UH mulling more, larger title banners
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i athletic department could decide as early as today whether to change its policy of allowing only UH arena teams that win national championships to hang commemorative banners in the Stan Sheriff Center.
Advertiser library photo
The Sheriff Center, which opened in 1994, has four banners, one for each national title won by the Rainbow Wahine volleyball team.
The university's athletic department will consider putting larger banners in the Stan Sheriff Center, as well as banners for Hawai'i teams that win conference championships.
But coach Mike Wilton, whose Warrior volleyball team won the first national title by a UH men's team last May, felt those banners were too small, and wanted a larger banner for his team's championship.
In discussions over that banner, Wilton proposed increasing the size of the Rainbows' four banners, as well as adding banners for arena teams that win league titles or qualify for national postseason tournaments. There is nothing in the arena to commemorate the postseason success of UH's two basketball teams.
UH athletic director Herman Frazier today is scheduled to meet with UH coaches and staff members to discuss the department rule limiting banners to teams that win national titles.
Wilton said the Rainbow Wahine banners were appropriate when volleyball matches were played in 2,000-seat Klum Gym. The original banners were replaced with ones of the same size when the 10,000-seat Sheriff Center opened.
Wilton said the decision to order the same-sized banners did not "take into account the arena is a little bigger. Those size banners looked just fine in Klum Gym, but in the arena, they're kind of lost."
Wilton said he would like to unveil his team's championship banner for the season-opener in January. Although he would prefer that the athletic department pay for the new banners, "if our booster club has to pay for it, so be it," he said.
The athletic department paid for championship rings for the Warriors' 22 players, coaches and staff. The men's volleyball booster club paid for the additional 16 championship rings, including the ones that went to UH president Evan Dobelle and the mascot, Vili "The Warrior" Fehoko.
• One down, one to go: The Warriors received a verbal commitment from 6-foot-5 setter Brian Beckwith and are awaiting a decision from his Loyola High (Los Angeles) teammate Jake Schkud. Schkud is a 6-foot-5 middle blocker.
• Roster update: Because of the glut of outside hitters, sophomore Jose Delgado is expected to redshirt this coming season.
Delgado was held out of last week's match against the alumni after it was learned that playing against "outside competition," even in a fall exhibition, might jeopardize his chances to redshirt, Wilton said.
Wilton said Delgado will be included on the Warriors' travel roster to Shanghai, China. He will participate in practices, but not in any matches. The Warriors leave next week.
Starting outside hitters Costas Theocharidis, Eyal Zimet and Tony Ching are seniors. Ari Jechke, Matt Bender and Pedro Azenha will compete on the outside.
Azenha, who also can play middle blocker, still is awaiting a ruling on how many regular-season matches — if any — he will miss because he competed in an international tournament. Azenha is expected to miss up to four matches. Still, that would not prevent him from competing in the exhibitions in Shanghai. Wilton said Azenha is scheduled to make the trip.
