What looked to be a big strength — literally, with a pair of 6-3-ish middles — has had Stallbreakers creep into the Rainbow Gym, sending senior Annie Mitchem in search of a Heal Bell after fracturing her left pinkie the first day of practice. With the two-time Two-Year College National Player of the Year sidelined approximately for the next five weeks, the position has gone into SubCM (Substitute and Calm Mind) mode.
STRENGTH 3
When senior Annie Mitchem returns — likely around Big West Conference play in late September — the middle position will be solid as she joins all-conference junior Emily Maglio, sophomore Casey Castillo and redshirt freshman Natasha Burns.
DEPTH 3
It was a numbers game the first two weeks of preseason practice: 1 then 2 then 3 then 2 and back to 3. Maglio was the only true middle after the first day of practice, with Mitchem’s injury and Burns not cleared to practice until the second week. Burns was cleared, only to have Castillo suffer a slight injury to her elbow, causing her to miss a few days. Hawaii is back to 3 heading into the first match.
Holding court as a starter for the second straight season is junior Emily Maglio, who is coming off an All-American season with the SandBows beach volleyball team. The Canadian national was second in the Big West — No. 34 nationally — in hitting percentage (.384) and was third in the conference in block average (1.13 bps). Maglio and partner Katie Spieler were the Big West’s Pairs Team of the Year, leading the SandBows to the inaugural Big West championship last spring. Maglio is great at Parafusion, with an unorthodox swing that can paralyze and confuse the opposing block.
The question is who replaces graduated Olivia Magill, an honorable mention All-American, while awaiting Mitchem’s return.
Sophomore Casey Castillo is transitioning her 6-foot-3 frame from outside hitter/opposite to middle. Castillo was the Utility Wahine last season as she practiced as a left- and right-side hitter as well as middle, and saw action at all three positions. She missed a few practices with a minor elbow injury but likely will start this week.
Redshirt freshman Natasha Burns is battling Castillo for the second middle spot. At 6-5, the Canadian national is the tallest ever to wear a Rainbow Wahine uniform and, as the coaching adage goes, “you can’t teach height.” She has recuperated from her fractured hand that kept her out last season. Key to have her breaking into the lineup is improved footwork.
As for Mitchem, “She’ll be a nice secret weapon to unveil when we get her back,” associate head coach Jeff Hall said. Mitchem, a two-time All-American at Irvine Valley, played in 18 matches last year but missed the final 12 after breaking her right pinkie on Oct. 12 against UC Irvine. She is Hawaii’s most physical player and has added 3 inches to her vertical, now touching 10-5.
