SECOND IN A SERIES

Watching what happens in the middle, particularly at the start of this volleyball season, should be intriguing for Rainbow Wahine fans.

It might also be agonizing.

If the intrigue and unique gifts of the four relatively unknown middle blockers overcome the agony, there are serious postseason possibilities for Hawaii. Early expectations are not lofty.

"At this point, that position can’t be a negative," UH head coach Dave Shoji says. "It doesn’t have to be one of our strong points, but it can’t be something hurting the team. Anything we get out of the middles will be a positive. Any block and any kill will be all good."

Associate coach Scott Wong is more optimistic, after admitting, "It ain’t going to be pretty out there early.

"I hope by October the middles are going to be just like everybody else on the court, contributing in every way," he says. "Not only will we rely on them, but they will be awesome. They will help with kills and blocks and all the other stuff. You can’t always say that with middles, but I think all four are competitive and make each other better."

Last season, the position was basically in flux and — surprisingly — not as effective as the previous year.

Brittany Hewitt, who led the nation in blocking in 2010, sat out huge chunks of practice and a few matches with constant ailments. Her game became erratic and her numbers, particularly on offense, dropped.

Emily Hartong’s numbers rose, but she also played part-time on the outside as freshman Kalei Adolpho got a quick look.

Hartong earned second-team All-America honors as much for her versatility as her talent.

Now Hartong will go outside full-time. Hewitt, who graduated in May, chose not to return for her final year.

By the numbers, Hawaii’s experience in the middle consists of a handful of starts by Adolpho and Washington State transfer Stephanie Hagins. Those two, redshirt junior Kristiana Tuaniga and redshirt freshman Jade Vorster have combined for 102 career kills and 87 blocks.

It is a starting point.

Vorster has yet to play, but has made remarkable progress. She arrived in Manoa in January 2011, anxious to get to work, and hasn’t stopped grinding through three semesters of nonstop training.

She was the only middle to play on the beach, and it made a huge difference in her quickness and understanding of the game, according to Wong.

"She is by far our biggest blocker, so when she gets there she is solid," he says. "The toughest thing is for a blocker to read what’s going on and decipher all the information. She’s getting pretty good at it."

Adolpho is on a basketball scholarship. She is probably the player with the most potential, but she couldn’t train in the offseason because she was playing basketball.

"She is our most athletic middle," Wong says. "She makes these unbelievable plays, then she also makes these plays that look like a basketball player.

"She could have the whole package, but she’s not there yet."

Tuaniga is the most experienced and quickest. At this stage, she is the most compelling offensive threat of the four and her blocking has made a dramatic improvement.

Hagins, the same size as Vorster, "is about where Jade was last year," Wong says. She is also digesting all the new information well, and buys into what the coaches have in mind for her — whenever she makes her way onto the floor.

Middle might be the deal-breaker for Hawaii. If two prospects have a breakout year there is reason for optimism. For now, the coaches simply hope all four push each other to play to their potential …as quickly as possible.