Ann Miller
Star-Advertiser sports reporter

Hawaii’s best players are better and freshman Jane Croson could be one of its best before opening weekend closes. That takes care of five positions. New setter Mita Uiato is solid, with a grace that makes her hypnotic to watch. Emily Maeda only has to prove herself to herself at libero.

What the Rainbow Wahine need most is one more dependable passer and someone comfortable enough in her own Asics to speak up and guide this group through good and bad. Someone who can anchor them through a preseason that will prove much, and a final Western Athletic Conference run that will prove little aside from how serious UH is about making everyone forget last year’s WAC tournament flameout. Then there is a promising postseason that could provide three-time All-American Kanani Danielson one last chance to play at home and take her team to another final four.

The other major question marks — the tremendous potential of Emily Hartong, Croson and Kalei Adolpho, and Hawaii’s menehune blocking — mean little without someone to lead, whether it is first touch or last word.

Ferd Lewis
Star-Advertiser sports columnist

Last year it wasn’t by choice that the Rainbow Wahine were home in December. This year it will be by design. And hard work.

Summarily booted from Seattle in the second round of the NCAA Championship in 2010, UH has the home Teraflex to look forward to if it can advance to the regionals, Dec. 9-10. That should be a powerful motivator for a program that hasn’t experienced a regional in the Stan Sheriff Center since 2006.

Not that the Rainbow Wahine should lack for inspiration after last year’s stunning collapse in the Western Athletic Conference tournament, where they were dethroned by Utah State.

This year, while UH could take some lumps in the nonconference portion of the schedule, look for the Rainbow Wahine to sweep the WAC en route to playing before the home crowd in the NCAAs.

Cindy Luis
Star-Advertiser sports reporter

Smaller but quicker. Young but talented. And untested at critical positions with the losses of setter Dani Mafua and libero Elizabeth Ka‘aihue.

Hawaii lost some height when middle Alexis Forsythe (6-foot-4) decided to forego her senior season and 6-3 hitter Michelle Waber, who started every match last year, chose to redshirt in 2011. However, the Rainbow Wahine should compensate for that with a quicker offense and athleticism that runs deep, starting with All-America senior hitter Kanani Danielson and continuing with true freshmen Jane Croson and Kalei Adolpho.

The key for Hawaii will be passing, whether it’s setting up sophomore Mita Uiato to run the offense or if it’s a 6-2 scheme where Uiato and freshman Monica Stauber — both 5-8 — share time.

Hawaii should waltz through its final season in the WAC and it has the ability to be an NCAA top-eight seed.

Dave Reardon
Star-Advertiser sports columnist

As it often does, the Hawaii volleyball team features some of the finest and most established players in the country at their positions. This year hitter Kanani Danielson and middle Brittany Hewitt are proven commodities among the college game’s elite, and they are a big part of why Dave Shoji’s team is ranked 10th in the nation.

The Wahine also have effective role players to fill in around the superstars, including the program’s next big star in waiting, Jane Croson. But 2011 is dependent upon the development of sophomore setter Mita Uiato. It will undoubtedly help Uiato that she will be tutored by Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, the three-time Olympian and former UH setter. If Uiato reaches her potential this fall, the role players step up and an able replacement is found for Elizabeth Ka‘aihue at libero, the Wahine could get into the final four. From there, anything is possible.

Chris Tanaka
KGMB sports director

Dave Shoji and the club have high expectations of themselves, and externally there exists the usual respect for the program: picked again to win the WAC, and ranked 10th nationally.

The Wahine are incredibly young and will lean heavily on proven stars Kanani Danielson and Brittany Hewitt.

If Hawaii stumbles in the early season, I won’t be surprised, or concerned. It might actually help galvanize the Wahine for the conference schedule, which they should roll through. An NCAA tournament berth seems a likely destination for the club, but anything more would be a major achievement.