Never expected, always appreciated.

That Hawaii’s Nikki Taylor was named the AVCA National Player of the Week on Tuesday was significant on many fronts. With the collegiate volleyball world continuing to drift into the realm of Power Five football, having a player from a mid-major conference selected means a great deal, Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji said.

“It is good for her, good for us as a program and good for a lot of mid-major players to be recognized,” said Shoji, whose 13th-ranked team is preparing for the NCAA tournament. “You don’t know who has good weeks around the country (when it comes to the voting), but (Taylor’s) numbers continue to be pretty good.”

Taylor ranks in the top 11 nationally in four categories. The senior opposite is No. 2 in aces per set (0.65), fifth in point average (4.59 pps), 10th in total aces (51) and 11th in kill average (4.59 kps).

The Kaiser High graduate improved on her totals in last week’s wins over Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara as Hawaii (22-5, 15-1) successfully defended its Big West title and gave coach Dave Shoji his 1,200th career victory. She had a combined 37 kills with eight aces, with 22 kills coming against the Gauchos. Her 11 digs versus UCSB gave Taylor her sixth double-double of the season as she exceeded the 20-kill mark for the seventh time this year.

It was the second national honor of Taylor’s career and the ninth for the Wahine program. Taylor’s first came on Sept. 15, 2015, a week that included Hawaii’s upset of then-No. 2 Florida.

“It’s a great honor, a great privilege, but it’s not something I really think about happening,” Taylor, the reigning Big West Player of the Year, said. “I’m not waiting for the results to come out. It’s nothing you can expect.”

One thing Hawaii is expecting, however, is to be traveling next week for the NCAA tournament. The bracket for the 64-team field will be announced Sunday.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that we will be on a plane,” Shoji said. “Our RPI is not close to top 16. Such is life.

“We can’t prepare for anyone, but we can better ourselves. Everyone can get a little better, so that is our goal.”

Hawaii is 28 in the most recent Ratings Percentage Index, which ranks teams based on a team’s record and strength of schedule. The NCAA selection committee uses the RPI to seed the top 16 teams and award hosting duties for the first and second rounds.

This season, there are no preset regional sites, so the highest remaining seed in each of the four regions will host the third and fourth rounds. The final four will be held at Ohio State on Dec. 15 and 17.