Tukuafu, Davis are opposite Warriors with same games

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Men's volleyball, by its design, is a sport of unpredictability, and so it is appropriate that two University of Hawai'i players — one from the desert, the other from the mountain — will play their final in-season home matches tonight and tomorrow on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

"That's volleyball," senior Torry Tukuafu said of the matches against Alberta in the Stan Sheriff Center. "In this sport, you just gather."

Tukuafu and Brenton Davis exemplify the attraction of opposites so common in volleyball. Tukuafu is from Heber City, Utah. Davis was raised in Las Vegas.

Tukuafu is married to former Wahine volleyball player Andrea Gomez Tukuafu. Davis is very much single.

Tukuafu is pursuing a career in law or politics; he is a candidate for UH student-body president. Davis is an admitted non-conformist who wears headbands and, sometimes, Luke Perry-style sideburns.

Davis is a middle blocker; Tukuafu plays a position called "opposite."

"As different as we are off the court, we're a lot alike," Davis said. "We have a lot of the same interests. And we're both competitive. We want to win. We're not willing to back down from anyone."

Each took the scenic route to Manoa. Tukuafu played at Brigham Young as a freshman, then found a higher calling. "I met my wife," he said. "She was already out here (in Hawai'i). I kind of chased her."

But, he said, "I wanted a little change in scenery."

While growing up in Las Vegas, Davis always dreamed of an oasis. He said he had several friends who used to live in Hawai'i, and they shared videotapes of UH's matches.

"All of my high school teammates had University of Hawai'i hats," Davis recalled. "We'd sport them all around town. It was always a goal of mine to come here and play. It was always something I wanted to do. I'm glad it worked out the way it did. I couldn't have scripted it any better."

UH coach Mike Wilton said both players have been selfless leaders. Tukuafu, a natural outside hitter, filled in at middle because of injuries. Wilton said many believed that Davis did not have the blocking skills to play middle.

"They were wrong," Wilton said.

Now, they have helped the Warriors to a No. 1 ranking, the program's first since 1996. "It's been a great ride for those two," Wilton said. "Both of them bring such a great work ethic, and it rubs off to others."

• UH ticket refunds: The University of Hawai'i athletic department is offering refunds to ticket holders who will not attend this weekend's volleyball matches and baseball games because of the UH faculty strike.

Ticket holders have until April 14 to mail refund requests to: UH Athletics Ticket Office, 1337 Lower Campus Road, Honolulu 96822.

Tickets must be included with the request.

No refunds will be given at the UH box office at the Stan Sheriff Center.

For details, call 956-448.