Rainbow Wahine move up to No. 7

Hawaii’s steadiness during a week full of upsets in women’s volleyball was rewarded with a jump in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 poll released Monday.

The Rainbow Wahine (8-1) moved up from No. 10 to No. 7.

Penn State, with 45 of the 60 first-place votes, jumped two spots to No. 1. San Diego (7-1), the only team to beat Hawaii this season, received 13 votes in shooting up seven spots to No. 2.

Washington (6-0), with the remaining two votes, went from No. 6 to No. 3, while Florida (6-1), despite losing to Penn State on Sunday, was up a spot to No. 4.

Former No. 1 USC, with a loss to San Diego, dropped to No. 5. Preseason No. 1 Texas (5-2), defeated by the Rainbow Wahine in the season opener, slid four spots to No. 6.

Rounding out the top 10 were Stanford (5-2), Minnesota (6-1) and Michigan (7-1).

Hawaii makes its first road trip of season, traveling to Wichita, Kan., for the Shocker Classic. The Wahine open with South Dakota on Thursday, followed by No. 23 Creighton on Friday and host Wichita State on Saturday.

Uiato is Big West player of the week

Senior setter Mita Uiato, who helped Hawaii win its third consecutive tournament title last week, was named the Big West player of the week in volleyball Monday.

It’s the first weekly honor of Uiato’s career and the second time in three weeks that a Rainbow Wahine has been cited. Senior hitter Emily Hartong was the season’s first awardee.

Uiato, selected the most outstanding player of the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Volleyball Challenge, directed the Rainbow Wahine offense to a .314 hitting percentage as UH swept Portland State and Northwestern and knocked off Arizona in four sets.

She averaged 11.50 assists and 2.40 digs and 0.50 blocks per set as UH extended its winning streak to six matches. Uiato compiled season highs in assists (53) and digs (12) against the Wildcats.

Uiato ranks second in the Big West with 10.91 assists per set, while the Rainbow Wahine lead the league with a .316 team hitting percentage.

Zietz and Patacchia advance at Trestles

Hawaii surfers Sebastian Zietz and Fred Patacchia surfed into the third round by winning second-round heats on Monday in the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif.

Zietz defeated Brazil’s Raoni Monteiro 14.67 to 9.14, and Patacchia held off Brazil’s Miguel Pupo 17.43 to 13.74 in the ASP World Championship Tour contest.

Brazil’s Alejo Muniz eliminated John John Florence from the event with a 15.80 to 13.83 win.