It’s not so much a rebuilding year as a remolding year. The departure of the ‘06 senior class - headed by four-time All-America honoree setter Kanoe Kamana’o, the school career assist leader - left some voids but … as happens every year, the pukas will be filled.

The personality of the team has changed, reshaped by veteran players eager to take on leadership roles and young players hoping to make contributions. Junior captain Tara Hittle brings a unique, positive energy to the court, happy to be back after sitting out most of last year with an injury.

The strengths of the team are depth and experience, anchored by senior middles Kari Gregory and Juliana Sanders, and junior third-team All-America hitter Jamie Houston. Competition will be fierce at all positions, including setter, where redshirt freshman Dani Mafua and sophomore transfer Stephanie Brandt battle it out to run the offense.

Recruiting brought in even more talent, with freshmen Amanda Simmons, Stephanie Ferrell and Elizabeth Ka’aihue looking to continue at the college level the success they enjoyed in high school. Returning home is sophomore Aneli Cubi-Otineru, a junior college All-American as a freshman at Southern Idaho.

Dave Shoji opens his 33rd season with high expectations that just may be exceeded.

Oct. 21 is literally a red-letter day, as Hawaii takes a rare midseason, non-WAC road trip to Lincoln, Neb., to take on defending national champion Nebraska. The ridiculously stacked Huskers were the overwhelming choice to repeat in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches Top 25 preseason poll, headed by the two previous national players of the year: senior opposite Sarah Pavan (2006) and senior outside hitter Christina Houghtelling (2005), the latter who sat out last season with an injury.

Two other teams on UH’s schedule are ranked in the Top 25. No. 5 UCLA, which ended Hawaii’s season in last year’s regional, makes its annual trek for the Hawaiian Airlines Classic. The Bruins have the longest-running rivalry with the Wahine, dating back to UH’s inaugural season of 1974, and now trail 34-30 in the all-time series after defeating the Wahine twice.

Also coming in is No. 24 Santa Clara in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Challenge on Sept. 6-8. Teams receiving votes that will face Hawaii are Michigan in tomorrow’s season opener; Colorado State on Saturday; Louisville on Sept. 2; Wichita State on Sept. 7; and WAC rival New Mexico State in Las Cruces on Sept. 22 and at home Oct. 26.

Also coming in is Loyola Marymount for two matches in between the WAC tournament and the NCAA tournament selection show.

Expect Hawaii to win the Western Athletic Conference for a 12th consecutive time. The Rainbow Wahine’s WAC winning streak may have ended last year (112) at New Mexico State, but a new one stands at 13 going into the conference opener Sept. 14 against Idaho.

New Mexico State, with preseason All-WAC players Kim Oguh and Amber Simpson back, again will be very competitive. Coach Mike Jordan has picked up some talented transfers who should help immediately.

Wahine coach Dave Shoji gave his first-place vote to San Jose State, which also features two preseason All-WAC picks in Niki Clement and Jennifer Senftleben as well as new coach Oscar Crespo. It won’t be the same without Salaia Salave’a, but Tatiana Santiago (Kamehameha ‘07) and Kylie Harrington (Saint Francis ‘07) should be making a trip home to play for the Wolf Pack on Oct. 5.

The WAC tournament heads to Las Cruces, N.M., for the first time after four years in Reno. Expect the Pan American Center to be packed if Hawaii and the host Aggies are in the final Nov. 21.

CSTV/AVCA DI Preseason Top 25

(First-place votes in parenthesis) School Points Record

WAC Coaches poll

(First-place votes in parenthesis) Team Points

Preseason All-WAC Team

Niki Clement, Jr., San Jose State; Teal Ericson, Sr., Nevada; Kari Gregory, Sr., Hawaii; Tara Hittle, Jr., Hawaii; Jamie Houston, Jr., Hawaii; Haley Larsen, Jr., Idaho; Amanda Nielson, Sr., Utah State; Kim Oguh, Sr., New Mexico State; Shannon Phillips, Sr., La Tech; Juliana Sanders, Sr., Hawaii; Jennifer Senftleben, Sr., San Jose State; Amber Simpson, Jr., New Mexico State

Preseason Player of the Year Jamie Houston, Hawaii