2015 Wahine volleyball: Position breakdown

Outside hitters

Hawaii’s offense is such that a right-side hitter hits twice on the right and once on the left, with the reverse happening for the left sides.

This versatility leads new associate coach Jeff Hall to redefine the positions as “pin hitters” with no distinction as to which side of the court players will hit from.

Senior Tai Manu-Olevao, junior Nikki Taylor and sophomore Kalei Greeley are returning starters and all will be pushed.

Manu-Olevao has sat out Sunday matches for religious reasons in previous seasons. The first of six Sunday matches is this Sunday and Manu-Olevao is expected to play. Should that change, it will open the door for more playing and developing time for sophomore Megan Huff and freshmen McKenna Granato and Casey Castillo.

Huff’s confidence after a successful stint with the Rainbow Wahine basketball team is evident, and the metamorphosis of both her body and mental state has her looking very much like a volleyball player.

She currently backs up Taylor on the right but might just slide into the spot when Taylor moves to the left for a rotation or even if Taylor moves to L1 as the primary attacker.

The 6-foot-4 Taylor is looking like the player last year’s offense was meant to be built around before she missed fall camp and the first six matches with an elbow injury.

The two-time All-Big West first-teamer has been pounding the D-ball — a back-row set to the right side — with authority, but she also hits a mean ball from the left, an arsenal built and sharpened during two All-America seasons playing on the sand.

Greeley again will be in the three-person passing rotation and is just a solid all-around player. Manu-Olevao also is in the passing rotation and when she is out Granato could see some time in the back row.

Granato and Castillo said the learning process has been at times overwhelming, but the freshmen are expected to help off the bench.

Middle Annie Mitchem might have been more under consideration to move to the outside had it not been for the injury to freshman middle Natasha Burns. For now, Mitchem is slated as the third middle.

Setters

Both junior starter Tayler Higgins and sophomore reserve Kendra Koelsch have continued to improve their touch and location under the very watchful eye of assistant Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, the former Wahine All-America setter and three-time Olympian.

The 5-9 Higgins, the Gatorade State Player of the Year out of Punahou, is slated to be the starter for the second consecutive season. As a sophomore she led the team in assists (1,115) and aces (39) and was second in digs (254).

Koelsch, at 6-1, brings a different dynamic to the team and often sparked the Wahine, playing in all but one match, mostly during a double-sub when replacing Higgins. Her location when setting the outside hitters wasn’t as good as the connection she had with her middles and "it’s still a work in progress," she said. "I think I’ve finally got it down, but it took me a year.

"I was more confident with my backset last year and not so much with the outsides. Robyn has really helped me."

Koelsch ripped open the palm of her right hand diving for a ball against the Slovenian junior national team, Hawaii’s second match of May’s training trip in Europe. That injury has healed.

With Koelsch out, Higgins was the lone setter for the rest of the tour. She said that experience has helped her feel more comfortable and confident.

"I’m still trying to smooth things out and figure out the timing with everyone," Higgins said. "Having all the new height we have is making me more aware of seeing bigger blocks and it’s helping us prepare for bigger teams.

"Having the new people (three freshmen, one junior transfer) is always an adjustment, but I like our chemistry and the way we’re pushing each other."

Libero/Defensive specialists

Hawaii’s defense and passing game will go through sophomore Savanah Kahakai, who will replace the graduated Sarah Mendoza at libero.

Kahakai appears to be completely healed from last season’s sprained right knee that sidelined her for eight matches; she will anchor the Rainbow Wahine’s three-person passing formation that includes senior hitter Tai Manu-Olevao and sophomore hitter Kalei Greeley.

Kahakai was used primarily as a defensive specialist and had 161 digs in 79 sets with 13 aces. Her highlight likely was against San Diego State, where the 5-foot-7 former All-State hitter out of Farrington played front row during Set 4 and had a solo stuff of the Aztecs’ 6-foot Baylee Little.

The question that likely will not be answered until Friday’s opener is who will be the first off the bench to serve at defensive specialist. Coming out of camp, head coach Dave Shoji said that his three DSs — junior Katiana "Ana" Ponce and sophomores Gianna Guinasso and Clare-Marie Anderson — were under equal consideration.

"I can’t separate them, they all have really good qualities about them," he said. "I’m looking for the best server and someone who can make a play."

Ponce is the smallest on the roster at 5-3, but the All-Stater from Moanalua makes up for it in her quickness. This is her fourth season in the program, as she redshirted in 2012 and played in 23 matches last year.

The 5-9 Guinasso has solid all-around skills that she used successfully over the summer when winning several beach tournaments in her native California. She is moving better after being slowed last season by a knee problem, limiting her play in 12 matches.

The 5-7 Anderson played in 22 matches, and the all-league pick out of Punahou also is skilled both indoors and on the beach, the latter where she redshirted for the SandBows in the spring.

Middle blockers

Hawaii normally likes to have three middle hitters on its active roster. An unfortunate injury last week to freshman Natasha Burns (broken right hand) means the Rainbow Wahine will have exactly that number with senior Olivia Magill, sophomore Emily Maglio and junior Annie Mitchem, the latter only being cleared to practice on Aug. 18.

This appears to be the strongest group at this position that UH has had in many years, maybe ever. That should translate into a very dynamic attack, which will force opponents to "respect the middle" by not stacking the block on the Rainbow Wahine outside hitters and should allow for frequent one-on-one looks at the pins.

Magill, at 6-foot-1, is the smallest of the trio but is the best jumper (touches around 10-6) and has impressive hang time. The transfer from Arizona earned AVCA honorable mention All-America honors in her first season as a Wahine. She tied departed senior Kalei Adolpho for the team lead in blocks (137) and was second in kills (273) while hitting .405.

The 6-3 Maglio is among the most improved on the roster, her all-around game helped considerably by playing on the UH sand team last spring as a freshman.

She played behind Adolpho last season but showed glimpses of her athleticism and a mental toughness honed while playing ice hockey on boys teams while growing up in Canada.

Mitchem is somewhat behind in terms of conditioning and familiarity with the Hawaii system, having only had six practices and Saturday’s scrimmage. But there is no denying the athleticism of the 6-3 two-time AVCA national two-year-college player of the year who helped Irvine Valley to two state indoor titles and one in beach.

Mitchem’s versatility and all-around skills could mean she gets on the court as an outside hitter.

While playing at IVC for former Hawaii All-American Tom Pestolesi, she played all six rotations and, as Pestolesi said, "kept a pretty good libero off the court" with her ability to pass and serve.

As for Burns, her injury will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The original prognosis was the Canadian would be out for six to eight weeks, which could mean a redshirt season.