Kanani Danielson’s past and future collide tonight when Hawaii plays an exhibition volleyball match against Japanese pro team Toyota Auto Body.

Danielson graduated from UH in May after an All-American career. Monday was her first practice with Toyota, the team she will play for when her pro career begins next month.

The exhibition starts at 7 p.m. at Stan Sheriff Center. All tickets are general admission and priced at $10 (adults), $8 (seniors) and $5 (students). UH-Manoa students are free with valid ID.

Toyota Auto Body plays in V. Premier League, Japan’s top level for men and women. The Queensies are based in Kariya city, Aichi Prefecture.

"It’s a professional team, so they are older, more experienced players," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "They are not under-sized, like the Japanese college teams. They have got size. I’m not sure what to expect, but I expect them to be very, very good. It will be a good experience playing against a different style, a higher level."

Hawaii (10-2) learned a little about itself and a lot about its new conference on its first Big West trip. National coaches found the Wahine’s unbeaten week unimpressive and dropped them a spot — to eighth — in this week’s AVCA Coaches Top 25.

Shoji was not impressed either. The Wahine fought off two match points in the fifth set Wednesday against Cal State Northridge, in their first Big West match in 17 years. After sweeping Cal State Riverside on Friday, they went five again with Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.

"That is more times than we need to go five," Shoji said, before acknowledging Big West matches will be more entertaining to watch than the Western Athletic Conference has been the past 16 years.

"I think everybody will be entertained except the coaching staff," Shoji said. "This league is much more competitive. There’s more balance and more depth."

The new opposition probed the Wahine weak points last week, exploiting their inexperienced middles and erratic passing. Hitters Emily Hartong — the Big West kill leader — and Jane Croson took 56 percent of the Hawaii swings and buried 56 percent of the kills.

That lack of balance has Shoji still looking at Hartong and junior transfer Ashley Kastl on the left and right. Last week’s erratic experience left him no closer to a decision.

"We will just continue to evaluate that situation," Shoji said. "Hartong (on the right) gives us a chance to be more balanced, but we need to get her the ball and sometimes that’s not possible on the right, so that’s what we’ve got to wrestle with."

Something has got to give this week. After tonight’s exhibition, Hawaii hosts two other unbeaten conference teams at Stan Sheriff Center. UC Irvine (7-8, 2-0) is here Thursday and Long Beach State (7-6, 2-0) on Saturday.

The 49ers bring in Big West Player of the Week Alma Serna, a 6-foot-3 middle who hit .511 and averaged 3.86 kills against Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara. The Anteaters roofed their way to their first 2-0 start since 2008 by out-blocking UCSB and Cal Poly 35-9.

Before heading over the ocean, the Beach plays Northridge, which won a five-setter over Riverside on Saturday to move to 2-1.

The glut of close matches follows a national pattern. This week’s Top 25 has Penn State moving from fourth to first and unbeaten Oregon bolting from eighth to second after sweeping then-No. 2 USC. The Trojans, who beat then-No. 1 UCLA two nights earlier, are third, followed by the Bruins, Washington, Nebraska and Stanford.