Warrior Insider

The Hawaii basketball team can start practicing this Friday, but the Warriors’ official introduction to the public will be on Friday night, Oct. 21, at the Stan Sheriff Center. The “UH ‘Ohana Hoopfest” will be held on Oct. 21 to coincide with homecoming week on the UH campus.

Here are the details from the UH Media Relations Office:

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai’i men’s and women’s basketball squads will be officially introduced during the 2011 “UH ‘Ohana Hoopfest” Friday, Oct. 21, in the Stan Sheriff Center. Admission to the Hoopfest is free.

The event will be part of the UH Homecoming week festivities and will begin at approximately 9:15 p.m., following the UH-Utah State women’s volleyball match. Fans attending the women’s volleyball match are encouraged to stay and will be treated to entertainment and giveaways. All others fans will be allowed into the Stan Sheriff Center near the conclusion of the women’s volleyball match.

The event will include the introduction of both the men’s and women’s teams, team skits, and men’s and women’s celebrity games. In addition, there will be a UH student half-court shot contest. Up to three students could earn a semester’s worth of free textbooks from the University of Hawai’i Bookstores, while a pair of inter-island airline tickets are also on the prize list. Students must register for the contest at the sports marketing table near Gate A by 9:30 p.m. The evening will conclude with an autograph session with both the men’s and women’s teams on the arena concourse.

The Rainbow Warriors, under the direction of second-year head coach Gib Arnold, return six players and three redshirt players from last year’s squad that finished 19-13 and advanced to the program’s first postseason tournament in seven years. Six newcomers join this year’s squad. Hawai’i begins with an exhibition against Hawai’i Pacific on Nov. 11 and officially opens the regular-season against Cal State Northridge on Nov. 14 as part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-off Marathon.

The Rainbow Wahine and third-year head coach Dana Takahara-Dias return three starters and seven letterwinners to this year’s squad, while welcoming eight newcomers. UH will play a pair of exhibition games (Hawai’i Pacific, Oct. 29; BYU-Hawai’i, Nov. 4) before hosting UH-Hilo in their home opener on Nov. 11.

2011 UH ‘Ohana Hoopfest Schedule of Events
Pre-Event – UH Band and Drumline Performance
9:15pm – UH Cheerleaders’ Performance
9:23pm – Introduction of Men’s Team
9:38pm – Introduction of Women’s Team
9:53pm – UH Student Half-Court Shot Contest
9:58pm – Women’s Celebrity Game
10:10 pm – UH Dance Team’s Performance
10:15 pm – Men’s Celebrity Game
10:30 pm – Men’s and Women’s Autograph Session