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The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors basketball team is currently a member of the Big West Conference (BWC), which is an American collegiate athletic conference. The BWC was formed in 1968 as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association and was renamed the Big West Conference in 1988. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors play their home games at the 10,300-seat Stan Sheriff Center, which opened in 1994. Interestingly, it has been announced that the Hawaii member will be leaving the BWC for the Mountain West Conference, effective July 1, 2026.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors |
| Current Conference | Big West Conference (BWC) |
| Stadium | Stan Sheriff Center (10,300 seats) |
| Previous Stadium | 7,500-seat Neal S. |
| Conference Members | 11 institutions (10 in California, 1 in Hawaii) |
| Conference Start Date | July 1, 1969 |
| Conference Sports | Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's Volleyball, Men's Soccer, Men's Water Polo, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Water Polo |
| Future Conference | Moving to Mountain West Conference (effective July 1, 2026) |
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What You'll Learn
The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors basketball team
The history of the Rainbow Warriors name dates back to 1923 when, in the final game of the season, the UH football team upset Oregon State with a rainbow appearing over the stadium. Sportswriters began referring to UH teams as the "Rainbows," and it was believed that Hawaii could not lose when a rainbow appeared. The rainbow officially became part of the school's athletic logo in 1982 and remained until 2000.
In 2000, a controversial change allowed each team to pick its own name. The men's basketball team chose to remain as the Rainbow Warriors, while the football, men's volleyball, golf, and tennis teams became the Warriors. On July 1, 2013, the nicknames of the men's sports teams were standardized again, and all male teams at the university are now referred to as the Rainbow Warriors.
The Rainbow Warriors basketball team has had notable players and coaches throughout its history. On February 15, 2020, they retired their first number, honouring number 33 for UH great and coach Bob Nash. Other notable players include Tom Henderson, Anthony Harris, Anthony Carter, and Predrag Savović. The team is currently coached by Eran Ganot, who has led the team since 2015.
The Rainbow Warriors' colours are green, white, black, and silver. The white and green colours were chosen by the wives of the faculty, while black and silver were added in 2000 with the introduction of a new athletics logo.
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Big West Conference
The Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors basketball team is part of the Big West Conference (BWC). The BWC is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I.
The conference was formed in June 1968 as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA). The original charter members were Fresno State, San Jose State, UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State, and Long Beach State. The PCAA changed its name to the Big West Conference on July 1, 1988, to better represent its member institutions, which at the time included schools like Utah State, UNLV, Nevada, New Mexico State, and Hawaii.
Over the years, the Big West Conference has seen numerous changes in its membership. Many universities left to join more well-known conferences, while others found the travel costs too high as most of the teams were California-based. From 2005 until Hawaii joined in 2012, all members were based in California, reducing travel costs for the league. In 2026, Hawai'i and UC Davis will be leaving the Big West Conference to join the Mountain West Conference, reducing the number of teams in the Big West to nine.
To maintain a membership of 11 teams, the Big West Conference has invited California Baptist University and Utah Valley University to join by the 2026 school year. California Baptist University has accepted the invitation, marking the first time since 2013 that a private university will compete in the Big West.
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Mountain West Conference
The University of Hawaii's basketball team, the Rainbow Warriors, currently competes in the Big West Conference (BWC). The BWC is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I.
The Rainbow Warriors play at the 10,300-seat Stan Sheriff Center, which opened in 1994. The team previously played from 1964 to 1994 at the 7,500-seat Neal S. Blaisdell Center Arena.
Hawaii's membership in the BWC dates back to the conference's formation in 1968 as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA). In 1988, the conference was renamed the Big West Conference.
However, it was announced that Hawaii will be leaving the BWC for the Mountain West Conference (MWC) effective July 1, 2026. The decision to switch conferences was likely influenced by financial considerations, as Hawaii could not afford the travel subsidies demanded by the MWC for non-football sports. The MWC is a more prestigious and established conference, and joining it will provide Hawaii's athletic programs with greater exposure and competition.
The Mountain West Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that operates in the western region of the United States. It was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Colorado. The MWC currently consists of 11 member institutions, including the United States Air Force Academy, Boise State University, Colorado State University, Fresno State University, the University of Nevada, Reno, San Diego State University, San Jose State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Utah State University, and Wyoming University. The MWC sponsors 19 sports, including basketball, and its member institutions have achieved notable success in various sports over the years.
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The Stan Sheriff Center
The SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center, as it is now known, secured a 10-year, $5 million naming rights contract with the Bank of Hawaii in 2020. The contract added the "SimpliFi" prefix to the arena's name, reflecting the bank's digital banking brand.
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California State University
The University of Hawaii's basketball team, the Rainbow Warriors, has been a part of the Big West Conference since 2012, alongside nine other universities in California. The Big West Conference was initially formed in 1968 as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, and it changed its name in 1988 to better reflect its member institutions, which at the time included Hawaii.
The California State University system makes up half of the Big West Conference's 11 member institutions, with the other half belonging to the University of California system. The California State University members of the Big West Conference are:
- Fresno State
- San Jose State
- San Diego State
- Long Beach State
In 2024, the University of Hawaii was in talks to leave the Big West Conference and join the Mountain West Conference as a full member. The Mountain West Conference requires a minimum of eight full members for an FBS conference, and Hawaii would be the eighth member. While the Big West Conference has offered shorter travel distances and lower costs, the Mountain West Conference could offer increased prestige and competition, especially in men's basketball. However, as of 2024, no decision had been made, and the financial and logistical considerations were still being discussed.
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Frequently asked questions
The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors basketball team is in the Big West Conference (BWC).
The Big West Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference. It was formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) and renamed the Big West Conference in 1988.
When the old WAC broke up, Hawaii had the choice to either go independent or join the Mountain West. Joining the Mountain West Conference for basketball would have meant that Hawaii would have to pay travel subsidies for non-basketball sports, which they could not afford.
