Wahine on Friday night, was on the cusp of falling to another struggling Big West opponent. The Rainbow Wahine were points away from getting swept by Cal State Fullerton, in fact. But the Rainbow Wahine coach Robyn Ah Mow signed an executive order for some emergency relief and got it in a couple of forms on Saturday night. PHOTO GALLERY: HAWAII VS. […]

Hawaii women’s volleyball: Irvine pulls off reverse sweep stunner

By Brian McInnis on October 4, 2019

UC Irvine coach Ashlie Hain did not call it the biggest win in program history. Not even after her Anteaters beat traditional women’s volleyball powerhouse Hawaii for the first time in 41 meetings. At the Stan Sheriff Center. With the Rainbow Wahine ranked No. 11. With her team trailing by two sets through two played. Irvine ignored the increasingly desperate pleas of “Let’s Go Bows!” and pulled off the reverse sweep stunner, 11-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-16, 15-13. The 5,265 fans […]

Hawaii soccer: Wahine seek first result in a Big West opener

By Brian McInnis on October 3, 2019

Big West openers have not gone well for the Hawaii soccer team. Home, away, it has not mattered. Seven losses in seven such games to date, in fact. Last season was the most painful of the bunch, as the Rainbow Wahine gave up a goal with five seconds left in double overtime at UC Irvine — five seconds from getting their first result and a point in the league standings right off the bat. Thus, UH has always played from behind […]

‘Bows in the Pros: Hawaii baseball alum Kolten Wong looks to build on best year