Wahine’s Clare-Marie Anderson works a balancing act

Obliging a request to bring a few textbooks to a photo shoot illustrating her dual devotions to academics and volleyball, Clare-Marie Anderson showed up at the Stan Sheriff Center with two of her thickest.

Cradling the organic chemistry and physics books soon had her left arm quivering while she held a ball in her right. But she pulled off the shot with an easy smile and nary a complaint.

In real-life application, the Rainbow Wahine defensive specialist has balanced her passions with similar poise.

On the University of Hawaii’s upper campus, there’s Clare-Marie Anderson, the 4.0 student with aspirations of attending medical school hustling through a science-heavy course schedule.

Hustle is the operative word on the lower campus as well, where Anderson hones her reactions in the back row in early morning or afternoon practices, elevating her role in the Wahine rotation this season.

"She’s made big strides," UH coach Dave Shoji said of the 5-foot-7 sophomore out of Punahou, "mainly because she’s such a hard worker.

"The best thing about Clare is she just goes for every ball and is very aggressive."

Heading into the opening weekend of Big West play, Anderson has emerged as a steadying presence off the bench for the 11th-ranked Rainbow Wahine (10-1). She has been called upon in 31 sets and enters Friday’s match against UC Santa Barbara (4-7) with 23 digs. She’s contributed six aces while placing 98.2 percent of her serves in play.

Anderson had a chance to change jerseys for an appearance at libero against Eastern Washington on Sept. 12 and she popped up a career-high nine digs to go along with two aces.

"She’s been very reliable and that’s what you need in that position," Shoji said.

Anderson attacks volleyball and her school work with equal dedication, and while discussing her approach to time management, Anderson is quick to point out she’s not unique among the Rainbow Wahine in pursuing a challenging major while handling the pressures of Division I competition.

"We’re all going through the same thing," said Anderson, who can compare organic chemistry notes with teammate Emily Maglio. "Everyone has a tough course load, everyone has to deal with the struggle of balancing school and volleyball. So it’s just nice to have teammates to help you out."

While Shoji says that "academics is her priority," Anderson’s commitment to volleyball is unquestioned.

There are times when the two overlap — Tuesdays, for example, when her two labs — a four-hour organic chemistry lab and a three-hour biology session — keep her from getting to practice on time.

"I’ve had her tell me she has a lab and she can’t be at practice and she’ll cry," Shoji said. "That’s how much she loves volleyball."

Anderson can’t remember a time when volleyball wasn’t part of her life. Her father, Jay Anderson, preceded her at Punahou, was a three-time All-American at Pepperdine and went on to play professionally in Italy and Switzerland.

Clare-Marie guessed she was 4 or 5 when she started bumping a volleyball around with her dad in their yard on Molokai. She began playing competitively when her family moved to Kaimuki when she was 10 and they commuted to Aikahi Elementary School, where her mother Janet works, for a year before she enrolled at Punahou. There she was part of a state championship team in 2012 along with current UH teammates Tayler Higgins and McKenna Granato.

Anderson, who served as a ball girl at UH matches, was still considering her options early in her senior year when UH’s win over No. 1 Texas on opening night of the 2013 season sealed her decision to walk on with the Rainbow Wahine.

"It was definitely an honor," Anderson said. "So I feel so blessed to be here, blessed beyond belief."

Anderson is using her time at UH to consider longer-term decisions, such as whether to pursue pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology … then again, she’s also interested in cardiology. Along the way, she’ll have volleyball to keep her balanced.

"I remember the first time going out when they announced us when we ran around to warm up," she said. "I thought to myself ‘I want to keep this feeling.’ I wish I could just bottle it up in a jar and put it aside for safe keeping, because it was the best feeling."