How to measure greatness. True greatness.

In sports, there are the tangibles and the intangibles.

The first is easy. Just look at the statistics, the awards.

The second is much harder. There is no computer program to chart leadership, no algorithm to prove work ethic, no medals for character or humility.

Still, the Hawaii men’s volleyball team has no problem recognizing intangibles. The Rainbow Warriors see them every time Larry “Tui” Tuileta walks through the door.

The senior libero for No. 6 Hawaii is ready — as ready as he can be — for this weekend, the final home matches of his All-America career. The 22-year-old may be more nervous about Saturday’s senior-night post-match festivities than facing top-ranked and undefeated Long Beach State twice beginning tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

“I don’t like surprises,” he said. “I just have this feeling that someone is going to come out and try to give me a fire knife.

“But if they do … I’m prepared for it. I can still do it.”

That’s been Tuileta’s mentality anytime he’s been asked to try something, from traditional Samoan fire-knife dancing to changing positions in the middle of his college volleyball career. The career he started at USC as an outside hitter while redshirting in football. The one that, after a year’s absence, he continued as Hawaii’s starting libero.

Tuileta’s doing it while on a football scholarship, vying for playing time at quarterback, the position that twice earned him the state Gatorade player of the year award while at Punahou School. In his own version of double-days, he’s made some of the spring football practices in the morning and then afternoon volleyball practice during bye weeks.

He will be with football full-time in fall. This after spending part of the summer training with the U.S. national volleyball team as the reserve libero and potential member of the 2020 Olympic team.

It all just adds to the mystique of Volleyball magazine’s national player of 2014 , the legend of which Warriors junior setter Joe Worsley has long been aware. Worsley’s first encounter came when he and younger brother Gage, Hawaii’s backup libero, played against Tuileta and Punahou teammate Micah Ma’a in a USAV beach tournament.

“They crushed us, but we were so star-struck,” Joe Worsley said. “At nationals for club, I’d go watch him play any chance I got.

“It’s been an honor to play with him for two years. The best thing he brings is this level of comfort, this calming presence. We’ve gone to him in the tough times. Everyone knows what an amazing player he is. What we see is his leadership and the humility.”

“He’s always had this Pied Piper quality about him,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said. “I watched him on a club team that wasn’t the most talented but they won a national title. He literally wrapped his arms around his teammates and, no matter how bad they were playing, he was always telling them how great they were. And they won.

“He has this ability to overhand receive serve. Coaches have told me that Tui has ruined their guys (mentally) because they’re bombing their serves as hard as they can and Tui receives overhand. Liberos don’t do that. But he does with these big, strong mitts of his. He’s a special athlete.”

“If you can do it, why not,” said Tuileta, who practices his overhand receptions by turning up ball machines on high. “There’s been a benefit to me being a libero. It hasn’t been as hard on my body. All you’re doing is serve-receive and play defense. It wasn’t a big deal to switch.

“If I can contribute I’m happy. If I can excel at doing my job, even better.”

Tuileta is averaging 2.25 digs per set with eight double-figure dig matches, including a career-high 16 in last Saturday’s four-set win at UC Santa Barbara.

Asked about legacy, Tuileta would rather speak about the pride in his Polynesian culture, a combination of the aloha spirit and Fa’a Samoa. (Dad Larry Sr. was born and raised in Samoa, mom Maile is part-Hawaiian).

“My culture is really important to me,” he said. “It’s probably why I have all the tattoos, to represent where I’m from.

“Do I even have a legacy? The competitor in me wants to say that I’d like to be known as one of the best liberos to ever come out of here. But I’m not going to say that. I want to be known as one of the best people to come out of here. If everyone knows I’m a good person and if I brought some smiles to their faces, I’m good with that.”