The term “future” is relative. It could come as soon as Saturday or as late as spring semester 2020 or the 23 months in between.

That’s what the Hawaii beach volleyball team is looking at when it sees its future. Saturday is the season opener for the fifth-ranked SandBows, who have also secured commitments — official as well as non-binding — for the next two seasons.

While UH coach Jeff Hall can only speak about the three who will come to Manoa next fall after their high school graduations, several from the Class of 2019 have confirmed with the Star-Advertiser their oral commitments. Four of the six high school juniors have Hawaii ties, including Ilihia Huddleston, sister of current SandBow junior Hi‘ilawe; Hilo High’s Laurie McGrath; and Maia Hannemann, daughter of former Rainbow Warriors setter Albert “Al-B” Hannemann.

“I’ve always wanted to go to UH,” said Ilihia Huddleston, who was born on Oahu but moved to California at age 6. “What I liked about the program is how high the competition level is. They finished No. 3 last year and the coaches and players are committed to take them even farther.”

McGrath’s commitment to the sport has included commuting originally to Oahu to play for Manoa Beach Volleyball Club and later to San Diego to play for 692 Beach Volleyball Club, the same club as SandBows sophomore Chloe Luyties.

“I loved the courts, the campus and the coaches,” McGrath said of her college decision.

The recruiting process has been long and well-documented for Hanneman, beginning with a feature in Volleyball magazine when just a sophomore at Club Med NVL Academy in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Last February she was quoted as saying she was leaning toward staying on the East Coast — her family had moved from California to Florida in 2014 — but “what really sealed the deal was the feeling I got when I visited the campus, how excited the coaches were to have me,” Hannemann said.

“My dad is very proud of where our family comes from. He loved playing in front of family when he was at UH (1991-93), said the fans are the best in the world.

“My family has been so supportive and I cannot wait to make them all proud.”

Scheduled to join the three are Sabrina Hardisty (Scripps Ranch, Calif.), whose mother attended Punahou, and Canadians Erika Vermette and Anna Maidment. The latter two already have been successful as a beach team, including winning the 16U Canadian Championship.

“Playing beach at the University of Hawaii has always been a dream of mine,” Maidment said. “I know it sounds far-fetched, coming from a young Canadian girl, but my dad and mom raised me on surf movies and taught me about the culture of Hawaii growing up.

“I’m excited to experience the aloha. I feel so lucky to have one of my great friends and beach partner, Erika, joining me at UH as well.”

Last November, Carlsbad (Calif.) High senior Kylin Loker signed her letter of intent. Joining her in the Class of 2018 are walk-ons Lauren White (Trabuco Hills, Calif.) and Sofia Russo (Cherry Hill West, N.J.).