It hasn’t happened since before the COVID-19 pandemic that Robyn Ah Mow has had to undertake a significant overhaul of the Hawaii women’s volleyball roster like this one.

The on-court process of replacing seven letterwinners, including three-time third-team All-American Amber Igiede, officially began on Thursday with the start of fall camp, meaning practices in both the morning and afternoon.

Ah Mow brought up her first season in 2017 in comparing the task of what lies ahead for the four-time defending Big West champions, who welcome five newcomers — four freshmen and a transfer.

It’s a challenge, for sure, but one that Ah Mow welcomes.

“You know me, we’ve just got to get going,” Ah Mow said before the start of Thursday’s afternoon practice. “I will find a way.”

Hawaii’s roster of 13 players is the fewest in Ah Mow’s eight years as head coach.

In addition to six seniors moving on, UH lost outside hitter Paula Guersching and libero Colby Lane, who both transferred out.

Malinah Purcell-Telefoni, an outside hitter out of Kapolei who signed as part of the incoming freshman class, informed the coaching staff last month of her decision not to play volleyball.

Hawaii has added a middle blocker in 6-foot-3 junior Morghn Monahan, a transfer from Hawaii Pacific.

With fall camp underway, Ah Mow said there is one virtue she will need to have a little more of.

“I think this year I’ve got to put on a little more patience hat,” she admitted.

She still has plenty of talent to work with, including returning pin hitters Caylen Alexander and Tali Hakas, who is currently out while she plays for the national team in Israel and is expected back in late August.

Sophomore Stella Adeyemi was a breakout player during the spring.

Jacyn Bamis is the lone returning middle blocker and worked the entire spring as the only middle on the roster.

Freshmen Miliana Sylvester and Maddie Way will have to pick up things quickly, as at least one of them will be forced into action right away.

“We might look pin dominant, but I’m still a ‘we’ve got to use the middle’ person,” Ah Mow said. “Maybe not as much (as last year), but we don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ve got two full weeks to get things going, but it will definitely be different. You never know what is going to happen.”

The one area UH can rely on is setter, where four-year starter Kate Lang returns as one of two seniors with libero Tayli Ikenaga.

Sophomore Jackie Matias is in her third year with the program, and UH added reigning state Player of the Year Adrianna Arquette out of Kamehameha.

Arquette was recruited at setter but played outside hitter, opposite and middle blocker at Kamehameha.

Ah Mow said she is capable of playing any of those positions for the Rainbow Wahine.

“She is like a utility player for us,” the coach said.

Lang, who practiced for a week with the USA Women’s National Team early in the summer, will rely on her experience to help adjust to her new teammates.

A lot will feel different on the floor come the season opener.

“I feel like I am coming in this year just saying I’ve done this before, I’ve been here, and this is something I’ve done four times now,” Lang said. “I’m trying to give myself a little bit of confidence with that and I’m also trying to keep myself fresh. I really want to be fresh minded and stay clear in my head so I can take in new information Coach Rob has for me and I want to stay fresh for her.”

Hawaii opens the season in three weeks against SMU on Aug. 30 in the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic. UH will then play San Diego two days later.