The sophomore, who gripes about being unable to go to the beach and can only cook rice, is one of 30 volleyball players from Hawai'i on rosters for Division I Mainland programs.

"I think it is a big accomplishment for Hawai'i players, everyone focuses on football or even basketball," said Peters, a 2003 graduate of Kahuku and The Advertiser's 2002 All-State Player of the Year. "Female players from the Islands can show what we've got; I think that is really good."

Being far from home is aided by having teammates from Hawai'i: Iolani alum La'akea Campbell and Kamehameha graduate Mounia Nihipali.

"You can tell we're a lot closer than the people on the team," Peters said. "It's not that we seclude ourselves, we just have that local bond."

Sharing that bond translates into a contagious positive spirit for the rest of the team, according to Fresno State coach Lindy Vivas.

"They bring kind of an infectious spirit, they like playing," said Vivas, a Punahou School graduate. "That's fun as a coach. It is fun to watch and it rubs off on the players around them."

Peters was recently selected as a preseason all-Western Athletic Conference pick, which she called a "nice surprise."

"I was actually kind of surprised because one of my freshman goals for my sophomore year was to get better or all-WAC," she said. "And I was like, 'Right on, I met one of my goals.' "

Peters started as a freshman, accumulating 281 kills with a .173 hitting percentage, 348 digs, 14 solo blocks and 39 block assists.

"She earned that position on the left side and kept it all season," Vivas said. "We would like to see her continue to be one of our most effective hitters."

Peters set the school's rally scoring record for digs in four games with 30 versus San Jose State on Oct. 4, and is ranked in the top five in six categories in the school's freshman record book.

Not bad for someone who didn't play volleyball until the eighth grade, and then split her time between basketball, soccer and volleyball.

Now her focus is entirely on volleyball — not that the multi-sport athlete doesn't miss playing other sports.

"It would be nice to play basketball on the side for fun, or kick ball, jump rope, a little double dutch like back in the days," she said.

Although a bit undersized for a Division I outside hitter at 5 feet 10, Peters' ability to jump gives her an advantage over a lot of taller, less agile players, according to Vivas.

"She's an excellent jumper, and she's quick," Vivas said. "She's got a good instinct for the game."

Campbell and Nihipali are also 5-foot-10 outside hitters, but like Peters, Vivas said height doesn't matter if the player can jump.

"I feel that anyone with good jumping ability can always play bigger than they are," Vivas said. "A lot of kids from Hawai'i can jump really high. We like our outsides to be very versatile. They play the whole game and you have to have athleticism. We've had a tremendous amount of success with 5-9, 5-10 hitters."

Vivas also pointed to the innate volleyball ability Hawai'i players have that allows them to succeed at the Division I level.

"They are talented, they know how to play the game, and I think they are very, very competitive," Vivas said. "They always seem to have fun."

Peters said she is looking forward to bringing that competitive fire to the court, when Fresno State is expected to contend for the WAC title.

"Now that the WAC is open for everyone's taking, it's not only UH or Fresno State," she said. "That motivates us to work even harder. I think the competition is fun."

She's also finding ways to have fun off the court as well, continuing to do things she did at home — which helps her maintain her sanity.

"It's nice to kick back and listen to Island music," she said. "I'm just trying to stay sane in Fresno."

Notes

• Brigham Young senior safety Aaron Francisco (Kahuku '01 of La'ie) has been selected as one of 29 candidates for the 2004 Jim Thorpe Award, which honors the top collegiate defensive back.

Francisco, who is 6-2 and 215 pounds, had a team high 116 takedowns last season when he was the BYU's most valuable defensive player and a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection.