Photo by: Regents of the University of California
Anteaters Start Big West Championship In Semifinals Friday
April 18, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
THIS WEEK
OUTRIGGER Big West Championship presented by the Hawaiian Islands
No. 3 Hawaii vs No. 2 UC Irvine
Friday, Apr. 19 | 7:00 PM | SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
Live Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
UC Irvine competes in OUTRIGGER Big West Championship presented by the Hawaiian Islands this week. Second-seed UC Irvine will face No. 3 Hawaii Friday (Apr. 19) at 7:00 p.m. in a semifinal showdown at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
The winner advances to the championship Saturday (Apr. 20) at 10:00 p.m. PT.
STORYLINES
UCI moved up to No. 3 in the AVCA national rankings after splitting the season series with No. 1 Long Beach State last week.
Last Friday, The Anteaters handed LBSU its second Big West loss and snapped their 12-match winning streak behind six aces and a .397 (42-11-78) hitting percentage. Hilir Henno had a match-best 14 kills followed by William D'Arcy hitting .750 with 13 kills in 16 attempts and just one error.
UCI ended 7-3 in the Big West standings, earning the No. 2 seed.
No. 2 is the highest seed in a Big West Championship for UCI and highest in a conference tournament since 2015 when the Anteaters were top-seed at the MPSF Championship.
UCI leads the country in kills (13.43) and assists (12.71). The Anteaters also rank seventh in digs (9.23) and hitting percentage (.330).
Junior Hilir Henno leads the country in points per set at 5.47 and is second in kills at 4.72.
Setter Brett Sheward is second in the country in assist average with a 10.64 mark.
Against Big West opponents only, UCI leads the league in kills (13.66), aces (1.56) and assists (12.91) and second in hitting percentage (.321) and digs (9.31).
BREAKING DOWN THE RECORD
The Anteaters enter the week 18-9 overall.
UC Irvine has 14 wins over ranked opponents including five against Top 5 opponents, toppling two No. 1 teams (LBSU, GCU).
Three of their Top 5 wins were away from the Bren Center (No. 1 GCU, No. 5 Stanford twice).
Four of the eight losses this season have come in five sets, including two versus Top 5 teams (UCLA, Hawaii).
The Anteaters have only played four unranked teams and seen action against teams from the MPSF,
MIVA, EIVA and Northeast Conference.
CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTS
UCI is 5-5 all-time at the Big West Championship. The Anteaters made their first title appearance at the Big West Championship last year In Irvine, upsetting No. 2 Long Beach State, 3-0 as the No. 3 seed in the semifinals before falling to No. 1 Hawaii, 1-3.
Before the Big West sponsored volleyball in 2018, the Anteaters won the conference tournament three times, capturing the MPSF championship title in 2007, 2012 and 2015.
VERSUS THE OPPONENTS
UCI is 0-3 all-time versus Hawaii at the Big West Championship with two losses in the semifinals (2019/0-3; 2018/1-3) and one last year in the title match, 1-3.
In the first meeting of the year, Hawaii took a 3-2 non-conference meeting at the OUTRIGGER Invitational. The Anteaters were without the services of William D'Arcy and Nolan Flexen and powered by Henno's career-best 36 kills, just one shy of the UCI rally-scoring record. His 36 kills are the second most kills in the country in 2024.
The teams played twice in Irvine with UCI winning the first meeting 3-0 then Hawaii taking the next 3-1. In the win, UCI hit .425 (45-8-87), the third best offensive performance of the season. The Anteaters also out-blocked UH, 10-3. The second night, the Anteaters hit just .146 (42-24-123).
Hawaii is 23-6 after beating No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara, 3-1 Thursday in the opening round.
FAMILIAR FACES
Grad student Brett Sheward returns to the Stan Sheriff Center after playing for Hawaii from 2020-23.
While playing for the Rainbow Warriors, he was an honorable mention AVCA All-American at libero, helping UH capture two NCAA titles (2021, 2022) from the backrow.
At UCI, he has moved to setter and leads the Big West and is second in the country in set assists with a 10.64 average. He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 4. Sheward ranks third among active players with 677 career digs and career matches played with 116.
