Wahine volleyball picked to win WAC

Advertiser Staff

"We're the favorite; we've been the favorite," UH coach Dave Shoji said. "It's a compliment to our program."

But Shoji said the poll "doesn't mean much to us. We still have to go out and win it and try to be the best team we can."

The Wahine, who return All-Americans Kim Willoughby (2001) and Lily Kahumoku (2000), received nine of 10 first-place votes in the poll released yesterday.

Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team, and Shoji said he voted for San Jose State (25-8 last season), which returns four starters, including all-WAC middle blocker Liz Hudson.

Hawai'i, which finished 29-6 last season when Kahumoku took a year off for personal reasons, advanced to the NCAA Regional semifinals before losing to UCLA, 3-1, in Long Beach, Calif.

In 2000, with Willoughby and Kahumoku, the Wahine went 31-2, reaching the final four, where they lost to Nebraska in the semifinals.

"We think we're going to be very good, but we can't get ahead of ourselves," Shoji said.

"(Winning) the WAC title is one of our goals. We've got several goals. We want to take them step by step and we'll start with our first game as our biggest goal right now (Ohio State on Aug. 30)."

Willoughby is working out this summer with the national training team.

UH also returns setter Margaret Vakasausau and middle blocker Maja Gustin.