Stephen Tsai: For UH, sustaining success will be a greater challenge

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It was quite the year for University of Hawaii athletics.

In December, the UH football team’s breakthrough season was punctuated with a comeback victory in the 2025 Hawaii Bowl.

In the craziness of March Madness, the men’s basketball ’Bows won the Big West Tournament to secure their first berth in the Big Dance since 2016.

And a week ago, the UH men’s volleyball team captured the program’s third (official) national championship.

The thing is, those accomplishments were easier than the next step. As UH history has shown, sustaining success is the greater challenge.

In 1992, with an innovative triple-option offense and menacing double-eagle defense, the Rainbow Warriors won a share of the WAC football title and then upset Illinois in the Holiday Bowl. That seized the attention of WAC cohorts Colorado State, New Mexico and Utah. More money was invested into those programs and their facilities.

UH’s response to the cohorts’ response? UH raised its admission standards.

Back then, the NCAA’s Proposition 48 set minimum standards for high school student-athletes to be eligible to compete in NCAA Division I sports. They needed to pass 11 core courses, earn at least a 2.0 GPA in those classes, and score 700 or better in the SAT. Similar to other schools, UH offered a program that allowed all non-qualifying students, not just athletes, to gain admission. That meant a non-qualifier could enroll at UH, not participate in any sports-related training or games for a year, and then be eligible the second year.

But UH officials decided that Prop 48 applicants would no longer be accepted, meaning some prospects would have to go to a junior college, attend another school or not go to college at all. While other WAC schools invested in their programs, UH did not. While others prospered, UH went through a football drought. In 1998, half of the 16 WAC schools had a clandestine meeting at the Denver airport to finalize a plan to secede to form the Mountain West. Utah and CSU — motivated by UH’s 1992 success — were the leaders of the secession. Eventually, Utah left the Mountain West to join the Pac-12.

The Warriors had a football revival after hiring June Jones as head coach in 1999. Jones’ four-wide offense and aggressive defense led to more victories and the creation of the Hawaii Bowl. Jones’ connections improved marketing, spawning a re-branding centering on the launch of the “H” logo. Jones’ friends also contributed. Decorated groundskeeper George “Sodfather” Toma re-sodded and maintained the grass practice field. Emmy Award-winning composer Mike Post, who put the “dun dun” in Law &Order intros, donated a theme song for the Warriors. The Warriors traveled on Aloha Airlines’ chartered flights. Jones’ tenure culminated with a 12-0 regular season in 2007 and invitation to 2008 Sugar Bowl.

But Jones, who did not receive a contract offer from UH ahead of the 2007 season, left for SMU. UH did not reinvest the Sugar Bowl paychecks into facilities. And in an unrelated circumstance, the economy went bust. Aloha Airlines ceased operations. Meanwhile, Boise State was set to reclaim its WAC crown and plot its next move.

UH has managed to overcome the new challenges of a changing NCAA landscape. Players can transfer and gain immediate eligibility at their next schools. Players are now allowed to be compensated for use of their name, image and likeness. What’s more, the House vs. NCAA settlement requires Division I programs — including mid-majors like UH — to pay up to $20.5 million annually in NIL compensation. Coaches often deal with agents or advisers. The national letters of intent have given way to actual contracts.

This academic year, UH was competitive despite not having a permanent home football venue or grass practice field. Because of longer conference schedules, it has become increasingly difficult to book visiting teams for basketball tournaments.

But UH keeps fighting the good fight. There are more training tables, more resources for academics as well as physical and mental health. Head football coach Timmy Chang and basketball coach Eran Ganot reached agreements on contract extensions that still will make them among the lowest paid in the Mountain West. Instead of personal gain, both sought to provide more money for their assistant coaches, staff and program.

With 15 UH sports joining the football team in the Mountain West on July 1, there is a chance to have another impactful season. But it will take more skin in the game. It was a setback when the state Senate rejected a proposal to provide NIL money to UH. The school will have to be resourceful — again — to meet the new challenges. It would be a shame if this past year’s performances did not receive a hana hou.

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