Kalaheo grad Braley excited to play at home

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ball State middle blocker Andrew Braley plans to take a drive to the North Shore, swim at Hanauma Bay, hike up Diamond Head, and attend a lu'au.

Typical tourist fare, but the 2000 Kalaheo graduate is excited to do it all.

"It's fun for me to do that, too," he said. "I'm very, very excited to come home. It's freezing cold here (Muncie, Ind.) ... it's snowy and rainy and I'm looking forward to coming home and enjoying some sun."

Ball State is in Hawai'i to play the University of Hawai'i.

Braley, a 6-foot-7 junior, said his family will host the team Friday night for a lu'au, where they will eat "kalua pork, all that kind of good stuff, just so the guys can experience all that," he said.

Braley is averaging 1.48 kills per game and hitting .474. He has played in all six matches for the No. 10 Cardinals (6-0), the only undefeated team in Division I. He also averages 0.86 blocks per game.

"I'm excited about playing in front of people who will hopefully be at the game or watching on TV," he said. "Last year when we came to Hawai'i I wasn't starting. I got to play a couple of minutes here and there. This year I've been starting all the matches and playing pretty well."

He also said he's excited about facing Hawai'i sophomore middle blocker Mauli'a LaBarre, whom he played against in high school when LaBarre attended Roosevelt.

"We were kind of rivals in high school," Braley said. "And obviously I don't get to play against a lot of the guys I played against in high school."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.