With half the roster about to experience a Hawaii women’s volleyball home match at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for the first time tonight, it’s hard to predict how the Rainbow Wahine will look in their 2025 season debut.
It was only a year ago that Miliana Sylvester, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, was wiping away the tears during a rendition of “Hawaii Pono‘i” before she was introduced as an opening night starter.
Back for her second season with the Rainbow Wahine, Sylvester fully understands the emotions that opening night brings heading into UH’s first match of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic against Marquette.
With only three players on the roster who are entering a third season with the program, Sylvester, one of six sophomores on the team, has gone from wide-eyed freshman to a leader in practice just 12 months later.
It’s a natural transition for a player who lived on her own during her senior year of high school in order to best prepare herself for her college career at the University of Hawaii.
“It comes naturally because I have never been one to be quiet or shy away when I don’t think something is right. It’s easy to speak up,” Sylvester said this week. “We’ve really tried to bring together the team and the culture just because we have been here and done it. Even before I played here one year, I played under Coach Robyn (Ah Mow) and she has the same culture no matter where she is. We know Hawaii volleyball and we try to embrace that and implement that culture that we want on the other girls.”
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The “we” is in reference to fellow sophomore Victoria Leyva and juniors Tali Hakas and Stella Adeyemi, who are the top returnees from last year’s team that won a fifth straight Big West Conference championship.
All four have had to grow up quickly.
“This year there is a lot of newcomers and I think being young gives us a higher ceiling,” Sylvester said. There is seven or eight girls in my class, so that is three more years for us to bond together. That is exciting.”
Hakas and Adeyemi are Hawaii’s top two returning hitters after averaging more than two kills per set last year.
Sylvester, in her debut season, averaged 1.85 kills per set. She led the team with 91 total blocks.
“I think I’m much calmer,” Sylvester said about year 2. “I know a little bit more about what to expect and what to work on, and I think that is really helpful in the gym.”
Of all the positions on the floor, UH is probably most comfortable with what it has in the middle.
Sylvester is paired with 6-foot-3 senior transfer Bri Gunderson from Eastern Washington, who was named to the preseason All-Big West Freshman team.
“I think she’s a great all-around player. We go neck-and-neck a lot. She can serve better than I can,” Sylvester said. “We’re always battling for our position, but at the same time she brings a lot in the front row. She’s 6-foot-3. She’s long and lengthy. She can block really well and she has a high swing and she has a lot of range.”
Sylvester was one of three players who started every match last season.
She said not much was different about fall camp from last year to this season. The end goal is always the same.
“Now that camp is done, I think it is where we do and have the most growth and I’m glad it’s over, no more double days, but also we’re super excited about this weekend,” Sylvester said. “Super excited to play in front of the fans and to have an actual opponent on the other side of the net, we are super stoked.”