A couple of minutes into the first huddle of training camp, two Hawaii men’s volleyball players were sent to the locker room to shave.

The Warriors’ clean start begins on the chinny-chin-chin with the new no-facial-hair policy.

"We’re trying to be mindful to look and act professional in everything we do," UH coach Charlie Wade said. "It’s important to be clean cut."

The fresh-look Warriors have added 12 players, an assistant coach (Sean Carney replaces Vernon Podlewski) and a slogan. "VASTEC" is on the back of each practice jersey, an acronym for volleyball, academics, strength, teamwork, effort/energy and choice.

Wade is hopeful the changes add up to vast improvements over last year’s 7-20 season, including a last-place finish in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

The fall training period showed the Warriors appear to have more depth. They hope to establish a starting lineup before departing on New Year’s Day for their season-opening road trip.

JP Marks, a sophomore from Germany, is one certainty, although it is not known if he will start at opposite or on the left side. He would have a role as a passer, even on the right side.

Jace Olsen, Sinisa Zarkovic, Brook Sedore, Johann Timmer and Ryan Leung also will contend for starting jobs on the outside.

"We have a lot of guys who are good and can play at this level," Wade said. "We have to figure out who’s going to be that elite 20-kills-a-night-against-every-team-in-the-league player."

Los Angeles-raised Olsen is transferring from Penn State, where he has played in two NCAA final fours.

"I’ve wanted to come here since high school," Olsen said. "It’s been a dream of mine to play on the island for all of the people here."

Zarkovic, who is from Serbia, was one of the most accurate outside passers in fall training.

Timmer was a starter for the first half of the 2012 season before suffering a variety of injuries. Sedore played with Canada’s junior national team this past summer. Leung is a Hawaii Baptist Academy graduate who played at Pepperdine the past two years.

Max Wechsung, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Long Beach City College, and Joby Ramos, a Roosevelt High graduate who was at Pacific for two years, are competing at setter.

Matthew Cheape, Kolby Kanetake and Harrison Phelps have emerged as the top contenders at libero.

It is equally crowded in the middle. Nick West is the returning starter. Davis Holt, a Maryknoll School graduate, is in his third year in the program. Aniefre Etim-Thomas, Wechsung’s teammate last year, can touch 11 feet 6. Taylor Averill, who has been medically cleared following shoulder surgery, is moving from opposite to the middle.