Libero Davis Lau is a graduate of Punahou School. He enjoys being home, logging a season-high two digs when UCI played Hawaii in March and has a career-best eight digs versus UH in 2021.
Aidan Rigg is another Punahou School alum hasn't seen action yet in 2024.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK
UCI holds three of the top four kill marks in the Big West this season, including a league-best 73 versus Lewis.
The Anteaters had 65 kills against USC which is tied for the most in the country in a four-set match in 2024.
UCI has hit over .400 or better five times.
Versus the teams currently ranked in the Top 5, UCI has hit .314.
BIG WEST HONOREES
For the first time since 2015, UCI landed four student-athletes on the first team: Hilir Henno, Brett Sheward, Maxim Grigoriev and Cole Power.
Henno earned his third first team Big West honor, joining Joel Schniedmiller and assistant coach Scott Stadick as UCI's only three-time Big West first team selections.
Henno leads the Big West in points (5.47) and is second in kills (4.72), hitting percentage (.380) and aces (.441). He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week four times this season, including AVCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 19. The outside hitter has recorded double-digit kills in every match, including a career-high 36 kills at Hawaii, hitting .412 (36-8-68), the most kills by a Big West player this season and second most in the country. The junior fired a Big West and UCI record nine aces versus Princeton and became the Big West career leader in aces with 177 and counting.
Sheward earns his first Big West accolade as an Anteater after garnering first team recognition as a libero last season at Hawaii. The graduate student leads the Big West and is second nationally in set assists with a 10.64 average. He also ranks fifth in the Big West in digs (1.75). Sheward had a career-high 58 set assists against Grand Canyon which is tied for most by a Big West player. He recorded three double-doubles with a career-high 22 digs at Hawaii, the most digs by a Big West player this year. The setter has guided UCI to the nation's top kill average (13.34) as well as seventh-best hitting team (.330). Sheward was also named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 4.
Grigoriev is sixth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.335), eighth in blocks (.890), 12th in points (3.06) and 15th in kills (2.27) overall. In Big West-only matches, he leads the league in hitting percentage with a .500 mark (59-10-98). He is second on the team in aces with 30, firing 15 versus Big West opponents which is second best in ace average at 0.47. The middle blocker has recorded double-digit kills 10 times, including a career-best 17 in a win over USC. The sophomore has hit over .500 seven times, including an .818 performance versus UC Santa Barbara (9-0-11). Grigoriev, the 2023 Big West Freshman of the Year, picks up his first first-team honor.
Power earns his first Big West recognition after ranking second in dig average with a 1.96 mark. The libero was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 19, 2024 after averaging 2.88 set assists over two matches against then-No. 5 Stanford on the road. The senior popped-up a season-high 15 digs in the win over then-No. 1 Grand Canyon. He has recorded double-digit digs on nine occasions this season.
HAPPY TO HAVE HENNO BEHIND THE SERVICE LINE
Hilir Henno is six aces shy of tying the UCI career ace record currently held by Carson Clark at 183 from 2009-12.
He is third among active players with 177 in just 75 career matches.
He already owns the Big West career record as well as the UCI and Big West match record with nine versus Princeton.
The outside hitter leads the Big West and is 13th nationally in aces with a .441 mark.
AT THE PINS
Along with Henno, outside hitter Nolan Flexen and opposite Will D'Arcy anchor the offense at the pins.
Flexen has played in 15 matches and is second on the team averaging 3.04 kills. He is also averaging 0.76 digs and 0.62 blocks over 55 sets.
He has seven double-digit kill performances including a season-high 20, while hitting .667 against Princeton.
D'Arcy has seen action in 63 sets and is averaging 2.76 kills. He has nine double-digit kill nights, hitting over .400 four times. He recorded a career-best 19 kills, hitting .548 (19-2-31) in the upset of No.1 GCU.
IN THE MIDDLE
Senior Connor Campbell leads the Big West in hitting percentage at .399 and is also fifth in blocking with a 1.02 average.
The middle blocker hit over .500 10 times, including over .800 twice this season. He had a career-best .846 (11-0-13) against Concordia. He totaled five or more blocks nine times, including a season-best eight total blocks (1 solo) at BYU.
