Hawaii's star setter Tread Rosenthal is in the running for one of college volleyball's highest honors. The 6-foot-11 junior has been named one of four finalists for the AVCA Men's Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced Tuesday.

This recognition comes at a pivotal moment for both Rosenthal and the Rainbow Warriors. Hawaii (28-5) punched their ticket to the Final Four with a commanding four-set victory over Southern California on Saturday, setting up a thrilling Big West rivalry matchup against No. 3 seed Long Beach State in the national semifinals. The winner will advance to the championship match on Monday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

Rosenthal's numbers this season are nothing short of elite. He ranks second nationally in assists per set at 10.75 and has orchestrated a Hawaii offense that boasts a .366 hitting percentage—the fourth-best mark in the country. His consistency has been remarkable, earning All-Big West first team honors in all three of his seasons at UH and being named conference Setter of the Week an impressive 11 times this year.

Last week, Rosenthal was named the Big West Player of the Year, adding to his growing collection of accolades that includes an AVCA All-America first team nod as a sophomore. He now has the chance to join an exclusive club of Hawaii legends who have won the AVCA Player of the Year award: Yuval Katz (1996), Costas Theocharidis (2001 and 2003), Rado Parapunov (2021), and Jakob Thelle (2023).

Standing between Rosenthal and the award are three other standout finalists: UCLA setter Andrew Rowan, Ball State senior outside hitter Patrick Rodgers, and Pepperdine sophomore opposite hitter Cole Hartke. The winner will be announced Friday at a ceremony in Los Angeles, one day before the national semifinals kick off.

For fans eager to catch Rosenthal and the Rainbow Warriors in action, Hawaii departs this afternoon for Los Angeles. Saturday's semifinal clash against Long Beach State will be available on ESPN+, with first serve set for 3:30 p.m.