Is the Big West back?

Perhaps not in the national perception, where only Hawaii is ranked and Cal State Northridge — with a signature win over No. 19 San Diego and a preconference schedule worthy of Top 20 RPI consideration — has two points in the coaches Top 25.

However, as conference play opens this week, there is not a coach in the league who would disagree with this statement: No one can take a night off and mail in a "W."

The key will be to be as tough at home as on the road. Preseason favorite Hawaii again is at a disadvantage as the designated "lone wolf," where every team coming to Honolulu will have a single conference match that week, while the Rainbow Wahine will host two, playing on consecutive nights for three of the four homestands.

The defection of Pacific to the West Coast Conference led to switching among travel pairs, leading to a brutal schedule where visiting teams are at Cal State Northridge and Long Beach State on back-to-back nights. It does make for good theater: FOX Prime Ticket will telecast Hawaii’s Oct. 10 match at Northridge while ESPN3 has picked up 11 matches, including Hawaii at The Beach on Oct. 11.

Hawaii, Northridge and UC Santa Barbara shared the conference title last season and all received NCAA tournament bids. Long Beach State, the last non-Power Five team to win the national championship (1998), limped to a fourth-place finish; the 49ers are the healthiest they’ve been in years and will challenge for their first league title since 2011, the year before UH’s return to the Big West.

"I think it’s looking a lot like last year," Hawaii coach Dave Shoji said. "Northridge and Long Beach are proven teams. UCSB is off to a slow start but they certainly will be in the mix again.

"We aren’t looking at the schedule beyond this week. We know we can’t just cruise into any place and expect to win just by showing up."

Gaucho coach Nicole Welch agreed.

"The Big West should be very competitive again," she said. "Some key players have graduated. Both Hawaii and UCSB have experienced that, but many strong players return. And there is an influx of new talent across the conference."

The Big West was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association through the 1987-88 school year. John Kasser, then the Long Beach State athletic director, strongly suggested that the conference change its name to the Wild West.

Looking at this season, Kasser may have been ahead of his time.

A look at the teams as ranked in the preseason coaches poll:

NO. 25 HAWAII (8-3)

The Rainbow Wahine, the preseason pick to win their 20th consecutive conference title, take a three-match winning streak on their first road trip of the season, a streak that coincided with the return of sophomore hitter Nikki Taylor (hyper-extended elbow) to the starting lineup. Hawaii’s losses have all come against ranked Pac-12 teams: Oregon, Arizona State and UCLA; the loss to the Ducks was in five while the sweeps by the Sun Devils and Bruins were decided by a two-point differential in five of the six sets combined.

The Rainbow Wahine have blended some old with a lot of new in the lineup, that combination is particularly evident in blocking. Middle Kalei Adolpho, a four-year starter, and junior transfer Olivia Magill have led the team to a conference-best 3.08 blocks per set, seventh-best in the country.

Magill tops the Big West in blocks (1.59), No. 11 nationally, and hitting percentage (.407).

Sophomore setter Tayler Higgins is in her first year as a starter and is second in the Big West in assists (10.98) and aces (0.56), the latter puts her 12th in the country.

Hawaii is 13th nationally in aces (1.82), led by junior hitter Tai Manu-Olevao‘s 0.61 average, best in the conference and sixth nationally.

LONG BEACH STATE (10-4)

Hawaii’s longtime rival opened on the road being swept by Illinois and North Carolina, both ranked at the time. The 49ers other two losses also have been on the road, at undefeated Loyola Marymount and in five to Oregon State, the latter of which snapped a five-match winning streak.

The Beach leads the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.156) and, before the win at Cal State Bakersfield, had not allowed the opposition to hit above .200 in 11 straight matches. The 49ers are second in both digs and blocks in the Big West.

Senior Tyler Jackson moved from libero to outside hitter against the Beavers, finishing with 12 kills and 11 digs. She has 11 straight matches with at least 11 digs.

