Rainbow Wahine volleyball ranked 13th

Advertiser Staff

The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine volleyball team will open the 2004 season with its lowest preseason national ranking in six seasons, No. 13 in the USA Today/College Sports Television Top 25 Coaches' Poll, announced yesterday.

Not since 1998, when UH was coming off a 25-8 season with several roster changes and ranked 14th, have the Rainbow Wahine been ranked lower.

"I'm not really surprised," said Dave Shoji, UH head coach. "I'm not sure, at this point, how we're gonna do or how anybody else is gonna do," Shoji said. "I think I actually voted ourselves 14th or 15th," on his ballot.

UH finished the 2003 season at No. 3, going 36-2 and losing in the national semifinals.

Two-time defending national champion Southern California is the runaway No. 1 pick, earning 56 of 65 first-place votes from members of the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Nebraska, UCLA, Florida, Minnesota, Stanford, Washington, Penn State, Pepperdine and California rounded out the top 10.

UH opens its 2004 season Sept. 2 against Eastern Washington.

Top 25 poll with first-place votes in parentheses, total points, 2003 record and final ranking: