Shoji surprised by Wahine's No. 5 poll ranking

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Wahine coach Dave Shoji heard his volleyball team was ranked No. 5 in both preseason polls yesterday and figured the bottle he put his roster in hadn't reached land.

Dave Shoji said he is missing three key players. Advertiser library photo • Aug. 8, 2001

Those three impact players — two with eligibility remaining and the 2000 high school player of the year — are not with the team now and probably won't be this season. Based on that, Shoji said he would rank his team around 10th.

The Wahine have gone 60-4 the past two seasons. Nebraska, the team that ended their season last December in the final four, is No. 1 in both polls. Hawai'i opens against the defending national champion Huskers on Aug. 24 at the NACWAA State Farm Classic in Stockton, Calif.

Southern California, which plays here Sept. 7 in the Aston Imua Challenge, is No. 2 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/USA Today poll, followed by Penn State, Wisconsin and UH. Volleyball Magazine's poll, picked by an editor, has Stanford second, followed by Long Beach State, USC and the Wahine.

Lima, an all-region player during her three years here, is home in Brazil, "enjoying myself and trying to grow up," she said Sunday. "It's tough though."

She is playing with her old club team and researching opportunities to play professionally. "I haven't signed a contract yet," Lima said. "Still thinking of other possibilities."

Lima says the "one thing I know for sure" is she wants to get her degree. She could return for that at some point.

Shoji has not spoken to Kahumoku since last week. She told him then that, despite some doubt, she was sticking with her decision to take the year off "for personal reasons." The All-American is working for the family business in Alabama.

Shoji and his team are deep into two-a-day practices now, and moving on without her.

"I have not even considered her coming back at this point," Shoji said. "You can't wish for things, you've got to move on. We're prepared to go without her. We have been prepared."

Saleaumua is not yet academically eligible and is not in Hawai'i. If she can qualify for this semester, she would still miss at least the first two weeks of the season.

Volleyball Magazine

1. Nebraska
2. Stanford
3. Long Beach State
4. USC
5. Hawai'i
6. Florida
7. Wisconsin
8. Penn State
9. Arizona
10. BYU
11. Pacific
12. Pepperdine
13. UCLA
14. UC Santa Barbara
15. Minnesota
16. Colorado State
17. Ohio State
18. South Carolina
19. Notre Dame
20. Utah