In her three years with the University of Utah women’s volleyball team, setter Bailey Choy ranked annually among the Pac-12 Conference’s top 10 in assists.

After a noteworthy 3,255 assists accumulated in her college career, Choy’s biggest one might end up being the trip back home.

The announcement this week that the 2015 Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State player of the year out of ‘Iolani is coming to the University of Hawaii as a graduate transfer for the 2019 season wraps a big bow around the Rainbow Wahine’s recruiting class at a pivotal time.

In looking ahead to a season that is just 83 days away, you’ve got to think the eight-member class, which includes three Pac-12 transfers, should help the Rainbow Wahine regain what was, once upon a time, their almost annual position atop the conference. That’s any conference they played in.

Until the 2017 and ’18 seasons, when they were dethroned by Cal Poly in the Big West, the Rainbow Wahine hadn’t had a championship drought of more than one year in either of its conference affiliations over 20 years.

Think about that. Not since 1996-97, when they were defeated by Brigham Young in two Western Athletic Conference tournament championship matches, most notably the five-set, nearly three-hour slugfest in ’96, had the ’Bows gone more than one year without hoisting a trophy. Only in 2014 had they been beaten out at all.

When the ‘Bows trod off the court after their five-set loss to No. 25 Baylor in the first round of the NCAA tournament six months ago in Oregon, it was also with the knowledge there would have to be some significant rebuilding with the loss of seven players, three of them All-Big West Conference performers.

This as Cal Poly returns five starters, including Big West Conference player of the year, Torrey Van Winden, from a team that went 25-3 and was ranked No. 22. The Mustangs’ two-time conference coach of the year, Sam Crosson, is gone to California and has been succeeded by long-time assistant Caroline Waters.

But early indications are the UH coaches have, through their recruiting haul to augment Norene Iosia, a three-time all-conference selection, and seven other returnees, given head coach Robyn Ah Mow’s third season the look of a promising one.

Five freshmen, including 6-foot, 2-inch outside hitter Hanna Hellvig of Sweden were the early signees. Hellvig, who has considerable international experience with the Swedish senior national and junior national teams, heads the list.

The signing of transfer Kyra Hanawahine, a backup libero and defensive specialist at Oregon, helped. And teammate Jolie Rasmussen, a 6-foot, 2-inch outsider hitter for the Ducks was a major acquisition. Rasmussen is a two-time All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection who had an injury redshirt year.

Her 28 kills in the spring match with Texas suggests she is back in form and ready to become the outside terminator UH needs. And, she comes with the bonus of two years of eligibility.

Then, there is Choy, who led the Pac-12 in aces last season, the last, but definitely not the least of the additions to a crucial Rainbow Wahine recruiting class.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.