OUTRIGGER Big West Championship presented by the Hawaiian Islands
No. 3 Hawaii vs No. 2 UC Irvine
Friday, Apr. 19 | 7:00 PM | SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
Live Stats Watch
FIRST SERVE
UC Irvine competes in OUTRIGGER Big West Championship presented by the Hawaiian Islands this week. Second-seed UC Irvine will face No. 3 Hawaii Friday (Apr. 19) at 7:00 p.m. in a semifinal showdown at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
The winner advances to the championship Saturday (Apr. 20) at 10:00 p.m. PT.
STORYLINES
UCI moved up to No. 3 in the AVCA national rankings after splitting the season series with No. 1 Long Beach State last week.
Last Friday, The Anteaters handed LBSU its second Big West loss and snapped their 12-match winning streak behind six aces and a .397 (42-11-78) hitting percentage. Hilir Henno had a match-best 14 kills followed by William D'Arcy hitting .750 with 13 kills in 16 attempts and just one error.
UCI ended 7-3 in the Big West standings, earning the No. 2 seed.
No. 2 is the highest seed in a Big West Championship for UCI and highest in a conference tournament since 2015 when the Anteaters were top-seed at the MPSF Championship.
UCI leads the country in kills (13.43) and assists (12.71). The Anteaters also rank seventh in digs (9.23) and hitting percentage (.330).
Junior Hilir Henno leads the country in points per set at 5.47 and is second in kills at 4.72.
Setter Brett Sheward is second in the country in assist average with a 10.64 mark.
Against Big West opponents only, UCI leads the league in kills (13.66), aces (1.56) and assists (12.91) and second in hitting percentage (.321) and digs (9.31).
BREAKING DOWN THE RECORD
The Anteaters enter the week 18-9 overall.
UC Irvine has 14 wins over ranked opponents including five against Top 5 opponents, toppling two No. 1 teams (LBSU, GCU).
Three of their Top 5 wins were away from the Bren Center (No. 1 GCU, No. 5 Stanford twice).
Four of the eight losses this season have come in five sets, including two versus Top 5 teams (UCLA, Hawaii).
The Anteaters have only played four unranked teams and seen action against teams from the MPSF,
MIVA, EIVA and Northeast Conference.
CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENTS
UCI is 5-5 all-time at the Big West Championship. The Anteaters made their first title appearance at the Big West Championship last year In Irvine, upsetting No. 2 Long Beach State, 3-0 as the No. 3 seed in the semifinals before falling to No. 1 Hawaii, 1-3.
Before the Big West sponsored volleyball in 2018, the Anteaters won the conference tournament three times, capturing the MPSF championship title in 2007, 2012 and 2015.
VERSUS THE OPPONENTS
UCI is 0-3 all-time versus Hawaii at the Big West Championship with two losses in the semifinals (2019/0-3; 2018/1-3) and one last year in the title match, 1-3.
In the first meeting of the year, Hawaii took a 3-2 non-conference meeting at the OUTRIGGER Invitational. The Anteaters were without the services of William D'Arcy and Nolan Flexen and powered by Henno's career-best 36 kills, just one shy of the UCI rally-scoring record. His 36 kills are the second most kills in the country in 2024.
The teams played twice in Irvine with UCI winning the first meeting 3-0 then Hawaii taking the next 3-1. In the win, UCI hit .425 (45-8-87), the third best offensive performance of the season. The Anteaters also out-blocked UH, 10-3. The second night, the Anteaters hit just .146 (42-24-123).
Hawaii is 23-6 after beating No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara, 3-1 Thursday in the opening round.
FAMILIAR FACES
Grad student Brett Sheward returns to the Stan Sheriff Center after playing for Hawaii from 2020-23.
While playing for the Rainbow Warriors, he was an honorable mention AVCA All-American at libero, helping UH capture two NCAA titles (2021, 2022) from the backrow.
At UCI, he has moved to setter and leads the Big West and is second in the country in set assists with a 10.64 average. He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 4. Sheward ranks third among active players with 677 career digs and career matches played with 116.
Libero Davis Lau is a graduate of Punahou School. He enjoys being home, logging a season-high two digs when UCI played Hawaii in March and has a career-best eight digs versus UH in 2021.
