"He's hurt," UH coach Mike Wilton said. "It's in his left shoulder, but when you block, you have to use both arms. He can hardly lift his (left) arm at all."

Bender said: "Honestly, I have no idea what's wrong."

Last season, Bender was the Warriors' third-most productive hitter, averaging 3.29 kills per game. He started UH's final 11 matches, averaging 4.3 kills. He had at least 23 kills in each of the four matches against NCAA finalists Brigham Young and Long Beach State.

"I'm ready to play," said Azenha, who averaged 3.92 kills per game last season. "I feel rusty, but I guess everybody is kind of rusty now."

Although this is Azenha's third year of college, he is listed as a senior because he played for an amateur club in his native Brazil before enrolling at UH in August 2002. The NCAA clock starts when a player first enrolls as a full-time college or on his 21st birthday. Azenha was 21 when he played for the club team.

Azenha, who has a 3.1 grade-point average, is on track to earn a bachelor's degree by the spring of 2006.

Wilton said the other projected starters are: libero Eric Kalima, setter Brian Beckwith, outside hitters José José Delgado and Lauri Hakala, and middle blockers Mauli'a LaBarre and Jacob Schkud. Kalima's workout was abbreviated yesterday because of leg cramps.

Wilton said Delgado, a fourth-year junior, is poised for a breakout season.

"He really has ability," Wilton said.

Delgado was a part-time starter in 2002. He redshirted in 2003. Last season, as a part-time starter, he was overweight because of a back injury. But the 6-foot-3 Delgado lost 32 pounds and now weighs 182.

"I try to eat really healthy," he said. "I worked hard and tried to lose all of the weight. I feel I'm quicker and can jump higher."

Wilton said: "He's chiseled now. He's playing well."

As well, Wilton said, as when Delgado caught UH's attention as a club player four years ago.

"He would be the best player in the gym," Wilton said. "He had a lot of game."

Hakala, a first-year player from Finland, said Delgado "is our most talented passer. He has an eye for the ball."

Hakala also earned a berth in the lineup because of his accuracy in finding Beckwith in UH's three-passer system. At 6 feet 2, Hakala, like Delgado, can touch 11 feet 2 off a standing jump.

"It's OK, but it's not great," Hakala said of his vertical jump. "It's an optical illusion at times. Short guys, when they jump, they look like they're higher than tall guys when they jump."