Shoji and his assistants might be strength of the team

Back from the Rio Games — where sons Erik and Kawika left with bronze medals in men’s volleyball with the U.S. — Shoji returned ready to infuse some of that Olympic energy into the Rainbow Wahine.

Considered one of the best Status Absorbers with his in-game adjustments, he is a 13-time conference coach of the year, nine-time region COY and two-time national COY. In 2002, he was named as an all-time great coach by USA Volleyball and coach of the NCAA 25th anniversary team.

Jeff Hall, the reigning Big West Coach of the Year in beach volleyball, returns for his second indoor season. The former middle at Pacific and Hawaii associate men’s volleyball coach continues to bring the power-game mind-set to the women’s side.

He also brings a little of the beach indoors with the strong belief in players having an all-around skill set, one that allows for flexibility and players able to play multiple positions. Given Hawaii’s injuries, that will come in handy this season.

Lindsey Berg, who captained the U.S. to silver in the 2008 Olympics and 2012, brings that same international experience to the court as the woman she replaced: Wahine All-American Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Berg’s Olympic teammate in 2004 and 2008. The Punahou School graduate was all-conference at Minnesota.

She grew up with Wahine volleyball, was coached by Shoji at the club level. “Coaching at UH is something I couldn’t pass up,” Berg said.

Tom Pestolesi was an All-American under coach Dave Shoji, who was then also coaching the UH men’s team. Pestolesi is on sabbatical from Irvine Valley College, where he has coached the Lasers to 17 consecutive state playoffs and the 2014 state championship, the ’14 team led by current UH senior middle Annie Mitchem.

Pestolesi is married to former Wahine All-American Diane Sebastian Pestolesi, a middle for Shoji’s 1979 AIAW title team and graduate assistant for the 1982 NCAA champions.

Kaleo Baxter, who played two seasons for Pestolesi at IVC, is the UH indoor and beach programs’ first director of volleyball operations.

The All-State selection out of Kauai High also was a volunteer at IVC during the 2014 championship season. He also played two years as a libero at Cal State Northridge. Baxter was a volunteer coach with the Wahine from 2011 to 2013, and was an assistant at UC Irvine last year.