Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors basketball — program history
Hawai'i's basketball program began in 1920 and the Rainbow Warriors compete in the Big West Conference. The program has made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and earned its first tournament win in 2016 over California. The team's remote location makes it one of the most unique road trips in college basketball.
The name
The Rainbow Warriors nickname comes from the rainbows frequently visible over Manoa Valley where the campus is located, combined with warrior imagery from Hawaiian culture.
Signature moment
Upsetting fourth-seeded California 77-66 in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament as Big West champions — the program's first NCAA Tournament victory in history and one of its most exciting March moments.
Hawai'i's geographic isolation means the team travels more miles than almost any other D-I program — road trips to the mainland routinely exceed 5,000 miles round trip, and opponents face severe jet lag visiting Honolulu.
The Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors compete in the Big West and hold an all-time record of 848–766 (.525 winning percentage) across 56 recorded seasons dating back to 1970-71.
Season-by-season results
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