Aidan Rigg is another Punahou School alum hasn't seen action yet in 2024.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK
UCI holds three of the top four kill marks in the Big West this season, including a league-best 73 versus Lewis.
The Anteaters had 65 kills against USC which is tied for the most in the country in a four-set match in 2024.
UCI has hit over .400 or better five times.
Versus the teams currently ranked in the Top 5, UCI has hit .314.
BIG WEST HONOREES
For the first time since 2015, UCI landed four student-athletes on the first team: Hilir Henno, Brett Sheward, Maxim Grigoriev and Cole Power.
Henno earned his third first team Big West honor, joining Joel Schniedmiller and assistant coach Scott Stadick as UCI's only three-time Big West first team selections.
Henno leads the Big West in points (5.47) and is second in kills (4.72), hitting percentage (.380) and aces (.441). He was named Big West Offensive Player of the Week four times this season, including AVCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 19. The outside hitter has recorded double-digit kills in every match, including a career-high 36 kills at Hawaii, hitting .412 (36-8-68), the most kills by a Big West player this season and second most in the country. The junior fired a Big West and UCI record nine aces versus Princeton and became the Big West career leader in aces with 177 and counting.
Sheward earns his first Big West accolade as an Anteater after garnering first team recognition as a libero last season at Hawaii. The graduate student leads the Big West and is second nationally in set assists with a 10.64 average. He also ranks fifth in the Big West in digs (1.75). Sheward had a career-high 58 set assists against Grand Canyon which is tied for most by a Big West player. He recorded three double-doubles with a career-high 22 digs at Hawaii, the most digs by a Big West player this year. The setter has guided UCI to the nation's top kill average (13.34) as well as seventh-best hitting team (.330). Sheward was also named Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Mar. 4.
Grigoriev is sixth in the Big West in hitting percentage (.335), eighth in blocks (.890), 12th in points (3.06) and 15th in kills (2.27) overall. In Big West-only matches, he leads the league in hitting percentage with a .500 mark (59-10-98). He is second on the team in aces with 30, firing 15 versus Big West opponents which is second best in ace average at 0.47. The middle blocker has recorded double-digit kills 10 times, including a career-best 17 in a win over USC. The sophomore has hit over .500 seven times, including an .818 performance versus UC Santa Barbara (9-0-11). Grigoriev, the 2023 Big West Freshman of the Year, picks up his first first-team honor.
Power earns his first Big West recognition after ranking second in dig average with a 1.96 mark. The libero was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 19, 2024 after averaging 2.88 set assists over two matches against then-No. 5 Stanford on the road. The senior popped-up a season-high 15 digs in the win over then-No. 1 Grand Canyon. He has recorded double-digit digs on nine occasions this season.
HAPPY TO HAVE HENNO BEHIND THE SERVICE LINE
Hilir Henno is six aces shy of tying the UCI career ace record currently held by Carson Clark at 183 from 2009-12.
He is third among active players with 177 in just 75 career matches.
He already owns the Big West career record as well as the UCI and Big West match record with nine versus Princeton.
The outside hitter leads the Big West and is 13th nationally in aces with a .441 mark.
AT THE PINS
Along with Henno, outside hitter Nolan Flexen and opposite Will D'Arcy anchor the offense at the pins.
Flexen has played in 15 matches and is second on the team averaging 3.04 kills. He is also averaging 0.76 digs and 0.62 blocks over 55 sets.
He has seven double-digit kill performances including a season-high 20, while hitting .667 against Princeton.
D'Arcy has seen action in 63 sets and is averaging 2.76 kills. He has nine double-digit kill nights, hitting over .400 four times. He recorded a career-best 19 kills, hitting .548 (19-2-31) in the upset of No.1 GCU.
IN THE MIDDLE
Senior Connor Campbell leads the Big West in hitting percentage at .399 and is also fifth in blocking with a 1.02 average.
The middle blocker hit over .500 10 times, including over .800 twice this season. He had a career-best .846 (11-0-13) against Concordia. He totaled five or more blocks nine times, including a season-best eight total blocks (1 solo) at BYU.
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