Tyla Reese Mane’s improbable journey to becoming a Rainbow Wahine volleyball player is summed up best by her first day of practice.

“I didn’t have team-issued shoes, so I borrowed shoes from Caylen Alexander and those shoes had no soles in them,” Mane recalled. “My first-ever practice I had shoes with no soles and they weren’t even my size. I was running around just trying to make things work out of thin air.”

The 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter from Aiea High has patiently waited for an opportunity to contribute on the court since joining the team as a walk-on in 2023.

She played sparingly last season, appearing in 22 sets and 14 matches, but never to the extent to which she has found herself on the court this season.

Mane has missed only four sets through six matches for the Rainbow W

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