That expectation is based on a little subtraction.

Last season, Hawai'i, Southern California, Florida and K-State went a combined 120-15, with three final-four appearances and an NCAA title. The Wildcats — the Rainbow Wahine's opening opponent tonight — had more than half those losses.

But K-State, like every other team here, has hardly lost anything since. These teams together are missing just two starting hitters and 1› setters from last year's starting lineups. They boast 20 seniors.

"In college athletics there is no substitute for experience," Florida coach Mary Wise says. "We've got four seniors starting, so these are the special years."

Here's a peek into the future, in order of ranking and based closely on the recent past:

1, USC (31-1, NCAA champion)

The Trojans return all seven starters from their first championship team since 1981. They have All-Americans from 2002 (6-1 Sr. OH April Ross, 6-6 Jr. MB Emily Adams) and a second-team All-American from 2001 (6-3 Sr. Katie Olsovski). There is also last year's NCAA Championship MVP (6-1 Jr. OH Keao Burdine).

Coach Mick Haley has experience, trust and senior leadership in abundance. What he worries about now is patience. Olsovsky and Bibiana Candelas (6-5 So. MB) just returned from the Pan Am Games. Two players are coming off surgery. Haley is still pondering playing two setters to keep last year's system intact.

"It depends on what we feel most comfortable with," he says. "I can't look in a crystal ball and guess. We have to give a lot of kids a chance. We'll be trying two or three new things against pretty good competition. We should get some answers.

"We're trying to be better than last year. It will be a real hard task. We won't be there for awhile, but we have the opportunity to be better."

No. 2 Hawai'i (34-2)

Setting is not a serious concern for coach Dave Shoji, which speaks volumes for the freshmen he is inserting into an otherwise-intact lineup. Shoji believes it "won't be long before the setting is at a really high level." The hitters will help immensely. Last year, Hawai'i became the first team to lead the NCAA in hitting (.329), kills per game (18.19) and assists (16.72).

Shoji says All-Americas Lily Kahumoku (6-2 Sr. OH) and Kim Willoughby (6-0 Sr. OH) are better, "especially Lily — she's playing at a level I wasn't sure she could get to." Everyone else, including third-team All-America Lauren Duggins (6-0 Sr. MB), has also come back with another element to their game.

That leaves Shoji optimistic, but he knows his team still has something to prove in crucial matches. Last year players disappeared when they were needed most. So did the block.

"We need to be slowing somebody like (Florida's) Aury Cruz or (USC's) April Ross — those big-time players," Shoji says. "We haven't been able to do that."

No. 3 Florida (34-3)

The Gators have all but one starter back and their focal point — All-America Aury Cruz (5-11 Sr. OH) — has hardly taken a breath since the final four. Cruz, born in the Bronx, spent the summer with the Puerto Rican national team, as she has since she was 15. She returned to Florida on Sunday from the Pan Am Games so she could continue her assault on the record books.

Like Hawai'i, the Gators have not lost a conference match since 1998. That type of domination makes competitive weeks like this even more important. Coach Mary Wise's biggest worry is the puka created by the graduation of second-team All-America Nicole McCray, whose sister Amber is a freshman for the Gators. Cruz, third-team All-America Benavia Jenkins (6-0 Sr. MB), and SEC Tournament MVP Jacque Robinson (6-2 Sr. OH) will help compensate for whatever is missing.

Florida has been remarkably successful since Wise came in 1991, but has stalled in six national semifinals. She believes three things have to happen for it to break through.

"Teams that win titles are healthy, they have the best player on the court in December and they have a little luck," she says. "If it was easy ... there are 351 Division I programs — more than a dozen would have won it."

No. 15 Kansas State (21-9)

The Wildcats, coming off their seventh consecutive NCAA appearance, have their highest-ever preseason ranking and all but one starter back. There is no national Player of the Year candidate among K-State's four all-Big 12 selections, but coach Suzie Fritz believes her balance and experience make this her best team yet.

"Our senior leadership is as strong as it's ever been," Fritz says. "As a group, they just have a strength of character. They're also pretty good volleyball players. The way they have committed themselves and helped our program grow has been exceptional. They have been wonderful advocates of K-State volleyball."

The all-conference veterans are Lauren Goehring (6-0 Sr. MB), the Big 12's Preseason Co-Player of the Year, Laura Downey-Wallace (5-9 Sr.), last year's conference Libero of the Year, Gabby Guerre (6-1 Jr. S) and Cari Jensen (6-0 Sr. OH). They were here two years ago when Hawai'i turned its season around with a five-game victory over K-State. They have not let many get away since.