Senior opposite Bre Mackie is second in the conference in blocks (1.27). Freshman defensive specialist Sara Watanabe (‘Iolani) has appeared in one set, recording two digs.

UC SANTA BARBARA (5-6)

The Gauchos were the surprise of 2013 under first-year coach Nicole Welch but have struggled this season with a nonconference schedule that had nine straight road matches. UCSB opened being swept at Marquette, Colorado State, Virginia Commonwealth and Loyola Marymount. After two more road losses, to Pacific and Cal, the Gauchos finally came home to the Thunderdome and defeated both Santa Clara and Northern Illinois.

Senior setter Ali Santi (Punahou) has shared time with Hanna Nielson in a 6-2 offense anchored by junior opposites Britton Taylor (2.82 kps) and Jaylen Villanueva (2.76), and junior left-side hitter Ali Barbeau (2.30). Sophomore libero Ali Spindt continues to anchor the defense with a 4.33 dig average, third-best in the conference

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE (9-3)

The Matadors opened 5-0 on the road before two road losses at then-No. 23 Arizona and Oklahoma. CSUN’s four-match winning streak ended Saturday when it was swept by No. 1 Stanford the day after upsetting host San Diego, defeating the Toreros for the first time since 1994.

Two seniors, opposite Natalie Allen (1,123) and middle Casey Hinger (1,018) are among the 11 in school history with 1,000 kills. CSUN, which has started the same lineup for all matches, is second in the Big West in kills (15.77) and assists (12.70).

UC IRVINE (10-4)

The Anteaters have won four straight and 10 of their past 12, crisscrossing the country, playing at Cincinnati, the back home, then in tournaments hosted by New Mexico and Eastern Michigan. UCI is four wins shy of its win total from last season and has won the most nonconference matches since the 11 in 2009.

The Anteaters are 10th nationally in kills (14.50) and total kills (654) — both league bests — and also are first in the conference in hitting percentage (.264), digs (15.48) and assists (13.33).

Junior hitter Marisa Bubica ranks in three Big West categories: first in kills (4.39 kps), and fifth in hitting percentage (.331) and points (4.58). Sophomore libero Arden Davis leads the conference in total digs (233).

CAL POLY (5-5)

The Mustangs opened with a win at Montana before going on two four-match streaks, the first was four losses followed by four victories. Their last match was a five-set loss to Santa Clara after leading 2-1, their only home defeat in five contests.

Cal Poly has been getting solid performances from freshmen hitter Raeann Greisen (3.31 kps) and junior libero Nicole Kessler (4.59 dps). The Mustangs are young overall, with no seniors and three juniors among 14 players.

UC DAVIS (5-8)

The Aggies, who stunned the Rainbow Wahine in five last season in Davis, host Hawaii Friday in just their third match at home. UCD opened with four consecutive road losses before sweeping two at The Pavilion against San Jose State and Portland.

First-year head coach Dan Conners, hired in June, saw his team end a two-match skid with a 3-1 victory over Hampton at the Northern Colorado tournament. Senior Katie Quinn led the Aggies with a career-high 12 blocks, the second-best total in program history.

Still out with a foot injury from spring is all-conference senior middle Victoria Lee. UConn transfer Sophia Mar, a sophomore, and redhshirt freshman Erika Conners (no relation to the coach) share setting duties.

CAL STATE FULLERTON (6-7)

The Titans went 1-2 at their own classic with a win over Georgetown sandwiched between losses to Yale and UCLA. Freshman hitter Nikki Withers has been the bright spot for Fullerton, with her kill average (3.96) second in the Big West and her points (4.23) third.

The Titans are fairly inexperienced, with just one senior, libero Devin Ulmer, five freshmen and three transfers.

UC RIVERSIDE (2-10)

The Highlanders have already matched their win total from a year ago, defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore and Savannah State before dropping their past six. UCR’s home opener is Saturday against Hawaii.

Defense has been the strong point for UCR, its 15.47 dig average tied for second in the conference. Sophomore libero Maddie Hubbell is ninth in the league at 3.77 dps.