Averill at home in the middle after arm injury

It is going on two years, but the debate continues.

"You can pronounce it either way," Hawaii volleyball player Taylor Averill said of his surname.

His parents pronounce the first syllable with a hard A (to rhyme with "rave"), while others say it with a soft A (to rhyme with "have").

"Whatever makes you feel good," said Averill, who uses both pronunciations. "I have no preference."

Averill’s health and transition to middle blocker are no longer debatable. He has fully recovered from offseason arm surgery and is in contention to start in matches against Pepperdine Friday and Sunday in the Stan Sheriff Center.

"Everything is good," Averill said.

After transferring from UC Irvine in the summer of 2011, Averill felt discomfort in his right (swinging) arm.

"It wasn’t too bad," he said. "The more I played, the more it hurt."

By the middle of the 2012 season, he needed cortisone shots. Near the end of the season, he could not raise his right arm without wincing.

"That’s a problem if you’re a volleyball player," UH coach Charlie Wade.

Averill underwent arthroscopic surgery in which four incisions were made into his right shoulder. The difficult part came next. Athletic trainer Rich Wu, who emphasizes the physical part of physical therapy, was in charge of Averill’s rehabilitation.

Averill recalled spending three hours each day in the training room. His arm was in a sling for six weeks. After that he was allowed to do light lifting.

"I was struggling with 5-pound weights," Averill said.

He missed most of the Warriors’ fall training. He was cleared to participate in volleyball in December.

"I worked my ass off in the training room, and it paid off," Averill said. "My arm feels great."

With a glut of pin hitters, Averill was encouraged to move from opposite attacker, where he played most of last year, to the middle. It was a position he had not played regularly since he was 15.

The switch provides the Warriors with a middle who can be a six-rotation player. Averill’s background as an outside hitter is an asset as a back-row defender when he serves.

His experience as a setter also is helpful in blocking. The first key is to watch the opposing setter.

Wade said Averill was an easy choice as a middle.

"He’s a big guy (6-foot-7) who’s played a lot of volleyball," Wade said.

Wade said Averill’s blocking has improved, especially on quick-transition plays. Averill also is able to provide an obstacle, even when he is late in covering a hitter.

"He puts something up that we can play defense behind instead of just throwing his hands up," Wade said.

Averill said he misses playing outside, but "every day I ask: ‘How can I get better?’ It doesn’t matter what position I’m playing."

Averill said he remains friendly with his former Irvine teammates. The Anteaters won the 2012 national title.

"That’s a great group of guys," Averill said. "But I’m in a new home. I want to see us do well. When it comes down to it, I want to win."