By season's end, senior center Brittany Grice hopes to cross off one thing that has eluded the Rainbow Wahine during her career — a Western Athletic Conference title.

"I think a WAC championship is a very achievable goal," Grice said. "Anything short of it, honestly ... it would be somewhat of a disappointment. I think we have the tools to win the WAC this year."

Grice, Amber Lee, Dalia Solia, Pam Tambini and Janevia Taylor have each been in the program four years. Cassidy Chretien also is a senior, but played her first two seasons at a junior college.

"I think every senior brings something different to the table," Grice said. "I am prepared to take on a leadership role. I have that responsibility as a captain."

Grice, who averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds a game last season, was named to the All-WAC preseason first team by the conference coaches.

Taylor, a shooting guard, was named to the second team. She averaged 12.3 points and led the team with 47 steals last season.

"Nevi is just a player, she's going to show up every day," said third-year head coach Jim Bolla.

Grice, Taylor and Tambini, a guard/forward who averaged 7.9 points, each started at least 22 games last season.

Solia, a guard/forward who averaged 6.8 points, and junior forward Tanya Smith (8.2 ppg) were the key reserves and only players to see action in every game during an 18-10 season (9-7 WAC).

The most heated competition this season likely will be at point guard where junior Amy Kotani and Chretien are the front runners.

Kotani started 12 games and averaged 11.6 minutes and 2.0 points last season. Chretien played in 23 games and averaged 9.6 minutes and 2.1 points.

"We've got a number of players who can run that position," Bolla said. "We have to see who's going to be the most efficient."

This year's newcomers are Leilani Galdones, Dita Liepkalne, Megan Tinnin and Iwona Zagrobelna.

"I'm really glad I'm here and I really like my team," Zagrobelna said.

As far as playing time this season, Liepkalne said: "I have some work to do, definitely, and we'll see."

Bolla said he wants to speed up the game with more fast breaks, 3-pointers and pressure defense.

"Our goal is to play a little more up-tempo than we have the last two years," he said. "Every year we want to pick it up a little bit more. If you put it on a scale of one to a hundred, last year we were probably playing at 65. If we can get it up to 75 or 80 percent, running in transition and quick baskets, then that's our goal."

Bolla said the Rainbow Wahine should have had "21, 22 wins," last season, but missed opportunities late in games and poor free-throw shooting cost his team.

Taylor doesn't see that happening this season.

"I think as a team we have a lot more energy and chemistry," she said. "Now we're focused and bonded together. It's a team that's going to be able to stay focused the whole 40 minutes."

The Rainbow Wahine will play two teams ranked in the Preseason Top 25 of the Street & Smith's College Basketball Yearbook, and have the potential to face two more.

Hawai'i will play No. 17 Texas Tech on the opening day of the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic, Nov. 24 to 26.

The Rainbow Wahine will conclude a three-game road trip by playing No. 25 USC on Dec. 9.

Hawai'i also could face No. 2 North Carolina and No. 3 Oklahoma in preseason tournaments.

The Rainbow Wahine will play an exhibition against Hawai'i Pacific University on Nov. 4, and open the season against Georgetown on Nov. 17, the first day of the Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.