There are 28 freshmen on the rosters of the four volleyball teams in the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational, which begins tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

It is enough to make your head spin if you are 16th-ranked UCLA or Kansas State, who play in the opener at 5 p.m. and have a combined 16 freshmen.

In contrast, 22nd-ranked San Diego might not play a freshman against fifth-ranked Hawaii, and the two that started last year are now backups. The Wahine will ease the transition for freshman starters Michelle Waber and Emily Hartong by surrounding them with five all-conference players.

The outlook of the coaches reflects those realities.

First-year UCLA coach Mike Sealy admittedly has "no sense of anything" going into the season opener, though he scoffs at the "joke" of a preseason ranking that put his team 16th.

Sealy also calls USD "the best team that didn’t make the (NCAA) tournament" last year and understands why coach Jennifer Petrie and her five seniors have been so comfortable since getting here Tuesday.

K-State’s Suzie Fritz realizes the key to her team’s postseason future might be in the hands of Caitlyn Donahue. The 2009 Kansas high school player of the year is returning to the setting position after a two-year sabbatical.

And UH coach Dave Shoji hopes tonight’s lineup, which has been penciled in for several days, will still be intact Monday.

"I’m hoping it doesn’t have to be changed," he said, "because that would mean we are struggling."

A look at the teams:

NO. 5 HAWAII (32-3 IN 2009)

» Coach: Dave Shoji (1,016-176, 36th year)

More than half of last year’s final-four team returns, led by All-American Kanani Danielson (5-11 Jr. OH), who was 33rd in the country with 4.23 kills per set. … Senior Dani Mafua (5-10 S) was an honorable mention All-American and ranked 11th nationally in assists (11.78). … Elizabeth Ka’aihue (5-8 Sr. L) is the other tri-captain and needs 68 digs to become the 12th Rainbow Wahine with 1,000 in a career. … Brittany Hewitt (6-3 So. MB) was 2009 WAC Freshman of the Year and ranked 20th nationally in blocks (1.33). … Shoji is the winningest active coach since Andy Banachowski retired from UCLA.

NO. 22 SAN DIEGO (18-7)

» Coach: Jennifer Petrie (210-81, 11th year)

San Diego was runner-up in West Coast Conference last year and missed NCAA tournament for first time since 2000. … Toreros picked to win fourth WCC title in six years. … They return last two WCC Players of the Year — Ali Troost (6-2 Sr. OH) and Amy DeGroot (6-2 Sr. OH). … DeGroot redshirted last season after undergoing shin surgery, but averaged 4.22 kills in 2008 when she was honorable mention All-American. … Troost was second-team All-American last season after averaging 3.95 kills. … Kelsi Myers (5-8 Sr. S) ranked sixth nationally in assists last season. … C’era Oliveira (5-5 Fr. L) is a 2010 Hawaii Baptist graduate.

NO. 16 UCLA (24-9)

» Coach: Mike Sealy (first year)

Hawaii’s former associate coach returns as the Bruins’ replacement for Andy Banachowski, who retired after 43 years and 1,106 wins. … UCLA returns three starters — two hitters and a libero — from a team that lost to Baylor in NCAA second round. … Dicey McGraw (5-11 Sr. OH) and Lainey Gera (5-7 Jr. L) earned honorable mention All-Pac 10 honors. … Lauren Van Orden (5-11 Jr. S) transferred from San Diego State. … Bruins are picked to finish seventh in Pac-10.

KANSAS STATE (12-18)

» Coach: Suzie Fritz (183-97, 10th year)

Wildcats missed NCAA tournament for only second time in Fritz’s career last season, finishing ninth in Big 12. … K=State picked to finish ninth again. … Lauren Mathewson (5-6 L) and JuliAnne Chisholm (5-11 OH) are the only seniors and last season lifted Wildcats to their first win over a ranked team in more than two years with 41 digs and 23 kills against Texas A&M.