Hawaii is a huge lure for some of the best teams in the nation

CHEVRON INVITATIONAL

Hawaii will have to level up big time to set a successful tone for the season. The opener against No. 4 Wisconsin, with six returning starters and four AVCA All-America honorees, is on par with the Night 1 battle in 2013, when the Rainbow Wahine took down No. 1 Texas 3-1.

All three opponents made the NCAA tournament, the Badgers (26-7) eliminated by Florida 3-2 in the Sweet 16, the K-State Wildcats (17-12) out in the first round via a 3-1 loss to Wichita State, and the Wildcats from Arizona (19-14) swept by Western Kentucky also in the first round.

Key captures: Wisconsin senior setter Lauren Carlini, K-State senior setter Katie Brand, Arizona seniors Penina Snuka (Kahuku), a setter, and outside hitter Kalei Mau (Kaiser).

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES CLASSIC

The HAL Classic has been a major Volleyball Go lure, attracting rare creatures for the past 28 years. As it has 15 previous times, the 29th title likely again will be a battle between host Hawaii and No. 12 UCLA — coached by VolleyMaster Mike Sealy, a former UH associate head coach.

The hax (event with low probability) is that neither Missouri State (24-11) nor Pacific (17-13) will challenge for higher than third place. The Bruins (25-8) have KO’d the Wahine in their past two battles, closing to 37-36 in the series that began in 1974, the first year of the UH program. Last season’s SlideQuake by UCLA was Hawaii’s lone loss before the NCAA tournament.

Key captures: Missouri State junior hitter Lily Johnson, Pacific senior hitter Lexi Elman and UCLA senior hitter Jordan Anderson and freshman hitter Torrey Van Winden.

OUTRIGGER RESORTS CHALLENGE

There is no question that Hawaii Supporters with long memories are ready to toss an Ultra Ball at No. 7 Washington. The Huskies (31-3) used an Enhanced Hammer to end the Wahine season three times (2010, ’12, ’14) in the NCAA tournament.

But before seeing the Dawgs — who lost six seniors from a co-Pac-12 championship team — Hawaii takes on Utah Valley (14-14), an NFE (Not Fully Evolved) from the WAC in its 13th year at Division I, and MAC regular-season champion Northern Illinois (19-11) for the first time.

Key captures: Utah Valley freshman middle Jasmine Niutupuivaha, NIU senior middle Lauren Zielinski, UW junior setter/hitter Bailey Tanner and junior setter Jade Finau.

PEPPERDINE

The Waves (17-14) return to Honolulu for the first time under former Wahine associate head coach Scott Wong for a pair of matches, the final contests before Pepperdine and Hawaii start conference play.

Wahine Supporters will be able to gauge how good the Waves will be prior to their Stan Sheriff Center appearance. On Pepperdine’s nonconference schedule are UH opponents Arizona, UCLA, Cal State Northridge and Long Beach State. Making the transition from hitter to libero is freshman Hana Lishman (Punahou).

Key captures: Sophomore middle Tarah Wylie, the 2015 Freshman of the Year in the West Coast Conference.