An early morning mist fell on Waikiki and beyond the shore near the Elks Lodge, a rainbow met the sea.

It was a fine memory for 31 high school student-athletes entering the next stage of their lives. The 31 signed letters of intent on Wednesday morning to attend and play for universities as near as the University of Hawaii and as distant as Charleston Southern and Long Island-C.W. Post. The signing event was hosted by Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance.

The stay-home standouts include baseball and volleyball elite. Marcus Doi (Mid-Pacific), Bryce Ah Sam (Kailua) and ‘Iolana Akau (Saint Louis) inked their signatures at 7 a.m., ready to play for Rainbows baseball coach Mike Trapasso.

"I’m pretty stoked. Pretty happy, pretty excited. Signing in front of my family and friends, it’s just an honor," said Doi, an all-state catcher who committed to Hawaii early. "I’ve been working hard and getting ready for next year. It’s about taking that challenge and making the best of it. It’s fun."

Ah Sam, a pitcher, was UH’s all along.

"I always wanted to go to UH and play baseball since I was younger," Ah Sam said. "I like the recruiting class, the other commits. Hawaii has the best crowd in the West."

Akau’s father, Kiha, was a three-sport standout at Kaimuki in the early 1980s.

"Signing with the University of Hawaii is not just for me, but for everybody else. I feel pretty good," he said. "I got offered by Oregon State and I looked at other schools, but UH is the best fit for me and my family, so I went that route."

Tayler Higgins (Punahou) and Nikki Taylor (Kaiser) gave their thumbs up to play for women’s volleyball coach Dave Shoji. Higgins, a setter, was the 2011 Star-Advertiser all-state player of the year.

"I decided my sophomore year that the University of Hawaii is a good fit for me. Volleyball is my passion and I just couldn’t deny the atmosphere here, the fan base is incredible. I admire the coaches there," Higgins said.

Taylor was stoked.

"A lot of pressure has been taken off since it’s now finally official," said Taylor, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter. "No. 1, (Coach) Dave Shoji. He’s a great man, a great coach, he’s so knowledgeable. I’m home and it’s a great fit for me."

Another UH signee was Gaylyn Matagiese of Waimea (softball). Matagiese is a younger sister of UH football player Siasau Matagiese.

"I’m excited because my brother’s at that school," she said.

The list of island exports is equal, if not greater, in depth and quality. Volleyball standouts Carly Kan (Punahou) and Loxley Keala (‘Iolani) signed with Missouri.

"I’m feeling pretty good right now. It’s a good feeling being committed to a college," said Kan, an outside hitter who helped Punahou win its second state title in a row this fall. "I love the campus, the coaches and all the girls on the team. It’s a really good atmosphere with family values."

Keala is ready for the move.

"It’s a relief to be done and really exciting. The academics is really good, as well as the athletics. They just moved into the SEC," said Keala, who will redshirt next season and become a full-time setter.

Moanalua middle Analise Austin signed with Long Island-C.W. Post, a D-I program coached by former Roosevelt star Shellane Ogoshi.

"I like the academics and the location, and coach is really nice," Austin said. "I was thinking about Linfield, Clark University (Iowa) and a few schools in Oregon."

The campus is located on the west side of Long Island, away from the devastation that came with Hurricane Sandy recently.

"Their school didn’t get hit. They were an evacuation spot," Austin said.

Julia Lau, a back row digging machine for state champion Punahou, signed with Dartmouth.

The volleyball export list was the longest of any sport in this early signing period. Taylor Dayton (Punahou) signed with Santa Clara, while teammates Claire Feeley (Yale) and Brittney Markwith (USMA-West Point) also secured their futures.

"The campus is really nice and the coaches are really cool," said Dayton, who returned from a shoulder injury late in the season to help Punahou blaze to the state title. "I’m going to keep resting and working my way back (to full strength)."

Markwith, like Feeley, is a 6-1 middle.

"I went for an unofficial (visit) to see what it was about, then I realized that it might be good for me academically and later in life if volleyball doesn’t end up working, I’ll have something to fall back on," Markwith said. "My parents were super surprised because I don’t come from a military family, but I kept an open mind about it."

Feeley has been dealing with a case of mononucleosis, but is getting better.

"Yale was my No. 1 pick. I was looking for a school with great academics, and they’re the best team in their conference," Feeley said.

The lone basketball player to sign was Mililani guard Nayla Long, who will attend Charleston Southern.

"I grew up in North Carolina. I went up there last summer and played. I knew the coach, he was an assistant at ECU (Eastern Carolina). When he got the job at Charleston Southern, he offered me," said Long, whose Mililani squad begins play in Farrington’s preseason tournament on Thursday.

Mid-Pacific shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, wearing a colorful San Jose State cap, will join former all-state player Kalei Contrades on the Spartans roster.

"I went on my visit last week and he took me around. Kalei is doing really good up there. I’m looking forward to being his teammate," said Kiner-Falefa, who had interest from other schools, including BYU. The Spartans will pay for 70 percent of his tuition and books.

Golfers going away include Kacie Komoto of Punahou (Northwestern), Eimi Koga of Moanalua (Washington) and Kalena Preus of Punahou (Texas).

"I feel great. I feel really good," Preus said. "It came down to USC and Texas. I had visits to Florida, UCLA, Pepperdine, Arizona State. When I stepped on the Texas campus at Austin, I knew that’s where I wanted to go. I was very lucky to get my best offer from Texas. Orange is now and always will be my favorite color. I just gotta get the cowboy boots."

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See video interviews at hawaiiprepworld.com and a complete list of signees on Scoreboard.