Carly Kan says she’s met two people from Hawaii in her four years at Missouri.

On the volleyball court, it’s a little different.

The Tigers have hosted a tournament and played in Georgia, Idaho and Delaware so far this season.

In each of those tournaments, Kan has gone up against at least one player from the islands.

“Honestly, it’s not very surprising,” Kan said when told that there are 56 Division I volleyball players from Hawaii high schools currently playing on the mainland. “Hawaii volleyball is awesome and I think that all-around volleyball in Hawaii is kind of the best. These days a lot of girls are going to bigger schools and I think that’s really cool.”

Kan, one of 17 Punahou alumnae listed on Division I rosters (excluding three at UH), has represented Hawaii extremely well since she first stepped on the Missouri campus.

Entering her senior season, she is already one of only five Tigers to record 1,000 kills and digs in a career.

She ranks seventh in digs (1,198) and eighth in kills (1,422) and could play in more matches than any other Missouri player ever.

She was recruited as a libero, but within weeks of her first practice, Kan was moved to outside hitter even though she’s only 5 feet 9.

“I really appreciate that my coaches took that chance on me when I don’t think a lot of people would,” Kan said. “It’s really meant a lot to be able to hang with (other outside hitters) in the SEC because it’s always what I’ve wanted to do. I’ve loved playing all the way around. It’s just been really special to come in my freshman year and have that impact and even now continuing it and taking a leadership role.”

Missouri finished 35-1 during Kan’s freshman season, losing only in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Tigers bounced back from a losing record in SEC play during Kan’s sophomore year to finish 27-6 overall and 14-4 in conference last season.

The Tigers open their SEC slate tonight, hosting South Carolina after finishing 9-3 in four nonconference tournaments.

“I think that we’re feeling really confident, which is great because I think in the past we were a little iffy about ourselves,” Kan said. “We’re holding ourselves to a higher standard and I think we’re a team that has been in a lot of fifth-set battles and we’re going to be a team that knows how to fight back and battle against adversity.”

Missouri has won four consecutive matches since getting swept by No. 10 BYU in the Idaho State Invitational on Sept. 10.

The Cougars are one of 10 Division I teams with at least two players from Hawaii.

Arizona has four players from Hawaii, including starting setter Penina Snuka (Kahuku) and starting outside hitter Kalei Mau (Kaiser).

The Wildcats are one of four Pac-12 teams with players from Hawaii.

Utah, which is 9-2 heading into tonight’s Pac-12 opener against Colorado, is led by junior outside hitter Adora Anae (Kahuku), who was named the conference’s offensive player of the week on Monday.

Anae set a single-match school record for the rally-scoring era with 31 kills to lead Utah to a five-set road win at No. 9 BYU. She has won the Pac-12 player of the week honor three times and leads the conference averaging 4.73 kills per set.

Mau ranks 10th with 3.41 kills per set, while Snuka is fifth averaging 9.54 assists per set and Utah freshman setter Bailey Choy (‘Iolani) ranks sixth at 9.07.

Snuka’s 0.54 aces per set leads the conference.

HAWAII PLAYERS ON THE BIG STAGE