"They're very tightknit," said Coolen of pitcher Melissa Coogan, catcher Denise Dahlberg, second baseman Noelle Izumi and rightfielder Tracie Uchima. "They've been together their whole four years here. We need them to be the pushers, the movers, the ones who get it done."

Hawai'i will get its chance in the season-opening 9th annual Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic tomorrow night at 7 against visiting Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. The five-team tournament runs through Sunday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium and also includes No. 9 Washington, No. 14 Oregon and Jacksonville.

Hawai'i has a lot to prove this season. After winning the Western Athletic Conference title in 2003, the Rainbow Wahine last season dipped to fifth place in the seven-team league at 10-14 and 28-33 overall. It was Coolen's first losing campaign after 10 winning seasons, and only his second losing season at Hawai'i.

"The way I see it, there's pretty much no where to go but up," Uchima said. "We were almost last in the WAC, so almost anything we do will have a better outcome than we did last year."

"We're really hungry this year," Izumi added. "Last year wasn't really a good year. We really want to do well this year and represent the state well."

This season, Hawai'i was picked to finish third in the WAC in a preseason coaches poll. Fresno State was picked to finish first.

Hawai'i is banking on a talented group to finally jell. The team has five preseason all-WAC players — Coogan, Dahlberg, Izumi, Uchima and designated player Kate Robinson.

"Last year, we had the tools, but we didn't know how to use them yet," Dahlberg said. "This year, we're more together. We're more organized and focused. It's a lot more team-orientated; not so much an individual-accomplishment type of thing."

As for its schedule, Hawai'i will play four teams ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Pre-Season Top 25, including No. 1 California and No. 2 Arizona.

The Rainbow Wahine have 18 players — the lowest number in Coolen's tenure — and are coping with the departures of four seniors and two key players, Stacey Ritter and Stacey Porter, both of whom played first base and would have been eligible to play this season.

Ritter, who was Hawai'i's leading hitter last season, entered a nursing program in Australia after graduating with a degree in family resources last year. Porter, an All-American and Australian Olympian, accepted a job as a softball development officer in New South Wales.

"We'll see what happens with the smallest group that we've ever had," Coolen said. "We've never really carried less than 20 players."

Coolen received a scare on Jan. 25 when starting first baseman and No. 4 hitter Tyleen Tausaga injured her right knee running the bases. Tausaga said she hyperextended her knee on a steal attempt of second base. She is expected to get results of medical tests this week.

As for the good news, pitching and catching will be one of the team's strengths this season, Coolen said. Coogan (11-18, 2.47 ERA) and senior Shannon Tabion (16-10, 1.99) will lead the staff along with sophomore Jessica Morton (0-1, 1.17), junior Paula Blanning (1-4, 1.37) and freshman Robinson.

Coogan said she's capable of shouldering most of the pitching responsibilities with Tabion.

"I'm used to it," Coogan said. "I've always pitched the majority of the games for the team. If coach needs me, I can definitely do that."

Dahlberg (.276, 9 HRs, 28 RBIs) will get most of the playing time behind the plate. She will be assisted by junior Kristi Yoshizawa, freshman Kaulana Gould, sophomore Dena DePompa and freshman Louise Harriden.

Dahlberg said she's familiar with Coogan's and Tabion's styles after four years of catching them.

"We had a long time to figure each other out," Dahlberg said. "We all came in together, so we all know each other very well."

Hawai'i' should be "pretty solid" in the infield with first baseman Tausaga (.272, 4, 37) or Robinson, second baseman Izumi (.276), junior shortstop Ashley Ruff (.225, 6, 18) and third baseman Yoshizawa, according to Coolen.

Reserves include sophomore Jennifer Hackett (.250), sophomore Alana Power and freshman Valana Manuma, who is also projected to be one of the designated players.

"This year we're a lot closer as a team," Izumi said. "We get along very well. If we can bring that to the field, I think we'll be fine."

The outfield will be tested this season with two of the three spots occupied by first-year starters in junior centerfielder Tara Harbert (.241) and leftfielder Harriden, Coolen said. Returning starter Uchima (.276, 1, 11) will anchor right field.

"We will be kind of a mystery in left and center," Coolen said. "The pitchers need to do their work so we don't have a mystery happening in the outfield."

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