To evenly distribute its recruiting, the University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team went to the middle of the mainland.

Dalton Solbrig, a multi-purpose player from Lakes Community High in Illinois, said he will sign a letter of intent with the Warriors on Wednesday, the first day prep volleyball players may put their commitments in writing.

Solbrig, who is 6 feet 6, is one of six high school players pledging to join the Warriors in August 2015. He is the only member of the recruiting class from the Midwest. Four are from California and one from Virginia Beach.

"Hawaii is an amazing place," Solbrig said. "It’s a place where I can play the best volleyball in the world. The (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) is really good for volleyball."

Solbrig aspires to be a veterinarian for marine life. He plans to study marine biology at UH.

"If I can do both," Solbrig said of volleyball and marine biology, "while living in paradise, that’s as good as it gets."

He said he was raised near a pond.

"I’ve loved animals since I was a little kid," he said.

Solbrig, who is taking advance-placement classes, has a cumulative grade-point average of 4.45. In choosing UH, he turned down invitations to play for Harvard, Princeton, Ohio State and Ball State.

Solbrig has played basketball "with my best friends since third grade."

But his father was a recreational volleyball player, and his older brother plays the sport for a Division III school.

"After middle school, I tried out for the (volleyball) team, and here I am," Solbrig said.

Solbrig is projected to play opposite or on the left side at UH.

He is the starting opposite on his Adversity club team as well as the backup setter, left-side hitter and middle blocker.

He also is active in school functions. He is part of a group that puts on weekly skits that promote school activities.

Earlier, UH received commitments from four California high school players — 6-foot setter Joe Worsley of Campolindo High (Pacific Rim volleyball club), 6-10 middle Pat Gasman of Buchanan High (Pacific Rim), 6-4 outside hitter James Anastassiades of Huntington Beach High (HBC), and 6-5 outside hitter Brandon Rattray of Rancho Bernardo High (Seaside). Brett Rosenmeier, a 6-5 pin hitter, is from Virginia Beach’s Cox High (Coastal volleyball club).