The lure of the islands goes beyond beautiful beaches, breathtaking scenery and the Aloha Spirit. In the volleyball world, the attraction is the love of the sport, the knowledgeable fans and — at the epicenter — the Rainbow Wahine.
Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield wanted the total experience for his team this season, one that included a peak inside venerable Klum Gym. Although that hasn’t happened — the gym has been closed while Wisconsin was on campus for practices — Sheffield prepared the Badgers for Friday’s season opener with both game plans and history lessons.
“My first match as a coach was here in 1997,” Sheffield, then an assistant at Houston, said. “I never played college volleyball and my first experience with it was at the University of Hawaii, with the Stan Sheriff (Center), the tremendous crowd, great volleyball. It was, ‘Wow, college volleyball is great.’
“Then next week, we played in front of 50 fans. Then it was, ‘ah, so this is how it really is.’
“Hawaii is such a cool experience, one of the great places you want to expose your players to when you get the opportunity.”
The stars aligned for No. 4 Wisconsin, which doesn’t start classes until Sept. 6. Sheffield said they wouldn’t have made the trip if invited to a later tournament.
Add the draw of the Chevron Invitational field — which includes 2015 NCAA tournament participants Arizona, Kansas State and the host Rainbow Wahine — and “it’s perfect,” the fourth-year Badger coach said. “This is just a gnarly tournament.
“We have a very challenging out-of-conference schedule in addition to our conference schedule. Some people say it’s crazy because I’m crazy. But this is how we can prepare for our conference, which is wicked. There will be a need for a long vacation when the season is over.”
Wisconsin is picked to finish third in the Big Ten, behind defending national champion Nebraska, ranked No.1 in the AVCA preseason poll, and No. 3 Minnesota, which ended Hawaii’s season last December in the elite eight. The Badgers return six starters from the 26-7 squad that lost in the Sweet 16 to Florida in five.
Their only loss was graduated senior libero Taylor Morey. Considered the “Iron Badger,” Morey played in all 105 matches and 379 sets as a Badger, as well as all 30 matches and 114 sets as a freshman at Notre Dame, and finished just shy of 2,000 career digs (1,977).
“She was one of the best back-row players ever in the program,” Sheffield said. “She was awfully good but we have some other people chomping at the bit.”
Among those are sophomore Amber MacDonald and freshman Sarah Dodd. Dodd, ranked No. 27 Senior Ace, is part of Wisconsin’s 13th-ranked recruiting class.
Having nearly her entire team back is a luxury for senior All-American setter Lauren Carlini.
“We’re really comfortable together,” said the two-time reigning Big Ten Setter of the Year. “We’re expecting this to be a really competitive tournament against some top teams and our youngsters get such an energetic start to their careers.
“I’m really looking forward to playing here. I’ve heard from both women’s and men’s teams how much fun it is, how energetic the fans are, how they cheer for both sides and love the sport. I think it’s going to be a great weekend.”
The only disappointment is that Carlini won’t be playing against her Pan American Cup teammate Nikki Taylor. The Hawaii senior All-American is out for the tournament with a injured left elbow.
“We’v become good friends,” Carlini said. “It was a good summer. It was all about becoming a better teammate, looking at where we are right now in our careers, and where we need to be to contend on the national and, maybe, Olympic team.
“It would be cool to have some of those girls back together and make it to Tokyo in 2020.”
The U.S. took the bronze medal at the NORCECA event in the Dominican Republic.
Wisconsin (2-1) in one of just six teams that has a series lead over Hawaii. Florida (4-3), Middle Tennessee (1-0), Missouri (1-0), Nebraska (7-5) and Penn State (5-1).
Against this week’s field, the Rainbow Wahine are 12-0 against Arizona and 5-0 against Kansas State.
A LOOK AT HAWAII’S OTHER OPPONENTS:
Kansas State (17-14): The Wildcats return seven of their top scorers from last season where they finished tied for fourth in the Big 12, their best conference finish in four years. Coach Susie Fritz is in their 16th.
Senior setter Katie Brand, the Big 12’s active leader in career assists, was named to the preseason conference team. She is a two-time honorable mention All-American.
Senior hitter Brooke Sassin was fourth in the conference in kills (3.52 kps) and points (3.92). She also turned in the program’s first double-300 season since 1999 with 378 kills and 324 digs.
Among the six newcomers are 6-6 sophomore Cheyenne Hooper, who was on the K-State basketball roster last year, and former Arizona reserve setter Sarah Dixon, a sophomore.
Arizona (19-14): Dave Rubio, the dean of Pac-12 coaches, is in his 25th season. The Wildcats return four starters from the team that advanced to the NCAA tournament for a third consecutive year.
Among the returnees are all-Pac 12 selections Penina Snuka (Kahuku), a senior setter, and senior outside Kalei Mau (Kaiser). Snuka, an honorable mention All-American, has led the conference in double-doubles in each of the past three years, including 22 in 2015.
Also making homecoming trips are sophomore libero Reilly Killeen (‘Iolani) and freshman libero Sara Watanabe (‘Iolani), who sat out last season at Long Beach State with an injury. Senior libero Laura Larson anchors a defense that led the Pac-12 in digs for a third straight year (16.83 dps).
Arizona’s incoming freshman class was ranked No. 10 by PrepVolleyball.com.
